Blame RL! 
Well even though I wanted to add a couple more things to it, I decided that I've kept you guys waiting long enough. So I've cut the chapter up into two. Hope you guys like it. And thank you for waiting so patiently and for all the bumps! 
Part 91
The air was now crackling with power. The intensity of it left both Tess and Ava shaken. For Tess it was like seeing a ghost. There was no way Liz could be alive and in Roswell at that! Isabel’s words came rushing back to her now. Hadn’t Isabel insisted that Liz was alive?
She was right! She was right! The words kept repeating themselves in Tess’s mind as she stared at the fiery image of Liz. Yet even as she heard Isabel’s words in her head and saw Liz standing right there in front of her, she felt numb from shock. In a daze she wondered how Max would react to this piece of news but she was too much in shock to really understand the implication of Liz being here.
Tess watched in silence as Liz shot out again, this time purposely missing Ava by a scant few inches. Ava ducked, stifling a yelp. Liz smiled coldly, her eyes and hands trained on Ava.
Is this really Liz? Tess wondered. This cold, vindictive and bitter Liz was do different from the passive girl she had known only months ago. What had she gone through? Where had she been that changes her so much?
Ava, on the other hand, was now crawling to her feet, keeping Liz in sight. Her mind was whirling with this new twist. Desperately she tried to figure out how this happened. Liz was supposed to be dead! She shot Tess a look and by the looks of her it looked like she was even more shocked that Ava herself.
That rules out the possibility that she, or anyone else, knew about Liz all along. Ava mused as she regarded Liz warily.
Liz had now put down her hand and was just staring fixedly at Ava. Yet even with her hand down, her skin flickered with the green energy web. There was no doubt in Tess or Ava’s mind that Liz was ready to strike within seconds if she felt the need to do so.
“You know what, Ava?” Liz said, her voice flat yet her eyes blazing with fury. “You really piss me off.”
Ava gave her a bored, indifferent look. She fought hard to keep the nervousness and surprise of her face. “I kinda figured that part out.” She replied sarcastically.
Liz took a step closer, the energy increasing and the flicker on her skin reaching a maddening pitch. “Good! Then I won’t have to explain to you why you’d better start praying.” Liz shot back coldly.
“Was that a threat?” Ava asked derisively. She regarded Liz coolly. “I’d say you’re the one who’s going to need the prayers.”
“Don’t underestimate me, Ava.” Liz told her. “You have no idea what you’re up against.”
This time there was genuine amusement in Ava’s laugh as she chuckled, “Little lost human girl comes back after a few months with powers and she thinks she can challenge me?”
Liz lifted a brow in a challenge. “Want to take me on?”
Ava paused, as if considering. Then a predatory smile lit her face. “You’re on, Parker.”
<center>* * * * * * * * * * *</center>
The further away Alex and Serena got from where they had split up with Liz, the more unsettled Alex began to feel. More than once he turned around, as if debating heading back but then ignoring the feeling, used to move on with Serena, looking for any sign of the dupes.
“I wish we had some idea of where she is.” Serena said as they scouted the area.
Alex nodded almost distractedly. “Yeah. It would make things easier, that’s for sure.”
Serena glanced at Alex as she stopped to check for any energy vibes. She noticed Alex looking back the way they came before turning away, uneasy. She laid a gentle hand on his arm, getting his attention. “What’s troubling you, Alex?” she asked.
Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure.” He replied honestly. “But something is really making me uneasy.”
“Something…or someone?” Serena asked carefully.
Alex shot her a started look. Serena just shrugged. “You’ve been acting strange ever since we left Liz to go her own way.” Serena said.
“Did something seem…off about Liz today?” Alex asked suddenly.
Serena paused, considering Liz’s behavior before she nodded reluctantly. “She seemed very disinterested…” Serena said. “Kinda funny considering she was itching to have a go at Ava a few days back.”
Alex nodded. “And she seemed too eager to split up.” He added. He shook his head, talking almost to himself. “Something just isn’t right.”
“Nothing coming off from her in your connection though?” Serena asked.
Alex concentrated briefly on feeling Liz’s emotions before he shook his head. “Nothing. Exactly the same as she was before.” Then he frowned as he honed in on something. It was very slight, barely noticeable but Alex caught it at once. “Wait…I can feel something from here…it’s very faint…but it almost feels like…anticipation?” He broke off to give Serena a puzzled look. “What is she up to?”
Serena was now looking worried. “Focus, Alex. Do you feel anything else?”
Alex didn’t need to be told so. He was already focusing only on Liz and he felt the calm emotions coming off her fade every moment, replaced by anticipation, fear and a thirst for revenge. Alex’s blood ran cold when he felt a thrill of satisfaction that bordered dangerously on revenge, run through Liz. Suddenly he was bowled over as the calm façade Liz had been sending to him broke. He was flooded with Liz’s anger and vindictiveness.
Struggling to partially block the emotions a coming off from his best friend, Alex grasped Serena’s arm to stop himself from falling over.
“Alex!” Serena cried fearfully. “What’s going on?”
“Liz…” Alex gasped. “She’s been blocking me this entire time!” He pulled himself upright to look at Serena with a harried expression on his face. “She’s found Ava! That’s what she was up to all along! She’s going to take her down…alone.”
<center>* * * * * * * * * * *</center>
The jeep roared down the street towards where Kyle had left Tess alone with Ava. In the jeep sat Michael, Max, Isabel, Maria and Kyle. Kyle had reached them only moments before and after briefly filling them in on what had happened, Max had jumped into the jeep, ready to go.
“Kyle, hurry.” Isabel said, her voice strained and worried.
Kyle shot Isabel a quick look in the rearview mirror and nodded, increasing his speed. His heart was racing wildly in his chest as he considered all that Ava could do to Tess. More than once he cursed himself for leaving her. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her.
Max, on the other hand, was doing the self-blame bit also. He cursed himself for letting them go off by themselves. He shouldn’t have let them. He should have told them to stay inside.
Michael glanced behind him to look at Max and saw the look on his best friend’s face. Sighing in exasperation he growled, “Max, quit with the guilt trip and focus on what we have to do.”
Max turned to glare at him before relaxing when he realized that Michael was right. He had to be alert. “How far away are we now, Kyle?” Max asked.
“Almost there.” Kyle replied, his eyes trained on the road. “Around two blocks away.”
“She’ll be fine.” Maria said trying to spread optimism in the car when she herself was unconsciously reaching for her vials. “Tess can handle herself.”
Kyle didn’t say anything instead his grip tightened on the steering wheel and he just pressed down on the accelerator. No one told him to slow down. He was just a block away when suddenly Kyle swerved the car, turning sharply to the left.
“Where the hell are you going?” Michael demanded. “I thought you said that you left Tess the other way?”
“They’re not there anymore.” Kyle answered shortly.
“What do you mean?” Isabel asked. “How do you know that?”
“Look, I just do all right?” Kyle shouted. “Don’t ask me how but trust me here!”
“It’s the connection.” Max suddenly spoke up. “It’s the connection that was formed when Kyle helped Tess break out of the mind warp.”
“Whatever it is, I’m not about to question it!” Kyle snapped. Then he paled. He turned briefly to give the others a panicked look. “I think she’s hurt!”
“Damn it, Kyle!” Maria suddenly yelled. “Just drive!”
“I am!” Kyle shot back then his voice reduced to a whisper as he prayed, “Please Buddha, God…anyone… let her be all right.”
<center>* * * * * * * * * * *</center>
Serena and Alex were running as fast as they could towards where Alex had pin pointed Liz’s position. He knew that Liz had found Ava and if he and Serena could just get to Liz in time, they could help her take Ava down. He didn’t even want to think about taking her down by herself.
“That is the stupidest thing Liz could have done.” Serena panted.
“Liz isn’t really thinking about anything except revenge right now.” Alex replied grimly.
Serena looked over at him to ask hi to explain but then kept quiet. She didn’t really want to know what that meant. Instead she said, “We’re almost there. Another block or so.”
Alex nodded, feeling the energy waves and emotions coming at him more strongly. “I know. I just hope we aren’t too late…”
<center>* * * * * * * * * * *</center>
The jeep screeched to a halt a few feet away from the alley Kyle was sure Tess was in. The alley was partially blocked by a dumpster which was lying sideways, obviously caught in the cross fire. He jumped out of the jeep before anyone else.
The others quickly followed behind but Max was the only one who was grounded to his spot. No one noticed his dazed and stunned expression. Nor did they hear the anguish and confusion in his voice as he stared towards where the others were heading off to and whispered one word.
“Liz…”
<center>* * * * * * * * * * *</center>
As they stood facing each other, Liz glared at Ava, her anger showing.
“You hurt Alex, you hurt Maria and you did your damn best to hurt everyone else…” Liz said to Ava, her voice tinged with cold fury. “You led me on, made me think you were my friend and all this time…? All this time you were the one we should have been looking out for. Not Rath, Lonnie or Nicholas but you!”
Ava smiled, almost looking pleased. “You’re giving me too much credit.” She replied. “I barely had to even try. You guys were too easy.”
“We were blind, mindwarped!” Liz shot back. “You were too much of a coward to take us all on so you resorted to tricks!”
“Anything for power… anything for Antar!” Ava replied coldly. “I didn’t choose the coward’s way…I choose the smart way. I was not stupid that I’d walk into Roswell and take you all on without any back up!”
“What happened to Kivar and his army?” Liz asked with a sneer. Though both her own and Ava’s hands were still raised, they both made no move to shoot.
Ava laughed, the sound chilling. “Who? The skins? They are utterly useless. I told Kivar so from the very beginning but he wouldn’t listen to me. Stupid fool!”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t like to hear you say that. He is, after all, your so-called king.” Liz pointed out.
Ava just shrugged her shoulders, an amused smile on her lips. “That’s what he thinks.”
“It was my entire plan!” She told Liz arrogantly. “It was my plan to fool you people into thinking I was an ally, my plan to try to kill Max and then have you ‘save’ him in New York. It was I who made Alex decode the book…” she paused and grinned smugly at Liz. “It was because of me that Max got Tess pregnant…”
That threw Liz over the thin edge of control she was at. Just hearing bout Max and Tess…and how it was Ava’s doing pushed her to a rage she had never experienced. Eyes flashing with unconcealed anger and hatred, Liz ruthlessly attacked Ava, one shot after another not giving the other girl time enough to even counter attack. Had it been a human or even an alien with weak powers, he would never have been able to sustain the injuries Ava had and still be able to fight back. But Ava wasn’t like normal hybrids. She had more power and more stamina in her genes than the other hybrids combined. With blood oozing down her face and bruises marring her once perfect skin, Ava struggled to her feet, this time being successful in bringing up her shield.
The garbage metal cans she had fallen behind had allowed her a few seconds she had needed to call up her powers. Now with her shield in place she stood back up, once more facing Liz. Liz, with her hair flying in the breeze, the green energy flickering madly across her skin and her eyes hard and cold, looked like some beautiful deity, powerful and undefeatable.
“If you give up now, I’ll try to make it almost painless.” She said snidely as she regarded the battered dupe.
But Ava only smirked coldly. “No chance in hell am I even near defeat.” She replied. “I haven’t even begun yet.” Though Ava thought that there might be a broken rib or two from when she had hit the wall with full force and she might have suffered cuts and bruises, she was in no way unable to fight. If Liz was itching for a fight, well she would give her one.
“Let’s see what you’ve learned while you were away, Parker!” Ava taunted as she caught Liz off guard and blasted her.
Liz gasped in pain and shock as she was pushed back and ended up falling on her back on the hard concrete floor. Within seconds, though, she was back up on her feet, countering Ava’s attack with her own. But she had forgotten about Ava’s shield. Her shot bounced harmlessly off it, leaving Ava untouched. Ava smiled at Liz as she once more shot at Liz, making her stumble and said, “I doubt you’re able to call up a shield.”
“You’re often wrong.” Liz shot back as she hit at Ava’s shield again, trying to weaken it. Though she didn’t admit it, Ava had been right. Pulling up a shield was something she couldn’t do as yet and she thought might never be able to. And she had a feeling Ava knew she was bluffing. She shot at Ava’s shield thrice more but each time it just wavered briefly before returning back to the way it was.
“Afraid you’ll loose if I get in a shot, Ava?” Liz asked, almost in frustration at not being able to break the shield.
“No…” Ava replied with an odd smile. “Just preparing…”
Before Liz could think about what that meant, she gasped in shock as she felt Ava forcefully enter her mind. She felt Ava slowly begin to mind warp her, at the same time messing with her head. She didn’t have time to wonder how this had happened, how Ava had managed to creep in unnoticed by her. She could only stare in open-mouthed horror as she began to loose all control over her senses and began to react to whatever mind warp Ava was beginning on her. She saw Ava’s cold, satisfied smile before she her grip on reality start to slip.
“No!” she managed to bite out and weakly raised her hand to shoot at Ava but could barely make out what was real and what images Ava was feeding her. She tried desperately to fight them off but she knew she was loosing the battle.
I don’t want to die this way! Her mind screamed. Not without putting up a good fight. Not without bringing her down!
But she couldn’t even manage to raise her hand anymore. As she fell to her knees she heard someone shout her name…someone who sounded like…
“Max…” She whispered weakly as she recognized the voice.
<center>* * * * * * * * * * *</center>
It was a feeling he’d never thought he’d feel again but still it was one he knew he could never forget. It was like a warm tingle starting at the base of his neck that slowly spread and cocooned him in its warm and comforting embrace. Max felt his connection with Liz, long dead, spring back to life as if it had caught fire and he felt it then…he felt her!
Liz! Liz was here! He hardly dared to believe that thought; could barely begin to ask how that was possible but he was already running in her direction, something inside of him telling him that she was really here. Max pushed past Kyle and Michael who had just gotten out of the jeep. He ran fast, his heart beating wildly in his chest as he felt his connection increase with every step he took towards her general direction. He halted abruptly just inside the alley, his hair askance as he desperately raked over the alley. At first he couldn’t see Liz and he panicked, refusing to believe that what he was feeling was untrue. He stepped fully inside, and once more looked around. It was then he saw her, Liz…falling to he knees, head in her hands.
“Liz…” he whispered, shaken and then louder. “Liz!”
But she didn’t reply or move, still holding her head in her hands, her face looking down. Even through he couldn’t see her face he could feel her struggle through the connection that had unexpectedly sprung up again. Liz was desperately trying to fight off some inner demons and for a second Max didn’t understand what was going on. Then he saw Ava, standing not far from Liz, eyes closed obviously mind warping. Until he had seen her he had forgotten all about why they were here in the first place. He heard Kyle come running behind him.
“Did you find Tess?” Kyle asked as he and Michael came to Max in hurry then abruptly stopping when they saw Liz and Ava. “Is that – but…” Kyle stammered, fixated by seeing Liz.
“Liz…its Liz…” Michael said in bewilderment, looking at Max for confirmation.
Max heard them but didn’t reply, staring almost in disbelief at Ava and Liz. “No!” He whispered fiercely as he realized what Ava was trying to do. His hand flew up in an instant and prepared to blast Ava. “No! You will not hurt her!” He shouted.
Ava had been so intent on mind warping, so sure in her belief that no one would find them, that she wasn’t aware of anything or anyone around her except for Liz. That’s why when Max shouted, her eyes flew open in surprise. Her control over the mind warp wavered as she saw Max getting ready to strike and she threw up a shield. Max’s blast harmlessly hit the shield. But Ava hadn’t been able to hold the shield till the end and so she staggered a bit when she felt the force of Max’s blast on it. That one shot was enough to make Ava loose total control over her mind warp. Not being prepared for any outside attack, Ava had let herself concentrate fully on mind warping Liz, secure in the fact that Tess lay unconscious on the floor, bleeding.
Ava struggled to grab control over her mind warp but Liz had grabbed the few seconds reprieve and had fought against it, breaking it. She was now on her feet, her hand trained Ava, her eyes cold, furious and determined. Without any preamble Liz shot out again at Ava. Ava stumbled and Liz shot again. Refusing to go down Ava tried to get in a shot but it missed Liz. That only spurred Liz to hit her again, this time bringing her to her knees, her face bleeding, her body bruised. When Liz saw Max and Michael and Isabel begin to move in to help she snapped, “This is my fight!”
They hesitated but then backed off as Liz and Ava continued their fight. Ava managed to get in a few more shots at Liz but they were weak, unable to do any real damage. Ava was losing and she knew it. With some desperation, she shot out at Liz as she tried to find a way out of the alley. But Liz saw that and wouldn’t let that happen. Determined not to let her slip, Liz threw one last shot at her, this time keeping her pinned to the wall behind her.
Max, Kyle, Michael, Isabel and Maria, who were now all in the alley, watched in stunned silence at Liz’s portrayal of power. Liz kept her eyes trained on Ava, not about to let her down. She had also pinned Ava’s hands, making her helpless.
“I can mind warp you, you bitch!” Ava spat out angrily as she struggled against the invisible bonds.
Liz just looked at her knowingly. “You can try but it won’t do any good.” She told Ava. “You caught me unprepared before; I’m not letting it happen again.” Without waiting for Ava’s answer, she addressed the people she hadn’t spoken to in months over her shoulder. “Kyle, Isabel…go make sure if Tess is okay. Ava had knocked her about pretty badly.”
Kyle and Isabel hesitated, debating whether to ask questions now or not but then Kyle, worried about Tess hurried to her, cradling her head in his lap. Isabel tried to check the extent of Tess’s injuries. Max was standing unsure what to do or say. Michael was throwing Liz distrustful looks, unsure whether it was really her. Maria, on the other hand had tears rolling down her cheek.
“Oh god…Liz!” She cried. She made a move as if to rush to Liz but something in Liz’s expression disconcerted her. “What? How?” she ventured hesitantly with a sob.
Liz turned to give her best friend the briefest of smiles. “Thank you for believing, Maria.” She said. Maria gave her a startled look, not at what she had said but the way it was said, in a wry yet flat tone. Liz’s gaze flickered to Max and then to Tess who was now sitting up, leaning against Kyle. Her gaze settled for the briefest of seconds on Tess and she was reminded of the new relationship between her and Max. She averted her eyes quickly, hurt and anger filling them.
Ava noticed and she realized all of a sudden that Liz thought Tess really was pregnant. She didn’t know how Liz had found out that piece of news but she was determined to milk it for all it was worth.
“Why are so worried about Tess, Liz?” Ava asked in a mock-sympathetic tone. “When she’s your competition? She’s the one you should be worried about. You should have let her die. There is no other way you can get Max back. You do know that she’s…”
Ava’s words were cut off when two energy blasts suddenly were aimed at her and merged to hit her. The green and blue light of the blasts blinded everyone, making them avert their eyes. When they turned to look back at Ava she was crumpled on the floor, dead.
Frantic eyes turned to look at the people from whom the blast had come from and to everyone’s surprise they saw Tess and Serena with their hands up in the air from when they had struck.
Tess was staring hatefully at Ava’s prone body, half sitting up. Serena on the other hand was now walking steadily towards Liz with Alex. She ignored the looks everyone else was shooting them as she regarded Liz with mild anger.
“That was one hell of a stupid thing you did, Liz.” Serena chided.
Liz shrugged, her eyes falling on Ava. “It was worth it.”
“You could have died!” Alex put in, his worry finally showing its full extent now that he knew Liz was safe.
“I know how to handle myself.” Liz replied.
Alex just reached out and touched the cut above her eye lightly, making her wince. “Yeah, sure…” he replied softly.
Isabel watched the exchange with tears slipping down her face. Her grip on Tess tightened when she heard his voice and felt his soothing presence. She saw Maria trembling where she stood and Michael standing beside her. She saw Max looking bewildered, a million questions on his face.
Slowly, with the tears blurring her vision, Isabel got to her feet. Alex, feeling her nearby, turned suddenly away from Liz and looked at her almost shyly. Isabel took a step forward, her footsteps shaky.
With a choked sob she whispered, “Alex?”
“Hi, Iz…” he replied, smiling gently at her. At the sound of his voice she flew at him, wrapping him in his arms, crying uncontrollably. Alex hugged her back tightly, stroking her hair.
“God, I thought I’d never be able to hold you again!” He whispered to her. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” He didn’t know what exactly he was apologizing for he held on to Isabel tightly as he taking her in.
Isabel looked at him with her tear streaked face, and said fiercely, “Don’t ever leave me again! Never! I don’t know what happened, how you’re standing here but I don’t care. Just never leave me again!”
Alex leaned down and kissed her fiercely. “I promise.” He replied. Then, looking up he saw Maria standing close to him, watching. Without a word he opened his arms for her and she flew into them.
For a moment they stood there as the others watched tearfully. Max, who had been watching Liz all this time, began to move to her, to talk to her. She stood apart from everyone, watching yet not part taking. Max approached her but stopped a distance away from her though all he wanted to do was hold her and never let her go. Somehow though, he felt Liz needed distance right now.
Liz turned slightly to look at him, her arms wrapped around herself tightly. For a second Max saw something akin to anger and pain flash in them before they grew unreadable. Her features were also cold, icy as she regarded him.
“Liz…” Max began hesitantly, unsure what to say or ask. “We thought…we thought you were dead…how…?”
“Never got on the plane, Max.” Liz replied. She looked over at Serena who was eying Michael carefully as was Michael. “Serena saved me.”
“Who is Serena?” Max asked. He looked towards the blonde girl. “Her?”
Liz nodded. “Yeah…” he voice grew soft. “Her. She saved me and Alex…helped us.” Then her voice turned bitter as she said, “I wish she’d let me get on the plane.”
“Liz!” Max gasped at her words. He took a step towards her. “You’re not really saying that. You can’t mean…”
Liz took a step back when he took one towards her. She gave him a sharp look. “What? That I was dead?” She laughed bitterly. “I don’t know what I want anymore…”
“Liz, what is going on?” Max asked, confused and worried by her demeanor. “You’re not thinking clearly.”
“Oh I think I am, Max.” Liz replied. She glanced towards Tess and Kyle who were now standing close, able to hear everything. She caught their shocked look when they heard her but she just smiled coldly. She turned to look back at Max, forcing the hurt and anger out of her voice. “I think I see things very clearly…”
“What do you, Liz?” Max asked desperately. “What are you talking about?” He took another step closer to her, wanting to hold her but Liz’s hand shot up, stopping him.
“Don’t, Max!” This time Max heard her voice waver, almost as if she was about to cry. Liz’s eyes misted over as she shook her head. “Don’t come any closer.”
“Liz…” he whispered in anguish, unable to understand why Liz was acting this way.
“I have to go…” Liz said suddenly and turned around quickly and almost ran back out.
Serena though, haven seen and heard everything, along with everyone else, reached out to stop her. “Liz…?” she asked quietly. But Liz just shook her head, a single tear falling down her cheek.
“Please, Serena…” Liz whispered. “I need to go.”
For a second Serena looked at her carefully then turned to look at Alex who was watching Liz with a worried, yet understanding expression. He nodded imperceptibly, telling Serena to let Liz go for now.
Serena dropped Liz’s arm and nodded. “We’ll talk later.” She told Liz. “Back at home.”
Liz didn’t argue but ran out on the street. Tears coursed down her cheek as images of Max and Tess flashed in her mind. She might be back but things were not going to be the same anymore…
TBC...
All I can say in my defense is that Liz is essentially not the same person she once was and therefore to pick up where she and max left out would be just wrong. Though I can promise that there will be a dreamer reunion by the end and I - nor anyone else - have not forgotten about Kivar, Rath and Lonnie! 
Well, it's still a few parts away so I still have time to give this my all 
(with the exception of a dreamer reunion, of course 