You Can't Go Back to Yesterday CC adult complete june 26

[ken_r]

You Can’t Go Back to Yesterday


Author: Ken_r

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. I have just rewritten the story so it makes better sense to me. The first season of Roswell presented and owns all of the characters I use except for the children.
Conventional couplings just like the story.
Rating is adult for safety.

The story is same in as the first season up to and including Destiny. Everything happened just like you saw in show or did it? Why did things go wrong when Tess and Nasado appeared? Why did the passions of Max and Liz run out of control? That is my story along with what might have happened later.

Author’s note: This is one of the most crowded fields of writing CC Fic. I have read several author’s stories and most of them are excellent. I do not think I have read the take I am trying. If you think I am getting to close to another story, please “pm” me as soon as possible. I will either change the direction of my story or pull it so I do not step on someone elses work. If I feel this is still original enough, then I will give credit where the stories are similar and try to show their differences.

I have Harvard listed as being in both Boston and Cambridge. Knowing nothing about the East, I chose Boston as the city for Liz to live. Help me if I am terribly wrong.



You Can’t Go Back to Yesterday

Chapter 1

Liz VanDorne looked out the window of her SUV. There was snow on the sides of the road, but the road, itself, was clear. She was looking at the countryside of Iowa. She could see the fields now covered by snow. As she passed houses with steam or smoke rising from them, she thought of the people inside warm and, she hoped, loving. Liz had not known a loving life for many years now. Liz was 36 years old and widowed. She had not been home to Roswell, but once since she was 16. That had been only one month ago.

Liz remembered the fateful day when she was told that she was in the way of the destiny of the only boy she had ever loved. Liz looked over to her right. There was a frontage road. Waiting with it’s motor running was a pickup. Even at freeway speed, Liz could see a man and two children waiting, she supposed, for the school bus to come by. Liz thought of when she was in school in Roswell. She had had so many hopes and most of them were wrapped up in having a family with a certain young man. She had even suborned her earlier hopes of studying at Harvard for his love. Well, she at least had made Harvard.

Liz was going home, but she had never seen this country. When she left Roswell at 16, she had flown to Florida. After two years in high school there, she had received a scholarship to Harvard, the school of her earlier dreams and always the dream of her father. She had flown from Florida to Boston. This was to be only the second time she had been back home in the last 20 years.

Liz had been driving for three days so far. She was not hurried and she didn’t try to make a marathon out of this trip. Liz was dreading returning. She had left so much because of loving so much. Yes, loving enough to let go when faced with the damage she might do to her true love and, ultimately, to his people. Liz believed there were greater things in the world than herself. She had always given a lot more than she had taken. There were her folks. She had tried to be the girl they wanted her to be. Her father’s plans, once he knew how really smart his daughter was, were to see her graduate from Harvard. Liz never knew why he chose Harvard. She was sure that a lot of it was just that he felt it was the ultimate in education. He was so proud that his daughter had to ability to apply for the best of all schools.

Of course, her parents were upset when she left home to live with her aunt. They understood that it had something to do with a boy, by whom she had been badly hurt. If Liz felt that she had to change her environment to be able to meet her and her father’s dream, then the folks would understand. They had managed to visit her several times while she was away. Every time they suggested she come home for a vacation, she had adamantly begged off. Liz never explained and they respected her privacy in this matter.

Every night while traveling, Liz had closely listened to the weather news. So far she was between storms. She expected to make Oklahoma City this evening. From there, it was a hard one day or an easy two day drive to her home, such that it was. Where was her home? She was sure it was not in the frozen east. The east had been so beautiful when she first arrived at Harvard. It was as different from the southwest as it would have been if she had stepped off onto another planet. Another planet, that brought back the lost dreams again. No matter what Liz had done for the last 20 years, she still had her heart remaining in the possession of the king of another world. There were so many things that just, eventually, turned the beauty of the east into a misery.

Liz had tried so hard with Charlie. Talk about alien! Hhis family had been so much more alien from what Liz was used to that she almost thought of them as from another planet. Charlie was almost 20 years older than Liz. He had been a researcher at Harvard. Liz had worked with him for two years before they settled into a discussion of the possibility of matrimony. Liz had always been a bit anal about plans and order. She found Charlie had this disposition to a fault. She at first thought she had found a man who saw the world exactly like she did. It was so different from the alien abyss she had left back in Roswell. Liz had never mentioned anything about her childhood to Charlie. She owed the aliens the confidence of guarding their existence, but Charlie would not have ever believed it. Even if he did believe, would he have understood about the aliens or their importance to their world? Charlie, in fact, did not see any world other than the one in which he lived. He was an able researcher, although he was far from being a man of vision. One of the things he saw in the little scientist was her imagination. Working with her, Charlie could almost reach the height of promise. The quality of his work rose when he was working with his wife. What he lacked in character, she more than made up for both of them.

Charlie’s mother despised Liz. She was sure Liz had Hispanic or some other foreign blood in her veins. Charlie’s mother could trace her blood line back to Europe. Liz never mentioned that her Hispanic ancestors had been in the new world when the VanDornes still were bowing before whatever monarch who eventually caused them to depart to America. Liz had, at first, thought that she had found some sort of comfort in Charlie. She found that with his family, she had only found another form of hell.

Every few hours, Liz would pull into a rest stop. use the facilities if needed, stretch her legs and walk around. This way she kept her circulation up and, probably, was delaying the inevitable destination she dreaded. Once an elderly couple smiling at the young lady, young at least to them, asked her to sit and have a cup of coffee. The air was brisk and Liz hadn’t talked to anyone since she had left except to check into a motel or pay for a meal. The elderly couple had been married for almost fifty years. They finished each others sentences and seemed to be as much in love as they were the day they were married. The woman winked at Liz, “We are much more in love now because we have worked at it so long.”

Liz thought about her parents. They had been married almost 40 years when they were killed, almost a month ago. They had been hit by an intoxicated driver coming back from Carlsbad where they had been discussing small business problems with several like-minded entrepreneurs.

Liz remembered the call. “Are you Elizabeth VanDorne, formally Elizabeth Parker, daughter to Jeff and Nancy Parker of Roswell?” the voice on the phone had inquired.

Liz remembered the tremulous, “Yes,” she had uttered.

“Will you please step over to the door? A policeman needs to talk to you,” the voice concluded.

Liz had opened the door to see a young man in uniform. He was younger than she and he had tears in his eyes. The officer was accompanied by a priest. They asked if they could come in. Their formality had already told Liz that the worst was coming. The officer asked her to be seated and, with his hat in his hand, he told her, “Jeff and Nancy Parker were killed about four hours ago just south of Roswell. They had been in a terrible car accident. The priest had risen at this statement and took Liz’s hand. He introduced himself, “I am Father Frances O’Malley. I am a police chaplain and I recognize all faiths in times of need.”

Liz was stunned. She had almost talked herself into returning to Roswell to see her folks. Now, she would return for the funeral. Thinking back, Liz saw that it was almost as difficult for the uniformed young man as it was for her. He, clearly, hadn’t been on the force very long. He hadn’t reached that point of anesthetized feelings that he would have in a few years after doing this dozens of times. He still took upon himself the grief of the story he was imparting.

Liz had flown back to Roswell, not easy connections to make. She flew into Albuquerque and then, by commuter carrier, to the Roswell airport. Liz had closed the Crashdown. She informed the employees that she would make a decision as to its fate in a few weeks. She had arranged the funeral and, as soon as the funeral was over, she had flown back to Boston. She had seen two aliens while there. One alien, Isabel, had married Alex. Alex had been a childhood friend of both Liz and Maria. Maria had married the other alien, Michael, after a stormy courtship. Liz remembered the couple when they were in high school. Their love affair was anything except made in heaven. Maria wanted to be on a singing tour and, finally, she had made this happen. Maria had toured across the United States. From time to time when she arrived at certain cites, she had received a bundle of flowers with a note that always said, “So you won’t forget the smell of Roswell.”

There, from time to time, would be a tall, well-built young man who would brave the crowd of rodies and meet her in her tour bus. After two years, Maria tired of the tour and she settled down in Roswell to write music. Soon with the assistance of her then new husband, to make babies. And make babies she did. In five years, they had three children. Surprisingly, Maria was a very good mother. It was funny because she said she learned how not to be a parent from her own mother.

Maria had gushed, as expected. There was no repressing the spirit of Maria DeLuca, now Maria Guerin. Michael was cordial, but reserved. Liz attributed this to the fact that Michael was always a little reserved and while Maria was throwing her arms around her friend, Michael was busy trying to catch and hold three quick and restless toddlers.

Alex was pleased to see Liz. He had missed her as much as Maria. Alex was disappointed that Liz wasn’t present when he made the dream of his life his wife. He had shared with Maria that hope that Max and Liz would have married and that the six of them would have lived happily ever after with barbeques and family outings and such. Max had ruined that his junior year of high school. After Tess got pregnant, Alex realized that his dreams of the three families would never happen.

Isabel had been cordial, but she was even more distant than Michael. Liz knew that Isabel was always cold until you got to really know her. It had been a long time since Liz had seen Isabel. Liz knew that her rift with Max would have something to do with this. Surprisingly, Isabel had found her calling. She, likewise had two children and was expecting a third. Her children were very well behaved and Liz would have been surprised otherwise. Since Isabel was always so perfect it was natural that she would have perfect children.

Liz hadn’t seen Max or Tess, nor had she expected to. There was little time to socialize and Liz was back on the plane almost immediately before any of her old friends even knew she had been there. Now her parent’s estate had to be settled. Liz had taken indefinite leave from her job. She had packed up all of her things. That is, all that Charlie’s folks had allowed her to keep. They had no interest in books, so those made up the bulk of Liz’s possessions. Liz and Charlie had been living in a town house that the family owned. Liz had shortly been informed that she was to vacate the premises as soon as possible. When she prepared to move, she was presented with a lawyer and a list of things she was not permitted to take. Liz moved into an apartment. She had, also been informed she would receive an allowance for one year. At the end of the year, she would receive a lump sum of $500,000 and this would be the end of the family obligation to her. To say that Liz was insulted, was mild. She felt that she was being paid to have graced Charlie’s bed for the time she had been married and now, she was no longer wanted by the family. At first, Liz refused to touch the money. She did accept the allowance so she could find living quarters. Boston was not a cheap place to live. After her parents were killed, Liz took enough out of the account to buy her Ford Explorer. She knew that she was going to have to return to Roswell and stay long enough to settle her parents’ things. She wanted a car with an ironclad warrantee. She didn’t want to nurse some clunker across the country. Liz knew that she would need a car in Roswell to get around. It seemed strange to think this way because in Boston she was so used to public transportation, which would not exist in the southwest. Liz had no idea of what she was going to do. If she moved, she could have her stored things shipped to whereever she went.

Liz arrived at Oklahoma City. She stopped just before she reached the city proper. She had looked at the turnpike system on the map. It was not something she wanted to face in going home traffic. The city was circled by the highway system and you had to find the correct exit to head to Amarillo Texas. It looked like it was almost like getting off a merry-go-round. Liz felt she could do this better in the early morning.

As she had done so many times, Liz pulled into a motel. She found her room, unpacked and proceeded to look for a restaurant. With Charlie, this would have been a monumental undertaking. He would have pulled out one of his city guides and then spent an hour reading about each listed place. Then, he would have driven by at least two or three, discounting each by inspection alone. It would have taken the better part of an evening and, then, he would have complained about service and the quality of his meal. Liz was glad she had never taken him to the Crashdown. That alone might have caused him to divorce her. For herself, Liz just wanted food that was not too filling and was quick. She really wanted the get some rest this evening. The restaurant she entered had tables for two along the window. Liz took one of these. Liz envied the people she saw walking by the window, hand in hand. She also envied those she saw herding their children. Liz so missed children. When she tied to talk to Charlie about this, he always said wait until his research was going better. This was one of the contentions Liz had with his mother. Mrs. VanDorne had said Liz wasn’t a proper wife because she hadn’t produced an heir. Liz tried to explain after Charlie’s death, that it was Charlie who was procrastinating. Mrs. VanDorne just said a proper wife would have produced children whether her husband wanted them or not.

Liz had a grilled fish with light salad. As she waited for her meal, she leisurely looked at the people walking into the restaurant and those walking by. Charlie would have been timing the service so he could complain. She never tried to tell him how hard it was to get food out to customers. Charlie wouldn’t have understood nor would he have cared. Sometimes, Liz worried that maybe reeling from the love of a king, she had viewed Charlie’s patrician family as some sort of regal substitute. The fact that she was never accepted by them either, affirmed her choice of so long ago that she would not have been accepted by the Antarian people who expected their king to come with his known royal bride. Liz was now accepting the fact that she would probably never have a strong love, nor would she have the family she so much wanted.

The waitress brought Liz her meal. Liz smiled at her apology about being so late. Liz knew how hard it was working short-handed to serve a large number of patrons. Charlie would have given the waitress a lecture about promptness with the final statement that, maybe, she was in the wrong job if she couldn’t accomplish this.

Liz thought, she had seen none of this in Charlie until after they were married. Working together, Charlie had leaned upon Liz a great deal. He had depended upon her direction for his research so much that he showed her an entirely different face than he showed later when he felt he was in his own realm.

When Liz finished her meal, the waitress brought her a small apple cobbler with ice cream. She smiled as she gave it to Liz. “For being so patient,” the waitress said.

Early to bed and early to rise was Liz this morning. It was a lot easier to tackle the traffic around the city this morning. The traffic was lighter for reasons only known to the magicians who predicted those things. Liz was making such good time, she decided to make a run to Roswell without stopping.

It was evening when Liz arrived at the cold, dark Crashdown. Liz parked in front and unloaded her belongings. She was to be here for an indefinite period. It was about one hour later when she was in the restaurant fixing something to eat that she heard a knocking on the window. Liz looked up. It was Sheriff Valenti. Liz let him in. He hugged her. His son had been one of her boyfriends long ago and the sheriff had been let into the alien abyss just before she left. His second wife, Maria’s mom Amy. had died a few years ago. “I just wanted to see who was in the Crashdown,”he said. “I am glad to see you home, Liz. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before at the funeral. There have been many things happen since you disappeared so suddenly before. Sometime, I would like to talk to you about that. I am not trying pry into your private affairs, but many things have happened that seem related to your leaving.”

Liz smiled at him. There had been a time when she, along with the aliens, had feared Sheriff Valenti. He had proved his loyalty when he helped rescue Max from the “White Room” so long ago. “Yes, Sheriff, I think I would like to talk with you before I face some of the others. Please believe me, I never left because I wanted to.”

It was somewhat later when Liz heard her cell phone ring. “Hey Chica, where are you?” Liz heard the voice of Maria.

“I am at the Crashdown, Maria. I just got in a couple of hours ago,” Liz answered. She knew that Maria wanted to talk to her, but Liz had some questions she was hoping the sheriff would help her with before she faced anyone.

“When can we get together, Chica?” Maria was inquiring.

How’s about noon, at Señor Chow’s? I have an appointment with the sheriff and I need to see about some business regarding mom and dad’s estate,” was Liz’s answer. That clearly wasn’t what Maria wanted to hear, but it would have to suffice.

[ken_r]

Begonia9508 I could never write for TV. The constrictions of 30 min or 60 min 1/3 of which will be commercials is too small to develop very much. On a chat line it was said that is lucky as this gives us all a place for our hobby. There was a lot of lack of thought introducing Tess into the show. She became the nemesis of the leading characters. The show never had a goal. Even the most immature writer has some direction of where they are going. I notice that many writers have a carefully decided direction they want to take the readers. I notice that many writers tell of the time they spend alone and in concert with their betas crafting the entire story. The TV just doesn’t have the money or the time to accomplish that.

Flyawayraven I hope I do not loose readers because the story starts very slow. Liz is upset and the aliens are upset. That something is not right is the turning point of the drama.

JRose thank you. I have to work very hard to write. It is not natural even if I have always been a story teller writing has to be more carefully crafted.

Martine you have been with me in several stories. I try to write all types of stories. I even tried to write what some of the women call fluff but it has turned into a discussion of what is love so I do have several limitations. Entertaining and helping people is the only goal I have anymore.

Uw51 I hope the start develops into something that readers like.

Natalie36 thank you for reading

Flamehair thank you for reading and I wish you and the ember a happy life together. If you ever read the The Magic
Horn you would see that I have a very strong feeling for children no matter how old they get.

Cassie hope I continue to hold your interest

Begonia9508 I made Valenti as the intermediary between the aliens and Liz.

Chapter 2

There was another person who was interested in Liz’s appearance in Roswell. Maria had called Alex and Alex had told his wife. Isabel then, immediately, called Max. She didn’t know if she was warning him or informing him. It did not matter. With Liz back, they had to confront her and they needed to make plans of their own.

Max couldn’t tell if he was glad to hear that Liz had returned or not. On one hand, Max had never gotten over Liz. On the other hand, Liz had run out on Max without any explanation at all. Yes, part of Max wanted to go to Liz even this late at night. He wanted to climb that ladder he had climbed so many times before. He wanted to knock on her window and have her open it to welcome him in. Then, Max was furious at Liz for deserting him. He had begun to believe that Liz was the person who would make him, Max, whole. Max was terrible at reading people and understanding their intentions. Liz had risked all to save him from the “White Room.” She had allowed herself to be shot at and still she held his hand as they fled. Liz had been his whole world and then, she left. Max had to confront Tess without any guide. Isabel was so concerned about her own problems in life that she couldn’t spare thoughts to help Max. Michael was useless with these kinds of problems. His only recourse was to run or fight. Maria tried, but she was torn between her friendship with Max and her loyalty to Liz. Max had begun to believe she didn’t know anything about why Liz left either. Maria always tried to convince him that it was over. It was Liz’s choice and she had chosen to move on. There fore it was Max’s responsibility to do likewise. The more Max knew Maria, the more he learned that like Michael, Maria only had one or two actions when confronted with contention and the most used one was, “move on.”

Max had been resisting Tess despite her machinations at making it look to Liz like he was giving in to her. Max’s resistance was grounded in Liz. Just like he withstood the torture of the “White Room” by thinking of Liz, when Tess was pressuring him, Max withstood her advances by thinking about Liz. Liz had been his anchor. The last Max saw of Liz was when he was standing in the pod chamber holding those stupid painted rocks. They were supposed to be communication stones. He clicked them together and they each held them and nothing happened. They were just stones. True, Tess had mind warped Pierce to think they glowed or something. To Max and the others, they were just decorative rocks. Tess had been pressing against Max, for the purpose of making the four squared, or so she said. Liz had been standing a little apart. Suddenly she ran out of the chamber and none of them ever saw her again. Maria claimed that she was in contact with Liz and Liz had made it explicitly clear that she didn’t want to ever see any of the aliens again. Maria wasn’t guilty of duplicity, but she wasn’t guilty of being part of a deep thinking brain trust, either.

Without Liz, Tess became insatiable. She was all over Max. Trouble was the other aliens were not against this. Michael was expected to be selfish because he felt that Liz could do nothing more for them. He felt that Tess was the quickest and surest way for him to learn his roots. A young man who has never belonged anywhere would accept any shred of a chance for knowledge about where he was from. Isabel felt that Liz was a stranger and she never had accepter her. She had felt much more comfortable with Tess being with Max because Tess was someone Isabel thought she could understand. Later, Isabel was to regret this.

Looking back, Max just screwed Tess. He didn’t make love to her. Making love had been saved for his time with Liz. Max remembered those times when he held Liz in his arms. He remembered the times when he felt that he could just take her right where she stood. He believed, rightly, that he could have just removed her clothes and they could have made love in any number of places. Max also remembered how he was raised. His father and mother had taught their children the meaning of a loving relationship. To take Liz without sure affirmations of love was just something he couldn’t do. Max remembered that night when they had found the first stone. They had been so concentrated on receiving visions that they had been in trouble all day. His mom and Liz’s mom were thinking of locking them away. He had to admit that his mom kept trying to get him to come up with an explanation. Max was sure now that if he had insisted, Liz would have let him do anything he wanted to her with complete trust.

What the hell had happened? One minute they were all holding those stupid stones, which after all had never been shown to have any special properties, and the next, like she had seen a ghost, Liz ran from the pod chamber. From then on, Max had no recourse except to give in to Tess.

They had screwed or made love as she called it. Max just didn’t have feelings he felt he should if he was in love. Before Max was 17, Tess was pregnant. Tess stayed in school as long as she could. Max wanted to do the right thing so he married Tess in a civil wedding. They were contacted by the aliens from the home world. Michael and Isabel were excited. This would be their chance to get back to their world. Emissaries from Antar examined the child and rejected her. She was too human. She would not be accepted as the heir and Tess was refused the passage promised so much by Nasado. Michael and Isabel became resigned to remaining on Earth. In reality, later, Isabel wasn’t sure that going home was what she had wanted. They both began to look toward their respective earth interests to complete their lives. Michael actively pursued Maria and Isabel left herself open to the advances of Alex.

Max was in an unhappy marriage and he was the father of a little girl. His parents helped him as much as they could. They had gotten an apartment similar to that of Michael’s, but for two it was cramped. Soon with the birth of a baby, they had to find another place. Max took his General Equivalency Diploma or GED. That gave him a diploma. The extension college located at Roswell was now his only choice. Max worked long hours. Tess griped constantly about him not being home with her. Diane helped take care of the baby. She tried to get Tess to go back to school. When Diane was babysitting so Tess could attend school, Tess was running around with several of the football team members, who had expressed interest in her before. Tess was prime material. If they got her pregnant, it was that fool, Evans, who would have to assume responsibility for the brat. The little girl was four years old when her mother filed for divorce and Max didn’t fight it. Tess let it be known that she didn’t want any of the baggage. Felicia Evans was abandoned by her heritage and her mother.

Max sat after the phone call from Isabel. How much different his life would have been if Liz had just stayed. Why did she leave? How different if the little girl had been Liz’s child.

Max thought of how hard he had worked to make a home for Felicia. He had gone to college with his mother taking of Felicia in the day and Max caring for her at night. Max finally got his degree when Felicia was twelve. Felicia had all the characteristic of her mother. She was willful and headstrong. She was also selfish. As hard as Max worked, Felicia complained. Granted, she might be angry at her mother, but Felicia struck back at everyone. Diane and Max tried to do as much as they could for her, but Felicia just took what was given and demanded more. Before sixteen, she was pregnant. At seventeen she was in a drug rehabilitation program. At eighteen the court took custody of her son away from her and gave that custody to Max and him mom. A short time later Felicia was killed in a drug deal gone bad. Max, then, was trying to raise his three-year-old grandson. The grandson’s name was Aaron. He was as different from either Tess or Felicia as Max was.

Max had received his degree from the extension college at Roswell in biology and education. Diane was having a much harder time of it, but she still was trying to help Max raise his grandson. Max was a teacher in biology at Roswell high. Max knew that Liz had been married. That was all that he knew about her. That, and, that he still loved her so much and he was so angry that she had betrayed him by leaving just when he needed her the most.

For years, Max had turned to Jim Valenti as his advisor. Jim knew all about the aliens and he always had a level head on his shoulders. Max knew that soon he was going to call Sheriff Valenti and discuss with him what would be best to do.

Early the next morning, Liz went into the office of the sheriff. Jim had some papers for her to sign. Mainly, they were to transfer the ownership of the Crashdown into her name and to transfer the title of the house and other possessions so Liz could begin to think about how she was going to dispose of them.

“José has made an offer you might look at,” the sheriff said.

Liz looked up. José was the cook who had been with her father since before she had been born. Liz found a sheet marked “appraisal.” She saw that one of her father’s lawyers had gone over the books, over the inventory and he had estimated a value for the business. She found that José had asked him to draw up an offer. José would pay a down payment and then he would pay an amount per month. Liz thought long and hard about this. She made a counter offer to the sheriff. “José would have to put up almost all of his savings to make that offer. He would have no working capital left. Offer him a working partnership. I keep the living quarters for the moment and he takes over the running of the restaurant. He pays himself a salary and sets up an audit of the profits to be divided equally. Of course, someone will have to draw up a plan to turn a percentage back to the business for growth and emergencies. Offer him this with my blessing. Liz knew that this was a generous offer, but she didn’t have a desperate need for money right now. There was something about wanting to keep the restaurant open in her father’s memory.

With that out of the way, the sheriff leaned back. He wanted to ask something, but he didn’t know how to approach it. “Liz, I know this might be personal, but I think I need to know. Why did you leave town so fast those many years ago?”

Liz began to play with her hair like she always did when she was nervous. “Sheriff, when we were at the pod chamber, we received a message that Max was destined to marry Tess and go back to Antar. In fact, I am surprised that he didn’t. They were all there. You can ask them about the message they received from the stones.”

Jim Valenti was worried that it might have been something like this. “Liz, I need you to face the aliens and talk about this message. There is something strange about this.”

“I do not know what good it would do, Jim. They all heard the stones and they all were standing there when the message was delivered.” This was what Liz had dreaded.

“Liz,” the sheriff began, “I really would like you to talk to the aliens and tell them exactly what you saw and heard. They have had a hard time since you have left. You do not know what has been going on since, but things have not gone well, especially for Max.”

Liz frowned, “Jim, I gave up any chance for happiness to help him fulfill his destiny. I do not know what more I can say. I have stayed away from Roswell this many years to avoid just this confrontation. I did what I needed to do to help Max. I can’t help it if he wasn’t able to make the best of my sacrifice.”

Jim just shook his head, “There is just something not right. I wish you would reconsider and meet with the aliens. Just to clear the air, if nothing else.”

Jim, I will think about it. Right now, I have to meet Maria at Señor Chow’s for lunch. Let me know what José says about my offer. I would like to keep the Crashdown open, but I have no intention of running it.” With that, Liz left making no promises, but neither did she refuse.

Maria was in Señor Chow’s waiting for Liz. The oldest man working remembered Liz from when she was a teenager. He smiled as she walked in. Maria stood and embraced her friend. “Well, Chica, tell me what you have been up to these many years. I see you have changed your last name, so what is the story? When did you get married? Who is he and is he here with you?” Maria stacked her questions and then leaned back for Liz to sort them out.

“Well, I got my doctorate at Harvard like my father wanted. I married a colleague I was working with. He died a year ago so I am here alone, “ Liz thought had she answered all of the questions.

“Oh, Chica, how terrible! Did you have any children?” Maria inquired.

Liz glanced down at her hands, “No, Maria, there were no children.” Liz shook her head sadly.

Maria frowned, “I sense something wrong. Was there trouble in your marriage?”

Liz grimaced, “Later Maria, maybe, I will talk about it. Right now, I have enough depression. What about you? I take it you are married; after seeing the three children when I was here for the funeral.”

Maria smiled, “Yes, I finally got the tour out of my system. It was awesome, I tell you. Michael was at various stops waiting for me. It just, finally, wasn’t fun anymore. Now, I have three rug rats. Michael and I are completely different people now.”

Liz nodded her head. “Tell me about Alex. When did he land the ice queen?”

“It was right after the aliens rejected Max’s daughter as an heir. There is so much that you have missed. Michael and Isabel decided that they no longer wanted to embrace their alien side. That is when Michael started to get serious with me. I think Isabel did likewise with Alex,” Maria ticked off the items on her fingers.

Liz looked at Maria, “What about Max? No one has mentioned him. What happened to him and Tess? What happened to his child? No one wants to talk about him. What is the problem? Is there something I should know?” Liz was getting a little nervous.

Maria frowned and got very serious, “Liz, you left him without any statement or reason. I love you, but you did do him very wrong, unless he did something to you that you haven’t told us.”

Liz frowned, “What about his destiny? I left so he could go to Tess and they could go back to Antar. What about those stones, one of which I help dig up and the other we got from Topolsky through the sheriff?”

Maria really frowned now, “Liz, I do not know what you are talking about. Those painted stones were nothing. Michael used one for a doorstop. We never found any hidden powers in them.”

Liz was very upset now, “What about Tess? What about her child? What was the child after all, a boy or a girl?”

Maria was shaking her head, “Chica, you got out of this so you wouldn’t have to face it. Now, are you saying you care what happened to the aliens?”

Liz couldn’t understand why she couldn’t make Maria understand. “Maria I left because the stones gave a message that Max had a destiny. He was to marry Tess, produce an heir and return to Antar to rule. That is why I left. I knew that Max would never leave me if I was here. I wanted to allow him to fulfill his destiny. I have never stopped loving him,” she responded.

“Liz, something is not right. You are going to have to talk to the aliens. Your story doesn’t ring true. Please, don’t get mad. I have stayed with the aliens for a long time and they have never told any story like the one you just did. Promise me you won’t leave until I get to the bottom of this.” Maria was very worried. Something was very wrong! She never had bought the idea that Liz had left because she couldn’t face the alien problems. She had respected her friends confidence, but maybe, there was still a mystery that needed to be cleared up.

That afternoon, Michael came home and found Maria playing with the painted stone. He frowned. The stone had fustrated him because it had been suggested that it was more than just decoration. They had never been able to make it do anything. Maria held it up, “Michael, what is this stone?”

He bent over to kiss her and tried to take the stone from her fingers, “It is nothing. We tried every thing on it. As far as we can tell it is just a stone. The only time it was useful was when Pierce tried to use it for communication. Tess mind warped him to think that it was magical. That was the way we freed Max.”

Maria looked at Michael, “You have got to talk to Liz. She said something happened that was caused by this stone. That is why she left.”

Michael looked back at Maria. He was very angry, “Liz left us because she didn’t want to carry her weight any more dealing with alien problems. She ran out on Max when he needed her the most. Maria, she is your friend and I always admired how loyal you have been, but she betrayed us and I have nothing to say to her.”

Maria knew that Michael had been hurt when Liz had left. She had heard him say that Liz was the compass that directed Max. Once she left, Max was adrift and every part of his life fell apart after that. Maria knew that Max had always been the closest person to Michael there was. When things began to fall apart in his life, Michael had believed that Liz was a traitor. If she had stayed Max could have remained strong.

Maria also knew that Michael had his share of guilt. He had thought that Tess should be the one to replace Liz. He had not gone after Liz because he felt that, maybe, she had served her usefulness and it was right that she should move on. When things went from bad to worse, Michael had doubts about his choice not to go after Liz. Michael just could not resolve his own guilt.

Jim made a visit. He knew that Liz would talk to Maria and Maria would talk the peg leg off a sailor. So, Michael would know everything she did about Liz. He knew that Michael had one of the stones, and that Isabel was taking care of the other one. Jim Valenti knocked on the door. Isabel answered, “To what do we owe this visit, sheriff?”

“Mrs. Whitman, I was wondering if I could talk to you a few minutes?” Jim always felt ill at ease when dealing with Isabel.

Isabel stood aside, “Of course, sheriff, is it about normal things or alien things?”

Jim nervously played with his hat. “I just do not know, Isabel. Do you still have that painted rock like the one that Michael uses for a doorstop?”

Isabel smiled and led him into the kitchen. “You mean this one, sheriff?” she asked.

Jim looked at the rock. There it was, just a painted rock. Painted with some sort of strange paint. It was alien, but none of them had ever seen any use in it. “What does this rock have to do with your destiny?” he inquired.

Isabel was in the midst of getting Jim a cup of coffee. “Destiny, sheriff? That was mostly crap that Tess preached when she was trying to wrap Max up for the slaughter. The rocks were used for getting Max out of the White Room. Tess warped Pierce so he thought something had happened and that distracted him enough for us to get Max out. That is the only useful purpose we ever found in the rocks.”

“What is your destiny, Isabel?” the sheriff asked.

We do not have a destiny, sheriff. Tess used to spout that nonsense when she wanted to make Max do something. Tess thought that she would go back to Antar, but their emissary stated that her baby was unacceptable.” Isabel was wondering where this was coming from and where was it going.

Jim accepted the cup of coffee she handed him. He really shouldn’t, he knew. Isabel served the best quality of coffee there ever was. Drinking her coffee would make a man think twice when faced with the varnish remover that represented coffee back at the station. “Isabel what would you say if a person came to you and claimed that you had been sent here to fulfill a destiny?”

“I would say they had been mind warped by Tess. I do not know where she is anymore and I am not sorry to have seen her leave,” Isabel stated.

“What would you say if I said that person was Liz and she heard about destiny when you were at the pod chamber the day she left?” Jim finished up his cup.

Isabel just sat there. For twenty years she had hated Liz for walking out on Max. At first, Isabel had hoped that Tess was someone who would lead them to answers to questions they had about their past. Soon her constant harping about destiny was getting on the aliens nerves. Then, she seduced Max. Isabel had wondered how she did that. Max had begun to rely on Liz for stability. Then she suddenly left. With Liz gone, the decisions made by him were petty and lacked thought. Max was ruined as a leader. Tess proclaimed her self queen. Max married her and she delivered a baby. Tess had announced that she, now, would be going back to reclaim her throne. Max hadn’t said anything. Then, when Tess and her baby, Felicia, faced the emissary and were turned down, Tess seemed to snap somehow. Isabel had longed wondered why Liz had left. Could it be that Tess had mind warped Liz so badly she felt she had to set Max free?

When Alex came home, he found his wife looking at the painted stone. It was a long while until she explained why she was sitting there.
------------------------------
I thought that Second Chance for Antar was over. it was expressed that i explain what i saw happening to the other couples. so in a week of so i will post another chapter.

The Loves of Maximo Delgato is still my best creation of a Hispanic Western with a modern twist.

[ken_r]

Sternbetrachter thank you

Begonia9508 Nasado made it clear that he didn’t consider Humans. I think Michael was only concerned about who would best help him. What really happened with Max and Tess?? Aliens had a lot of guilt where Liz was concerned. She had really done more for them than anyone else.. Here is the next part.

Natalie36 the sadness is spread around even to a surprise ending.

Asabetha here is the next chapter

Flamehair as you read my story, Carole, my wife and Beta, and I will watch the indicator of the coming of your own.

JRose the confrontation is a coming I do not know if the results are what is expected.

Martine yes the aliens expected more from Liz than they were willing to give back to her. I think my take on the story makes more sense than the one on TV

Katnotkath true Liz and Max were the greatest loosers. Everyone else managed to create some sort of life for them selves. It is to be shown that Max and Liz will have the most placed before them in responsibility before every thing ends.

Chapter 3

Max got up early in the morning. As he did almost every morning, he spent a few minutes crying. He didn’t cry for his wife. He didn’t even know where she was, or really care. It was his daughter that he mourned. She had now been dead a year. It still hurt. Living with Felicia had been hell, but she was his daughter. Sometimes, Max felt guilty because he believed she had been conceived in the greed of her mother.

Ever since she had met the Roswell aliens Tess had been trying to regain some idea of a throne and to return to Antar. Tess only knew Antar from tales told by Nacado. The few genetic memories Tess had been able to dredge up had been colored by the saying of her protector. Tess had been told, from as early as she had recollection, that it was her right to carry the seed of the king and take the results of this seed back to Antar to regain the throne. The fact that the aliens had started to formulate human connections only bothered Tess with regard to the king. If the clones of Rath and Vilandra wanted to turn their backs on their heritage, Tess didn’t care, but she needed the king to acquire her goals. Trouble was, he had strong connections to that human, Liz. Tess had worked on the Zan clone known as Max, but every time she thought she was making a break through, she was confronted by the fact that his life, nay his religion, was based upon the small, brown-haired, doe-eyed girl. She was just a girl. Nacado had encouraged Tess to experiment as soon as she was of age. He told her she must be prepared to be the wife of the king. To be this, Tess she was educated to be able to seduce and control Max in every way. That, girl was totally inexperienced. What could she give to the king that Tess wouldn’t give better? To Tess’s dismay, the king was inexperienced also. This went against every thing Nacado taught her. When Tess finally did get rid of that girl, she did offer to the king feelings that a sixteen-year-old boy had never considered. After Liz had been removed, there were just a few steps left until Tess was able to get herself pregnant by Max. Tess bore a child not conceived in love, but rather, in greed of Tess’s own plans.

Max only surmised a little of this. He did know almost immediately that he did not love Tess. He did have feelings of love for his daughter. He loved her dearly from the day he saw her. Sometimes love just isn’t enough. As Felicia grew, she became more and more like her mother. Diane took care of her a lot and she was continually hurt when Felicia didn’t appreciate or return the love Diane tried to lavish upon her. No matter what Felicia did, when she was killed, Max and his mother grieved.

Max couldn’t indulge in grief too much. Felicia had left Aaron behind. Aaron, so different from either his mother or his grandmother, was like his granddad, Max. Felicia hadn’t given any information about who his father was. Max was afraid that she might not even know. She was becoming wild at that time. Even though she was only 15, she still stayed out for days. There was great concern when Aaron was born that he might have some damage from drugs taken by his mother. It was good that Aaron hadn’t been tested by the emissary. Aaron had every bit as much ability as did Max.

Max fixed breakfast. He would take Aaron to Diane’s and, then, Max had classes to teach. Diane loved Aaron as much as she had tried to love Felicia. Max had another problem to consider. He was now getting pressure from both Michael and Isabel about a meeting with Liz. Max didn’t know where the pressure was coming from with Isabel, but he was sure Maria was pushing Michael. One of the things when Max was young was that Liz helped him face things that here to fore he would just avoid. Now, Liz was the problem he needed to face and he had no one to guide him.

Liz sat in the Crashdown. José would be in soon. He had jumped at the partnership. He had asked if he could add a little Hispanic decor to the walls. After all, the aliens had come to New Mexico and would they do this if they were not into southwestern culture? Liz was no closer to deciding what she was going to do than she had been before. Liz had transferred the money from the VanDorene’s account. She had received a notarized letter that requesting she sign away any rights she might believe she had with regard to Charlie’s estate. Liz had gone to the Rameriez Law firm that represented many people in Roswell. She had been told that she had a case, but it would take a long, hard fight. Liz didn’t want any fight. Living with Charlie had not been that wonderful and she didn’t want to stir up things and make her memories worse. Mr. Rameriez just shrugged. He admired the young woman. She didn’t seem to want to take advantage of anyone. She just wanted to put that part of her life behind her.

Liz wanted to make plans for the rest of her life. She could teach and that was probably what she would do. She could look to research. There were several avenues along this line that she could pursue, probably in Las Cruces and the New Mexico State University. There, Liz could do research or teach or both. She had excellent credentials. Liz was just lost. She was very lonely here in Roswell. There were so many memories. Sheriff Valenti had been by again. He had, again, asked her to go over the story about receiving the news of the destiny of the aliens. He asked her to consider confronting them. Liz just said she would consider it.

Liz was sitting in the restaurant reading. José and several of his relatives were painting and getting ready to open. The bell over the door rang. Liz started to say that they weren’t open yet when she looked up and saw the tall, beautiful and very pregnant Isabel along with three little boys. Two were the same little boys Liz had seen at the funeral. The third was the youngest. There was something familiar about him, but Liz couldn’t figure it out yet. Isabel was having a hard time walking and she motioned the children to sit at a booth. Isabel pointed to a table and Liz got up to join her. Before sitting down, Liz went to the freezer and got three ice cream bars. She handed them to the children and all three looked at Isabel before accepting them. Liz moved her coffee cup to the table where Isabel sat and to asked if Isabel wanted a cup. “No caffeine, you know. Bad for the baby even if the mommy is craving it,” Isabel said making a face.

Liz brought a glass of orange juice to the table and then she sat with Isabel. Isabel could sense the unease of Liz. “No alien business, I promise. I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing. No one got to talk the day of the funeral,” Isabel stated.

Liz grimaced. She hated that they had to be so guarded with one another. “I guess I am fine. José is going to reopen the Crashdown with a Hispanic alien theme,” Liz had to laugh and roll her eyes at this. She heard a snicker from the back and she knew that José was listening. That was good because with an audience, Isabel would not bring up touchy subjects.

“Liz, I heard you were married, but no one said any thing about your husband?” Isabel inquired.

Liz looked down at her hands. It was never going to get easier. “Charlie died a year ago. I am widowed now and I am at loss about what I am going to do,” Liz always wished she could get by this part.

“Are you going to stay here in Roswell?” Isabel again inquired.

“I do not know. I am not going to stay if I make others uncomfortable,” Liz said softly.

This greatly embarrasses Isabel. “Liz, I didn’t mean it to sound like that. I just wish we could clear the air about what happened. Not here and not now, but everyone lost something when you left.” Isabel stood and the three boys came up to her side. She smiled, “This is Alexander, this is Jethro and this is Aaron,” as she pointed to the youngest, “and this will be Celeste,” she said as she patted her belly.

Liz smiled, the boys thanked her for the ice cream. Liz, in turn, pressed their hands in hers. When she got to the youngest, he stood on tiptoes and hugged her. Liz was perplexed, but it was a move, completely, on his own.

On the way home from school before picking up Aaron, Max stopped by sheriff Valenti’s office. “Afternoon, Sheriff,” he greeted.

“Hey, Max, what is on your mind?” Valenti asked.

“You talked to Liz. What do you make about her return?” Max inquired.

“Nothing to make of it, Max. Liz has to settle up her folks’ estate. I understand she has had a hard time of it the last few years. You know she was married and was widowed just a year ago,” Valenti replied. She is going to let José run the Crashdown in a partnership. A very generous gesture, if I may say so.”

“Did she say if she is going to go back east?” Max mused.

“No, Max, I kind’a got the idea that she was not happy back there. I don’t know if she will stay here or move on somewhere. Max, I think you, and I mean all of you, should get together with Liz and talk. I think there was more going on than any of us really knew,” sheriff Valenti was trying to find a way to make something happen.

“Sheriff, she walked out on us just when we needed her the most. How can she or anyone explain that? We could all apologize for what we did to each other, but what good would it do? Look how many lives have been hurt just because she left,” Max was adamant.

“Max, she’s hurt’n too,” Valenti stated.

Max turned to go, “Sheriff, did Liz mention having any children?” Max asked. The sheriff shook his to indicate no.

Max drove to his mother’s house. Aaron was waiting for him. When he walked up the walk, Aaron came running out to greet him. Aaron threw his arms around his grandfather’s neck and Max carried him the rest of the way into Diane’s house.

That night, Max was sitting at the kitchen table grading papers. Aaron was opposite him coloring in his book. Aaron was very careful to make his colors keep within the lines. Max could sense that something was on his mind. Finally, Aaron put down his colors and looking at Max he said, “Granddaddy, who is Liz?’

This was the last question Max was expecting. “Where did you hear that name Aaron?” Max inquired carefully.

“Aunt Isabel took us to a place for ice cream. The lady there talked to Aunt Isabel for a long time while we had nutty covered ice cream bars. When I hugged her, it felt like hugging you. Who is she, granddaddy?” Most people were surprised by the grown up and direct speech of Aaron, but Max was used to it.

Chapter 4

Jim Valenti again made a visit to the Whitman house. Isabel answered the door. Jim was led to the kitchen and was seated, drinking Isabel’s coffee. “If I do this many more times, I am going to be so spoiled that I never will be able to swill that kerosene we have at the station,” he said.

Isabel laughed, she knew that Jim was just trying to make small talk until he got up the courage to mention what he had come to see her about. “Sheriff, you are always welcome to our house. We could even give you some of this coffee to make at the station,” she told him.

Jim kind of laughed himself, “If the boys at the station had coffee like this they would refuse to go out on patrol. I think it is the bad coffee that makes them go out into the world. They can drink at restaurants and find reason not to hang around the jail.”

Isabel sat as best as she could. “When is the due date, Isabel?” Jim inquired.

“One more month, less maybe. I just hope I can last,” Isabel moaned.

Jim put down the cup, “Could I see that stone? I believe it is the one that Max and Liz found.”

Isabel struggled to rise. She was gone for a minute and, then, she returned with the stone. The sheriff turned it over and over in his hands. It was smooth like it had been in a river. There was a design on the stone. The aliens always said the design was painted on, but Jim carefully looking at it, couldn’t see how. The design was in the surface of the stone not painted on the surface. “Isabel, do you think I could keep this for a while?” he asked.

Isabel shrugged: No one had really paid any attention to the stone since the pod chamber and the day Liz had left. “Sure, Sheriff, we have never found any value in it. Bring it back when you are through. I think some day Max is going to want it back. But now, it just brings back memories of Liz.”

Jim finished his coffee and, putting the stone in his jacket pocket, he put his hat on and left.

Liz had been out shopping. Doing this was really just an excuse for having something to do. When she returned to the Crashsdown, she found the sheriff sitting in a booth drinking coffee while he watched José and his relatives work.
“Hi, Liz, he greeted. Could we go somewhere we could talk?”

Liz just looked at him for a few seconds and motioned for him to follow her up the stairs to the living quarters above the restaurant. Jim sat at the breakfast table where the Parkers had eaten for years the few meals they didn’t have to partake in the public part of the café.

Liz put her packages in her room and returned. She recoiled the minute she entered. On the table was the most dreaded artifact she could think of. Liz sat opposite Jim just looking at the rock. “Liz, the aliens claim that they never got any message from this rock. I want you to study it and think real hard about that night.” Jim got up and walked out. Liz still hadn’t said a word. It was an hour later and Liz still hadn’t moved. She was still looking at the stone as if it would suddenly make a move and kill her. Well, it might as well have done so, those many years ago. Liz thought of the things that had happened.

There was a time long ago when Liz thought all of her dreams were going to center on Max. They were sharing fantasies as they kissed and fondled each other. Their passion was becoming way too much for kids their age to handle. It had started with her adolescent fantasy of appearing before Max totally naked. She remembered that time. Her skin had shivered as, in her fantasy, she walked toward Max. She knew that she was seeking acceptance in his eyes. Liz, as most girls her age then, was very self-conscious about her body. Would her body arouse a man/boy to the point of passion? Would he melt at the vision of all of her charms?

Max had come into the restaurant about that time. Liz was so flustered that she was knocking over everything. Max had followed her back into the workroom and when he started making out, Liz’s emotions had gone through the ceiling. From the first, their minds had intertwined to a certain extent. This time with the arousal already of Liz’s feelings she saw deep into his soul. At least, that is what she thought it was. She saw stars like seen at the movies. She saw strange things that she couldn’t explain. In the next few days, she had seen a vision of the crash. Thinking back, she had wandered how she did this because she couldn’t be seeing through Max’s eyes. There had to be some sort of third party giving her these visions, but none of this, ultimately, made any sense. They had sneaked away that night. Before, during the day, for the passion of Max, she had gotten detention, she had been caught making out in the eraser room and had to face her mother. Later, she had sneaked out again and almost given up her virginity to Max. Liz remembered that night so well. They had gone to Michael’s apartment. It had been almost a set up, except Liz her self, had decided that that night would be the one where she became one with Max. It was not a planned affair. They had decided to go ahead with the passion with no provisions for protection. Protection or condoms had been furthest from their minds. Now Liz thought back, they had truly been horny teens. At that time, it had just seemed so right. They did get visions. Liz didn’t know what visions Max was receiving, but she was getting more visions of the crash. Liz had stripped Max of his jacket and shirt. She was lying under him on the couch. He was kissing her and picking at her sweater. In her mind, she was so sure that in just minutes she would experience the love that Max would give. About that time, Maria showed up. Dear Maria, so passionate, and so desperate to find passion, that she became a judge of the actions of others. Maria who would like to live the life of a courtesan or, secretly even, the free life of her mother, suddenly appeared in the doorway and every thing Liz and Max had been building up literally wilted. It was Maria who always brought up virginity and, then, secretly hoped to lose her own.

Liz got caught again. This time, she was trying to sneak back into her house. By the time Max called her from the outside, when he was sure her parents were asleep, Liz’s desires were way too strong for a little sophomore girl to handle. Liz had never been brought this close to a sexual climax before. When she and Max had decided to pursue the visions she was having, she was also having other visions that needed to be put to rest. Trouble is, they never consummated their passions that night. Instead, something had led them to the location of the stone. When they dug where they were so sure it was located, both were feverishly working off their desires. Liz remembered it sending a light straight up when uncovered. They just looked at it and then drowsiness overtook them. The next morning a Hispanic or native American cowboy woke them up and told them to go home, again, to face the wrath, of the combined forces, of their folks.

Liz just looked at the rock. When she had seen it before, it seemed alive. Now, it was just a dead, grey rock that had some sort of glyph painted or, someway, etched into the surface. It looked nothing like she remembered it. Liz also remembered that she never again was able to achieve that fever-laden emotion she had that night when they found that rock.

Max had sent Aaron to bed. Now he was sitting and thinking. He remembered the first time he met Tess. She had frightened him. Isabel had brought her home and Diane, his mother, had bent over backwards to befriend her. When he saw them, they were going over pictures of his and Isabel’s childhood. It was embarrassing how his mother was going on. Max remembered that everywhere he went, Tess was there. It was as if she was stalking him. One rainy night right outside the Crashdown, Tess had tried to kiss him. Max pushed her away. He knew that Liz was watching. Anyway, why would he want someone like Tess when he had the love of Liz? Where ever he went. Tess was there. Liz had begun to act strange around him. Tess kept trying to tell Max about his destiny. Max knew his destiny and it was Liz. When Max learned that the shape shifter, Nasado, had impersonated him and kidnapped Liz, Max was ready to kill Tess. Nasado had spread carnage across the country. It was Nasado who gave the FBI reason to fear aliens. Nasado taunted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. What Nasado hadn’t considered was how strongly Max felt toward Liz. Nasado hadn’t counted on this because Nasado didn’t have the emotions to understand this. Nasado had the care of Tess, but he only gave her a poor abstraction of himself. Tess might know that she needed something more, but she had never been taught what it was. Nasado’s plan was so badly screwed up that it gave Max into the hands of the FBI. This was never what he wanted to happen. Nasado needed Max to mate with Tess and produce an heir. That was his only way back, also.

[ken_r]

Begonia9508 The mother part of the story always bothered me. The fact that Nasado claimed to know little about the stones and he intrigued the kids into using them by giving veiled warnings. I think at that time Max was almost buying into the, “I am the king” story. Michael was supposed to be his advisor but most ot Michael’s advise was not the wisdom of Antar but the folly of a little boy filled with insecurities by his lack of a real home. Max was a little boy presented with two toys, first that he was special and Tess was offering sex. He would have to earn Liz’s love but Tess was out there with the price of her offering deferred beyond his sight.

Aaron was the child that was Max and the child that should have been made by Max and Liz

Flamehair Tess is a person that has to accept responsibility for her actions but also be understood for the abuses heaped upon her by Nasado. Nasado is pure alien and has none of the features of the others.

Addicted2AmberEyes the meeting is here with complications

Natalie36 the truth is just around the corner.

Martine as I stated with Begonia, Aaron is the little boy that should have been from Max and Liz.

JRose as I wrote I knew about where I was going and Aaron was always the pivot point.

Chapter 5

Maria was going to visit with Liz to day. She had been trying to get Liz to meet with her again ever since she had met with Liz for lunch. Liz, finally, ran out of excuses and she knew that Maria was running out of patience. Maria found Liz sitting at a booth reading. That was what Liz did most of the time now a days. Liz rose when Maria entered. She took her old friend by the hand briefly, Then ,she led her up stairs to the living area. Below, they could still hear the muffled movements and noise as José and his cousins were putting on the finishing touches before the opening.

“Liz, please tell me more of what happened to you. Please, tell me why you left so long ago. I supported you and covered for you, but I never believed you left because you were scared of the alien abyss,” Maria stated. This had been the biggest thing between the two friends for years.

“Maria, Max was supposed to be with Tess. Why else would he kiss her so many times in public where I was sure to see him? He didn’t even try to hide his passion for her. He kissed her right outside the Crashdown door one rainy evening. He had just left me and he met her outside where I could see them,” Liz hated going over these things again. She was sure that coming back to Roswell had been a bad mistake.

“You see, Chica, that is where out stories do not jibe. Max, for years, tells how Tess pursued him and how he resisted her. The first time he really kissed her was after you left,” Maria desperately wanted understand why her two best friends told different stories. Liz had known Maria since elementary school. When Liz left Max, he had depended upon Maria to take her place. Trouble was, neither Maria nor Max wanted a romantic relationship and Maria was not capable of being an intellectual guide. Their friendship had been a very strained one. Max clung to Maria because she was the last remnant of Liz, but Maria was, in no way, able to help him stay away from Tess.

“Maria, if nothing else, there was the message about destiny,” Liz reiterated.

“Liz, Chica, the aliens do not know anything about destiny except what Tess said.” Maria sensed that time was running out. She believed that soon Liz would run again. If she left again, none of the questions Maria had would be answered. Liz, why do you suppose you are the only one that believes these things? Have you ever questioned whether or not Tess was playing with your mind?”

Maria got up to leave. “I want you to do this for me. Friday night I want for you to meet at my house at 10:00 in the evening after my kids have settled down. You are not doing this for yourself, or Max or the aliens. You are doing this for me. Meet with everyone including Jim and hash out what happened. Bring that stone. Liz, just do not say no!” with that, Maria left.

Liz sat there. What if Tess and her machinations caused 20 years of grief? The pain she had suffered with Charlie and his family! Everyone had talked about the pain Max had suffered. Liz had refused to listen to any of this because she was angry that all her sacrifice had been for nothing!

Chapter 6

The next morning, Isabel came into the Crashdown. She had left the children with Diane. She hated to do this because three little boys were difficult for Diane to handle, even as well-behaved as her two and the grandson of Max were.

Liz rose and led Isabel up the stairs. It was very difficult for Isabel to climb the steep steps to the household above. When Isabel was seated, Liz looked inquiringly at Isabel as she stood at the refrigerator door. Isabel just shook her head, “Just a small glass of water. Remember if I drink very much, I can’t get out of sight of a bathroom.”

Liz smiled as she handed Isabel the glass of water. “How much longer, Isabel?” Liz sighed. She so much wanted to experience the joy of having children. It looked like now, she would forever be denied this feeling. Liz wasn’t that old yet, but her life was in such a shambles that she was sure that by the time she got it together, it would probably be too late. Her clock was ticking, but her life was in the toilet.

Isabel smiled, “Just a couple weeks now. I will be glad when it is over. I love my children, but right now, all I can think of is how uncomfortable I am.” Isabel moved to try to find a more comfortable position. “Liz, I want to talk. Please, just let me. Liz, none of us ever heard any message from our mother. Those stones have always been dead. They never did anything except when Tess mind warped Pierce at the White Room. Liz, I talked to Maria. There is much you seem to believe about Max that just isn’t true. Tess, from the first, had designs on Max. I laughed it off because I didn’t think anything could pry you two apart. Tess was always trying to kiss Max and he always pushed her away. Max complained constantly to me about that. He blamed me for bringing her around. Maria wants us to consider that you were mind warped from the start. From the time Nasado and Tess appeared, things began to go wrong for you and Max. None of us saw it then.” Isabel took a drink and she continued. After you left, Max lost all direction. Tess went to him and he had no ability to hold her off. She seduced him and produced a daughter. It was supposed to be a son, but Tess didn’t know her own body as well as she believed. After the daughter was rejected by the emissary from Antar, Tess went crazy. She left Max and the daughter when the little girl was four years old. The little girl was more than any of us could handle. She became pregnant and had a son before she was 16. She was killed in a drug deal a couple of years later. Max has struggled with raising the child since then. His grandchild was the little boy who hugged you. He has all the same powers of Max.” Isabel stood up. Liz led the way down the stairs helping Isabel steady her self. Isabel rested for a few minutes and, then, she left. Isabel had no business driving, but this was a confrontation she knew was necessary.

When they met late Friday night, Liz was almost convinced that she had been manipulated out of 20 years of her life. Maria had borrowed chairs from her neighbors so they could all sit in a circle. She had juice, tea and beer to drink. They all arrived at almost the same time. No one wanted to be early or late. Michael, Max, and Isabel sat together. Maria sat beside Michael and Alex sat beside Isabel. Jim and Liz made up the rest of the circle. Liz handed the aliens the message stone.

Maria took charge of the meeting. “Liz, will you please describe exactly what happened that night in the pod chamber.”

Liz explained what she saw and what she had heard. She described the glowing life the stones showed. While she was describing all of this, the aliens just shook their heads. Michael started to speak and Maria shushed him. There was murmuring among the aliens. Alex, Maria and Jim could say nothing because they knew nothing. They hadn’t been there. Then again, Maria took charge. “Michael, did you ever see the stones take on an unusual appearance?”

Michael scratched his head, “Well, when Tess was mind warping Pierce, they glowed a bit.”

“Max, I know this painful for you, but will you describe your relationship with Tess from the first,” Maria requested.

Max looked a bit funny and said, “There was no relationship. Tess tried to come on to me and I kept pushing her away. As long as I had Liz, I could resist her. After Liz left, I fell into a depression and the only one I had to lean on was Tess. Let us just say that she offered me experiences a boy my age had never known. I had no one to love and Tess was offering what looked like love. The next thing I knew we were naked and I was experiencing sex. I do not think it ever was love. At the time I could only think that now I was a man and I would move on in my life. Before I could move on very far, Tess informed me she was pregnant. She was so scared, so vulnerable, so fragile, even talking about suicide. Nasado had disappeared again and she had no one. I did what I thought was the right thing. I had fathered a child and I was responsible for caring for it, I married her.”

That had been so hard for Max to tell. Liz could tell he was trying. Liz wanted to go to Max, but there were so many things holding her back. Liz was glad when Isabel put her arm around her brother and pulled his head against her shoulder. All this time, Alex was patting his wife on the back indicating that he, Alex, was there for her as she tried to take on her brother’s anguish.

Michael spoke up next. Liz knew that it was hardest on him because he, at the time, felt that he was the only one right. “I began to have erotic dreams, I felt that they were telling me about myself.”

Maria looked at him. This was the first time she had heard of the erotic dreams. Maria looked at Isabel who was now looking at her swollen belly and not looking at any of the people in the room. “Michael and I were having dreams about making love. We had a dream about having a child. At the time, we even thought that maybe dreams were the way we became pregnant. That is what you caught us talking about that time in the Crashdown, Maria.”

All attention returned to Michael, “I thought we should pay attention to Tess because she could tell us more than Liz about ourselves. Then, after the erotic dreams about Isabel, I began to think that Tess was dangerous. The dreams about someone I thought of as a sister were just too disturbing.”

Isabel took up the conversation. “Tess was controlling our mother. I never heard mom tell any of our friends to call her Diane before. And I never saw mom be so quick to tell a stranger all about us. She was usually afraid that someone would come and take us away. Mom was usually more guarded about information. Tess made the four square symbol out of sugar cubes and told me she had very strong feelings for Max.

Max cleared his throat, “She came to me at night and led me to the pod chamber, all the time telling me we belonged together. I still resisted her because of Liz.”

Liz looked at Max, “You told me that you did kiss her. We were sitting in the library using the computer looking at star maps, Tess was right outside and you told me how strange it was to kiss her.”

Max frowned, “That is not what happened, Liz. We looked at star maps, but that is all. We found that the constellation Aries with the addition of Venus would give us the “V” that we thought, at the time, was the symbol of Antar. Yes, Tess was outside, but I did not say anything about kissing her.”

Now, Liz was getting mad, “So I am either lying or crazy just like you all seem to believe when I talk about your mother’s message.” Liz was fixing to get up to leave. Jim put his arm around her shoulder.

“Liz, just listen to yourself and to the aliens. Each time, Tess was near. What does that tell you? Liz, a terrible crime has been committed. It has cost lives and also hurt two people beyond belief. Everything you say points to Tess controlling you,” Jim said calmly. He was beginning to see what the others had been refusing to see for so long. Tess wanted Liz out of the way, so she created a situation where Liz would leave. Tess knew that Max would never leave Liz, so she created a mind set where the very love Liz had for Max would drive her away, thinking that she, Liz, was protecting and helping Max.

Everyone was talking now. Maria tried to get control, but Michael was still accusing Liz of deserting Max and telling her she ought to have known that she was being mind warped. Max was looking lost as he began to realize that Tess had deliberately destroyed his life, but then, he thought of the little girl. What had Tess done to her daughter trying to make her acceptable to the emissary? What had been the result of Tess trying to make Felicia into an alien? How had that effected Felicia all of her life? Isabel was sobbing and holding onto Alex. Maria stood up and shouted for them to all come to some sort of order. Jim started to stand when Isabel looked up her contractions had started.

Everything was now tabled. Alex got their coats and prepared to go take her to the clinic. Max took out his cell phone. Both Isabel and Maria had a certain doctor they had used to deliver their children. They had been forced to find a person who they could let into their secret. Dr Sylvia Sanchez was a lifetime resident. When she had been faced by Max several years ago when Tess had been pregnant, she not only believed their story, but she also agreed to keep their secret. She had delivered Maria’s three children and Isabel’s other two. She also had delivered little Aaron when Felicia became pregnant. Any abnormalities she noticed in any of the women’s deliveries she just kept to herself. She liked Max and understood that he was having a difficult time. She didn’t ask more questions than she needed to serve their health and she was rewarded by the presentation into the world of seven beautiful children.

Isabel, Alex, Maria and Max all headed to the clinic. Michael would stay with their three children, so that left Jim and Liz who quietly let themselves out.

[ken_r]

Flamehair one of the things I felt was needed was for the aliens to have to reach out for more humans to protect themselves.

Addicted2AmberEyes I felt that the aliens in the TV show always expected more from the humans that they themselves could do. Maybe there was a jealously that humans indeed were greater than aliens.

Timelord31 thankyou for reading

Begonia9508 I think that Max never until may this posting or maybe the next doesn’t realize that the strength of Liz’s love is her weak point. Tess couldn’t break their love apart but she could make Liz be self sacrificing. The only time Michael showed feelings for humans was when he returned Liz’s journal. Other times I think he was unwilling to believe how much they needed the humans. This is not inconsistent for a child human or otherwise raised in the environment he was. Children like this tend to be selfish to survive.

Max never had the strength of love for Liz as she did for him, in my opinion.

Martine sorry but in remembering my own youth I think boys do not understand the strength of love. I hate to admit it but my wife’s strength has always been stronger than mine.

JRose hope you enjoy this posting.

Chapter 7

The next morning, Jim stopped by the Crashdown. He found Liz in the process of packing her things. Jim sat in the kitchen of the living quarters talking to Liz. “Where do you intend to run, Liz”

“I don’t know, but didn’t you hear last night that my happiness and my life wasn’t voluntarily sacrificed as I believed for so long, but it was stolen. Stolen by a monster that none of us could fight. I have suffered for 20 years because of her.” Liz was furious and she was clearly distraught.

Jim calmly said, “Max suffered through losing you. He got trapped into a unhappy marriage and Tess did something to their baby that made Felica lose her life by the time she was 18. Don’t you think Max has suffered from her also? Liz, I can’t tell you what to do, but you and Max need to, at least, reconcile your friendship. You owe it to each other. Please don’t leave until you have a chance to talk to him alone.” With that, the sheriff got up and showed himself downstairs.

It was an hour later when Liz heard a knock on the door that led down stairs. She went to the door and let in an obviously worn out Maria. “Well Chica, it is official. Little Celeste, in full voice, made her appearance into the world of the alien abyss,” Maria informed Liz.

Liz looked at her life long friend, “Maria, you look terrible. Do you want some coffee or something? Did you get any sleep since last night?”

Maria shook her head, “No, I called Michael to see how the kids were and told him I would be home as soon as I stopped by to see you.” Then Maria saw the packing boxes and clothes laid out. “Chica, promise me you are not fixing to leave again. We all need you and we all need to heal.”

Liz sat down, “That is the trouble, Maria, I do not think any of you can heal if I am here to remind you that I caused all of this sadness.”

Maria grabbed Liz by the arm, “No, Chica, it never was you. It was that whore from hell, Tess, that caused all of the pain including yours. Michael and I were about the only ones who did not suffer, but I think he has hurt some because he feels guilty about not forcing you to return.”

With that, Maria left to go home, to husband, children and as much sleep as they would let her have. Liz was now more distraught than ever before. She had decided on a plan, an action right or wrong. She had decided to do something. Now, she did not know what to do. A spark in her mind said, “Go to Max. See if there is something you can salvage.” Liz shook her head. You just can’t go back to yesterday! All the hopes and dreams of yesterday were gone. She and Max were not the same people anymore. Deep in her mind, a tiny germ began to grow. No, they were not the same people. Could they start fresh? No, not to rekindle a romance, but to start fresh as two adults that each had a history and see if they couldn’t be friends again. Liz really didn’t want to run again, but she didn’t want to stay in Roswell if it made the people she knew uncomfortable. Liz was gathering her resolve. This would not be easy. This was something that had to be resolved only between Max and her self. It was a Wednesday, today. Saturday, Max would be home. This gave Liz a few days to build up her courage or find a way to flee. It, also, gave the Evans family a few days to settle down from the birth of Isabel’s little Celeste.

Thursday morning Liz went to see Isabel at the clinic. She was nursing the little one. “Alex will be by this afternoon and I can go home. I do hope you will come by to see us. There are so many things that have happened, but maybe the birth of Celeste can cause a birth of new relationships.”

Liz made a frown. “Isabel I am not sure how long I am going to stay in Roswell. I will be here through the weekend and then we will see.”

Isabel looked at Liz and asked, “Where will you go Liz?”

Liz looked down as she did when she didn’t want any one to read her emotions and said, “I do not know Isabel. I guess I will just drift for a while.”

“That is not acceptable, Liz. We have just figured out how our lives have been distorted by that woman. You can’t keep drifting. We need, all of us to try to rebuild our friendships,” Isabel stated as she shifted the baby to a more comfortable position.

Liz shrugged. She gently stroked the baby’s skin, Then she bent, kissed Isabel on the forehead and left.

Friday, Maria looked everywhere for Liz. She was nowhere to be found. After school was out, Maria stopped at Max’s home after she was sure he would be there. “Max, Liz is thinking of leaving. You have to do something about this,” she pleaded.

Max was just sitting there in the dark kitchen as Aaron sat watching a Disney cartoon in the living room. “Liz is free to do as she wants. She did before and I guess she will do it again,” he said.

Maria had just about had it. She had stayed loyal to the aliens and she now felt she was asking her due in return. “Yeah, Max, big strong alien king with many powers couldn’t resist the alien bitch. You want the love of your life, the little girl who followed you through everything, to be strong enough to fight Tess without any powers or real knowledge of what she could do. Max, I have stood by you and listened to you. Now, I want something in return. I want you to swallow that stubborn pride and remember how much you loved her. You meet her half way or I will give Michael so much hell that it will spill over onto you!” Maria stamped her feet and walked toward the door. “Maxwell, you do what you have to come to some terms with Liz.” Then, Maria slammed the door so hard it scared Aaron and rattled the glass.

Max was up the same time on Saturday as every other day. With a four year-old boy, you do not get to sleep in unless you let him stay over night with his grandmother. Max started the laundry, picked up the house and was starting to vacuum the floors.

I was about 10:00 when the doorbell rang. Aaron, seeing his grandfather busy went to the door. He opened the door and saw a person he had decided was a friend. He held the door for her to come in and went in to get his grandfather.

Max came into the room. The last person he expected was Liz. He indicated a chair in the living room for her to take and he took a straight chair that was against the wall. Liz was dressed in slacks and loafer shoes. She had on a simple blouse and jacket to make up the rest of her ensemble. Liz was terriblely nervous. She was playing with her hair and fumbling with her purse. She cleared her throat, “Max, I am probably going away soon and I wanted to talk to you at least once before I leave.”

“Where are you going, Liz?” Max inquired.

Liz looked down, “I have no idea. I will just head out some direction. Before I do leave, I want to try to make peace with you. If I need to be the one to say I am sorry I left, I will say that. If I need to be the one to say I was wrong, I will say that.” Liz was about to break down. Max had never seen Liz this close to a completely falling apart. He remembered when they were kids that she was his strength. He now wondered what having this strength for him had cost her. Then, he knew. She had been strong for them both. So strong that she fell prey to Tess’s scheme. Liz gave up everything and allowed Max to loose everything because she was trying to be strong; stronger than any girl that age had the right to be. Her lips were quivering and her hands were shaking.

Then, it was when the remaining ray of happiness of Max’s life came back into the room. “Grandpa likes cherry cola and I think you do to.” With this, Aaron handed Liz a cold can of Coke and, also one to his grandfather.

Liz did break down. Max went to her. She was shaking, “I swore to my self I wasn’t going to do this. I practiced all yesterday exactly what I was going to say and now I just can’t go on. I am sorry Max. I need to go. I will try to be out of town in a few days. Just do the best you can.”

Max remembered the times when he had put his arms around Liz to get strength so he could go on. As Liz stood, Max did put his arms around her. She tried to pull away. “Don’t, Max, you will just make it worse when I leave. Let me go! This was a mistake and I, again am sorry.” Liz pulled out of his grasp, but she was stopped.

“Please Liz, don’t go.” A tiny voice said.

Liz knelt down and Aaron put his arms around her. “ Liz, please stay until you feel good again,” his little voice said. Liz held the child and wept bitterly. Max stood over her, his hand resting on her shoulder.

Liz pushed back from Aaron, “I am sorry, Aaron. I have to go.”

Aaron looked at her, “When grandpa cries like that, he stays until he feels better. I think you should stay until you feel better, too.”

Liz looked up at Max. His eyes were filled with tears. They both had suffered a tremendous hurt and, right now, they couldn’t be there for each other. Looking into his eyes, she saw that he didn’t have any one that could support him any more than did she. Maria and Isabel had all they could handle with their own families. Max’s mother was helping, but she could not give any emotional help. Diane had been drained trying to help his daughter. As Liz stood, they fell into each other’s arms and sobbed silently as a small hand sought hers, pulling it down from around Max. Liz felt the small hand squeezing her hand. She looked down into the face that was part of Max and also looking into her soul.

When Liz left Max’s house, she returned to the crashdown. It was about two hours later that she heard the voice of Maria calling her as Maria climbed the stairs. When Maria entered the living area, she was worried. Liz was sitting in the semi-dark apparently just staring at the table. “What happened, Chica?” Maria queried.

I couldn’t talk to him Maria. I do not know if it because I did him wrong or if it is that I want him to understand that it was not my fault and I was not in control or of doing what I wanted to do. The worst is, I cried in front of the little boy. What will he think of me doing that?” Liz asked.

“Chica, you do not understand. Max breaks down all the time. He doesn’t go out much because he will just start crying for no obvious reason. He says something will remind him of his daughter and he just can’t help it. He, also, says something will remind him of you and that triggers the crying also,” Maria explained as she brushed Liz’s hair with her hand. Maria lifted Liz’s chin with her hand. “Max has no anchor to hold on to and, it seems, neither do you. Maybe, you are going to have to decide if you are both going to drown alone or are you going to try to help each other. The real person suffering is the little boy. Aaron knows something was wrong with his mother and he also knows that his Great-grandmother doesn’t have much strength left. He knows how much his grandfather hurts. Liz, Aaron has all the abilities of Max and he has all the insecurities that Max lives with.”

Maria left Liz just sitting alone in the dark. A little later it was Alex who came by. “Liz, Isabel wants you to come by. She can’t come herself, but we both would like it if you stop by our house and talk to her.” Alex, instead of leaving, sat down in the dark with Liz. “Liz, remember when we three were afraid to come home from the monster movie because all three of us were scared the monster would come and attack us before we got home. Liz, your father came all the way to the theater to hold us by the hand then we made it home. Remember what your father said to us?”

Liz had to smile because her father had sat with them on the park bench before they finished the walk home. “He said as long as we were holding hands, we would be safe from the monster,” she said

“Yes, if all three of us were holding hands, we would be safe from the monster. And every time we went back to the movie theater at night, you on one side of me and Maria on the other, we walked home and chanted, ‘Together we can beat any monster,’ over and over. Well, we were confronting a monster. As long as you and Max were holding hands with Isabel holding on to Max and Maria holding on to you, we were strong. Michael was with Maria and I was with Isabel. When Tess split you and Max apart, the whole chain was broken.” Alex did something nobody else had done, probably because it was so horrible. that no one wanted to voice it. “Liz, Tess is still out there. No one knows where. What if she comes for Aaron? There is no one to left who has the strength, to face her alone.”

After Alex had gone, Liz kept thinking. What if Tess comes for Aaron? What if Tess comes for Aaron…

Liz didn’t sleep that night nor did she sleep much the next night. The phrase …comes for Aaron… kept passing through her mind.

The next day was a school day. Liz was terribly surprised when the bell over the door rang and Max, led by Aaron, entered. Liz could hear José in the back room. It would be this weekend, he had told her that they were having their grand opening. Liz led them up the stairs. She went to the refrigerator and got an icecreme bar for Aaron. She asked Max if he wanted coffee or a soda. Max shook his head. The three of them just sat for several minutes. It was Aaron who spoke. “Grandpa needs you and you need Grandpa, Liz.”

Liz smiled at the innocence of the child. She wished it was that easy. Liz wished she knew what to do when Max took her hand in his. He pressed her hand between his hands and looked into her eyes. “Liz, if it is too late for us to ever rekindle our relationship. Could we at least make a strong friendship? I think we need each other,” Max said. They sat like that, their hands clasped together, as Aaron finished his ice cream.

[ken_r]

Stories by ken_r

Begonia9508 everyone feels betrayed. But by who? Since they are together they tend to blame each other.
No matter how I do not like it I believe love is always shown stronger by women.
There is even a biblical verse that wisdom will be seen in little children, maybe, because children are simpler and they don’t confuse things as much as adults do.
There was always that question that off spring by hybrids was not genetically intended by those who cloned them. In this case it will be shown that what ever Felicia had genetically her mother was trying to force her in order to return to Antar. Yes Probably Aaron’s father was human. Who he was, is not material to the story. Aaron is a strong boy because he was not touched by his grandmother and was loved by the humans. I hope you enjoy things as they unfold.

Natlie36 rebuilding first friendships the we can go from there.

Addicted2AmberEyes hopefully now anger can be channeled to where it belongs. Alex might be brilliant because he sees the strength of Liz which they will need if Tess comes back and guess what? She’s back!

Flamehair see what I wrote Eve above about love. Aaron was decended from Tess but he is still key to the safety of the Roswell group. we all know, unfortunally the writers of the show were not held to as high of standards as FanFiction writers are. They ought to heir us we would work cheaper. We work for the thrill.

Timelord31 nice to see you reading my work

Allie Xie when there are those that take that which cannot be returned, or made up they are monsters.

JRose Talking is a start. Just confronting gets no where. We have to celebrate the strength of Maria here as she in moderating.

Chapter 8

Max went back to school. Liz didn’t leave that week like she had intended. She used the grand opening Friday night of the Crashdown as an excuse. José had gone all out. The regulars had just been waiting for their restaurant to be back in business. Isabel and Alex and their kids made it, but Alex warned everyone that they would probably leave early. Maria and Michael volunteered to watch over the two older kids if Isabel had to leave. Max and Aaron were there and, of course Liz, was standing beside José. Liz made a short speech about wanting to remember her father and mother. José had put pictures of both the Parkers up in a conspicuous place. Then, José introduced the new southwest alien food. He had an example of each dish sitting on the counter with it’s appropriate name. The alien ship huevos rancheros, a flat, cheese enchilada with an egg on top, really did look like a flying saucer. Little green men made with green chile was another favorite. There were orders coming in and the extra cooks José hired were busy at work. José had hired a Mariachi rock band. Liz was sure he had started a new craze. So many of the patrons came by to give Liz their condolences about her folks. The party was a good one and Liz later told José that she was sure the restaurant would be a success. It was noticed that Liz and Max sat holding hands most of the evening. Little Aaron sat on the opposite side of the table and just watched.

Maria watched for the next few weeks. She saw Liz and Max together, but never without Aaron. Neither seemed to approach the other unless the child was present. Maria talked to Liz and Liz mentioned that she was thinking of having her things shipped to Roswell. She was also looking into an instructor’s job at the extension college of Roswell. Liz knew that nothing could happen until the fall semester. Maria tried and tried to get Liz to tell her what was going on between herself and Max. Liz always said the same thing, “nothing.” When all of them got together Liz was there with Max, but no one ever saw them together just the two of them.

Max had began to rethink his actions when he was a teen. How could he think that a girl who almost gave her self to him so dearly, that night would desert him without good reason? Why hadn’t he, Max, seen that Liz wouldn’t have been able to throw her love away? He had listened to Michael, something he knew better than to do. Michael was his friend, but an advisor, at least in this life, Michael was not. Max wondered what Michael had been like in that other life that Tess always alluded to. Did Michael give personal advice or was he only a military advisor? Had Michael’s or, then, Rath’s advice been slanted by Vilandra? What part did Vilandra play in that other life? Tess had said that she was the lover of Rath and Tess had hinted that she had other interests that might have effected her judgment. Tess said they were royalty, beyond the laws of any society. Max caught himself. What ever any of them had been in another life did not affect how they acted now. Max thought of his pride. Pride, that thing that has brought down so many kingdoms. His heart had been broken when Liz left, but it was not his heart that ruled him that night when he went to Tess. True, Tess had been more than willing to fall in his arms naked, but it was not like the gift he had sought from Liz. Liz would never have been wanton in her actions. Max thought of how disgusted he would have felt if Liz behaved that way. Liz would have made the gift of her love have value. He would have felt that he had earned what she had to give. Max was beginning to see the double standard to which he was holding Liz. What he took as desertion, she had meant as sacrifice; sacrifice of her life to help him in what she perceived as his destiny. He was also seeing something he didn’t like in himself. He had taken, as a king, and turned from what he should have fought for, as a suitor.

There was something in the air. It was Michael who first got the message. He sensed something was happening. Michael couldn’t figure out what it was. There was a time when he would have gone to Max, but for years Max had just been surviving. Max was not able to confront danger or make decisions for the group. Michael went to Isabel and Alex. There would have been a time when Michael would have avoided any contact with a human, but now since he had been married and watched Isabel’s marriage, Michael had learned that some humans were of assistance. He also called Jim Valenti to come to Isabel’s house and meet with them.

When Jim arrived, he found the three adults sitting in the kitchen. The two boys were sitting in the living room playing and the baby was asleep. Michael was talking to Isabel and Alex. Jim sat down and Michael turned to him. “There is something that has returned to Roswell,” Michael declared.

Jim was toying with a spoon making imaginary designs on the table cloth. “What do you think it is?” he asked.

“Tess,” was the monosyllable he formed.

Jim made a face. Usually he could be poker-faced when discussing situations. Years of practice at interrogation had perfected that. “What makes you think she is back?” he inquired.

I feel things like dreams that happen in the daytime. I feel like something is probing my brain.” Michael stated.

“Does Max know?” Jim asked.

“No, we are now trying to decide how to tell him,” Michael replied.

“If Tess is back, then the only thing she could be after is Aaron. Max needs to decide what to do. Diane is not strong enough to protect him. What can Max do while he is at school?” Jim questioned.

Isabel spoke up, “Liz, we need Liz. When Max is with Liz, he is strong. We need Liz to help us, but it will mean putting her in danger again. I do not know if we have the right to ask this of her.”

“I understand Liz is getting attached to that little boy. She might want to help protect him. Liz knows, now, not to trust anything she can attribute to Tess,” Jim stated. “Let me go see her. Michael, you should go see Max tonight. I will call you on the cell phone when I have talked to Liz.”

The meeting broke up. Jim phoned Liz. “Liz, I know it is late, but it is an emergency. Let me into the Crashdown. I will be there in a few minutes.”

When Jim arrived at the Crashdown, he drove around the perimeter of the building. He saw nothing that would disturb him, but it was better to be safe. He drove his vehicle right up near the door. When he knocked on the window, Liz came out opening the door. She had quickly dressed, but she still had slippers on. Jim asked to go back to the kitchen part so they couldn’t be seen from the street. “Tess may be back.” Was the simple way he put it.

Liz sat on a stool that the cook used when he was watching his ovens. She just shook her head, “What do you suppose she wants?”

“The only thing we can figure is the little boy,” Jim stated.

“Why, why would she want Aaron?” Liz wondered.

“Aaron could pass the alien test,” was the simple way Jim answered. “Look, Liz, I was supposed to talk to you, but I changed my mind. If you want, I will help you pack and escort you to the county line. After that, you would be on your own, but I doubt she would follow you.”

Liz looked at Jim, “What were you supposed to talk to me about?”

“The aliens want your help to strengthen Max and to resist Tess. Liz, you were free of this and it was your parent’s death that brought you back. I have changed my mind. This is not your fight,” Jim said.

“Sheriff, that little boy is the best part of Max. He would have been my grandson if I had stayed. He almost feels like my child. Tess killed his mother just as if she had cut her throat. Tess killed my happiness by making me believe I had to sacrifice my self to save Max’s destiny. What do they need me to do?” Liz inquired.

“Liz, they want you live at Max’s for awhile. The two of you together would be more than enough to stop Tess,” Jim knew he was asking a lot.

Liz frowned, “Sheriff do you think that would be a good idea? Max and I are civil to each other and we play with Aaron, but living together might be asking too much of either of us.”

“Liz, that is the only way you can be with Max and Aaron if Tess comes by. Aaron shouldn’t go over to Diane’s during the day. There is no way Diane could withstand Tess,” Jim informed her.

“What do I do during the day while Max is at school?” Liz inquired.

“I was thinking about you returning to the Crashdown. José has all of his relatives around and the Crashdown has a lot of customers around all the time. Tess isn’t about to try something when there would be too many people to warp. Max could drop you off before school and pick you up after school.” Jim was planning everything out as he was talking. Liz finally nodded her head. Jim walked her upstairs where she packed enough things to last a couple days. She would take more tomorrow. Jim phoned Michael.

When Liz arrived at Max’s house, she found she had been assigned the master bedroom. Max had moved his personal things into the guest room. Liz questioned Jim, “Would it not have been just as easy to move me into the guest room? Then we would not have had to disturb Max?”

Jim shook his head. He pointed out to Liz that the smaller bed of Aaron had been moved into the room. Max wanted Liz to be with Aaron all of the time. “Tess will probably try to contact Max first. When she sees you are with Aaron, she will try to bring up destiny or some other crap to convince you to release him,” Jim explained. “It will take her some time before she realizes that you will no longer agree to her demands and in that time, her concentration will not be on Max. With the both of you there, she is going to have divide her attention. What ever she does, she is not going to have the effect she had before. We hope it will take her sometime to realize that.”

Jim left, but just before Liz got ready for bed, Max came in to see her. There were tears in his eyes as he took her hand. “Thanks, Liz, for helping us. The others were so sure you would come, but I just couldn’t be sure. The alien abyss has always been so hard on you. I just couldn’t believe you would enter it again even though I, ah..we, need you so much.” Max leaned forward and for the first time in 20 years, he kissed Liz lightly on the lips.

Liz checked the little boy who was sleeping peacefully despite the fact he had just been disrupted from his usual rest and moved into a strange room. She prepared for bed. Instead of a gown as she usually wore, Liz just pulled on some boxer shorts and a short tee shirt. Liz wanted to be quickly mobile if trouble came.

Nothing happened. Max got up as usual and as he was getting breakfast ready, Liz showered. By the time she was dressed, Max came into the room and he prepared to get Aaron bathed and dressed. Liz ate alone, waiting for Max and Aaron. She didn’t know his schedule, but she didn’t want to interfere with it. Liz felt funny. On one hand, she had been requested to help Max, but deep inside, she seemed to feel like, maybe, she was being let back into his life. This was the question she was debating. Did she really want into the alien abyss again? The Max of twenty years ago had meant so much to her. What did the Max of today mean? Liz knew that if she looked at it as if she was there for Aaron, she had no question. Aaron was a dear little boy who had nothing to do with the antics of either his grandmother or his mother. Aaron was an innocent and, as such, he should be protected at all costs by anyone no matter what their history.

Aaron came over to Liz and hugged her. Then, he went to his place at the table and quickly ate his breakfast. Max had to leave a little early because he had to detour by the crashdown and then go see his mother to explain the change of care Aaron was to receive for the near future. Max knew that his mother had very strong feelings against Tess for uncountable reasons. She would be pleased that he was receiving help. Especially since it was from Liz. As much as Diane detested Tess, she liked Liz and never did accept that Liz just ran off without any reason.

When they arrived at the Crashdown, Liz and Aaron went in. Max continued on his way. Liz called José. She explained to José that Aaron had received a kidnap threat from his grandmother Tess. José made no secret that he had not liked Tess from before and hadn’t changed his mind now. Liz heard rapid fire Spanish in the back room. It was so fast that she couldn’t follow it. In a few minutes, José stuck his head out of the kitchen and Liz knew that the whole staff would be looking out for Aaron.

It was three days and nothing was a miss. Liz almost thought that, maybe, Michael had been wrong. That afternoon before Max had come for her, José came up. “Jason was emptying the trash and he saw a blonde hanging around the alley way. When he called to her and asked what she wanted, she quickly left,” he reported.

Two days later, Liz saw a blond woman standing across the street just looking at the restaurant. She went to the door to see better, but when she opened the door, there was no one there. Liz had began to have feelings about destiny. A man must rise to meet his destiny. She shook those off, but she reminded José that they should be prepared if someone tried to take Aaron. It was sometime later when a much more direct contact was made. Aaron was in the corner booth where he usually played. It was away from the door and situated so that it was not clearly visible from the street. Tess entered the door.

“What do you want, Tess?” Liz confronted her. Liz was amazed how hard life had been on Tess. Her hair was clearly bleached, but whoever was doing it was not being careful with the chemicals. Liz wondered why Tess just didn’t control the hair color as she had done for so many years. There were lines in Tess’s face that bespoke of very hard living. Her eyes were still like two blue sapphires, shinning with animal like cunning.

“What are you doing back Liz? Didn’t you understand that Max is my destiny? You should have stayed in that pitiful little life at that college. You have no place here!” Liz could feel Tess prodding constantly, looking for some weak place in Liz to insert doubt and, then, to rip her apart.

Tess looked around the room. There were several customers sitting through out the room. Tess spied Aaron watching her from the corner. She addressed him, “I am your grandmother come to me and we will leave.”

Aaron shook his head and, then, he did something strange. Neither Tess nor Liz were prepared for Aaron to walk to Liz, take her hand and, then, turn to Tess, “Liz is who I choose for a grandma. Tess, go away.”

Liz could see Tess concentrate. Liz knew that Tess was trying to conjure up some sort of image, but Aaron was having none of it. “Go, Tess! I choose Liz as my grandmother.”

Liz could then feel a prickly sensation as she knew that Tess was warping her. Although Liz fought as hard as she could against being alone, she also knew that Tess would eventually win. She knew these feelings were from Tess.

“Hey! You, blondie, get your ass out of here!” As quickly as the prickly sensation started, it went aweay. Liz saw José standing, holding a meat clever. Tess contemptuously turned toward José, but, then, another man came out of the back carrying a butcher knife. Her acute hearing picked up some one on a phone. “Sheriff office? We need help at the Crashdown.” Tess glared at Aaron and suddenly turned and fled.

Michael and Jim Valenti arrived at almost the same time. Liz was sitting down, holding Aaron. Liz was crying because of the stress. She had never felt so depressed and, at the same time, so supported as she thought of José and the other man working in the kitchen. She also felt a great comfort as she held Aaron.

When Max came to pick her up after school, Liz was sitting in a booth with Aaron talking to Michael.
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The The Loves of Maximo Delgato
is a AU story with out aliens. It is a Roswell western with a twist. The story embraces the Hispanic culture of the southwest. It takes place in two different times. The novel that Dr. Parker reads takes place just before the turn of the 20 th century. Dr. Parker is a instructor at the University of New Mexico. There is something traumatic about her love life. As she reads and as she grows in power at the university she is given an opportunity to find Love again.
The Loves of Maximo Delgato
ken r

[ken_r]

Begonia9508 Yes Eve I think the aliens are voicing what they had already decided that Antar has nothing for them. I hope this part isn’t too cheesy. What happened, Liz probably wanted to happen, but as you say she was cautious. I hope I explain why Tess couldn’t control the Hispanics in the kitchen.

Addicted2AmberEyes Youth as Eve said above lets you do crazy things and also creates doubt which can sometimes be a weakness. With age, hopefully these weaknesses are strengthen. I am proud of the dialog of Michael in this section. It showed how his ideas had changed.

Natalie36 Aaron it the wisdom in this story. He is above the influence of anyone. Supposedly he picks what is good over any evil.

Flamehair thankyou for reading. We are watching your calendar. Best of luck and with our prayers.

JRose thankyou for reading and yes grandma is the person you choose to be.

Martine again Aaron stands for reason. What he really knows we are not allowed to know but he makes his choices as a stand for good against evil. Watch in the future as he continues to do so.

Stories by ken_r

There was a French term "queen of the streets," It was a term used in World War I. I remember reading this term years ago. I thought about this saying after i wrote it. Goes to show you things that are in your head do not have to be conscious.

Chapter 9

Max didn’t say anything until they got home. After they fixed supper and Aaron was in the living room watching TV, Max turned to Liz and asked, “What happened today?”

“Max, you should have seen her. She looks years older than she should. She is having her hair done by someone and they are doing a terrible job. Her clothes just looked cheap. She did try to mind warp me. When she called upon destiny, I just felt empty. I don’t believe in that anymore so all she accomplished was to give me a headache. Her eyes are the same. They are the same sparkling blue. She tried to mind warp José and the other cook. She couldn’t handle those two totally different people. Something scared her and she ran out just before Jim and Michael arrived.

Michael was just settling down to watching nightly sports on ESPN. There was a ring at the door. Maria went to the door and, suddenly, she screamed. Michael might be slow on the uptake sometimes, but no one ever accused him of being lax when it came to Maria or his kids. When he got to the door, he saw a furious Maria and standing at the door was a older and much abused Tess. As he approached Tess, Maria grabbed his arm and was pulling him back. “What the hell do you want, Tess?” he shouted. Tess shrugged and started to enter. Michael blocked her way, “You are not wanted here, Tess.”

“Good to see you too, Michael. I would have thought you would be ready to find a way back by this time. Don’t tell me you have settled into the domestic scene!” she stated. “I am offering you a way back to Antar.”

Maria was still spitting and Michael was trying to control her with one hand as he kept the other free incase he had to deal power to power with Tess. “What do you mean going back? Didn’t they tell you that you failed last time?”

Tess just shrugged, “She was weak. It is her son I want. He is strong. The emissary will accept him and we can all return.”

Return to what, Tess?” Michael was getting angry. Tess was approaching this return just like she approached destiny years ago. She was single-mindedly assuming she could find others who would agree with her. “Return to a crippled revolution with tyranny on both sides? What do we have to do with those people? They sent us here. We grew up on our own. We do not owe them anything.”

What about your destiny, Michael? Leading armies, loving harems of women, being the power you were born to be,” Tess grandly proclaimed.

“Give it up Tess. It is all crap. People here may seem primitive, but from what I have seen, they are much better than that bunch of snobby terrorist that cloned us,” Michael replied. “Look at yourself. Tess. You are the queen of nothing but the streets. They wouldn’t accept you no matter what you had to offer.”

Tess’s face became ugly, “I am the queen! They will have to accept me if I bring them a viable heir. My grandson is the one. He has all the alien traits that his weak mother never had, no matter how hard I tried to force her.”

Michael just looked at Tess. “After what you did to Max and Liz, Maria just doesn’t hate you, she actively wants you destroyed. Get out of here now or I am going to turn her loose and suppress your powers as she rends you into pieces.”

Stupid Michael! Well, what could you expect? The genetic material that made up Michael was not so great anyway. Rath had been a soldier. He had been blindly loyal to Zan, the young king. He had been more of a muscle than a brain. Well, there was Vilondra. She must want to get out of this plain, common world. Vilondra was known for her loves and dalliances at court. There was no way she would be happy in this world! Tess approached the home where she could feel Vilondra’s presence. When she rang the bell, it was Isabel who opened the door. The sight of Tess caused something within Isabel to just snap. There was no thought, no warning, nothing. Isabel just let loose a power blast at Tess the instant she saw her. Within Isabel, the unhappiness she had caused Max and the damage she had done to her own daughter Isabel, didn’t even power up the blast. Tess went flying across the yard. Isabel began to power up for a second shot when Alex put his arms around her. He began to talk quietly and soothingly to her. Alex could feel the muscles in Isabel relax. Alex was frightened that if Isabel became angry, she would leave herself open for others to see her power. Tess got the hint and quickly left. Not a word had passed, but Isabel was furious that Tess had even comeback. Isabel called Max as soon as she calmed down enough to talk.

Max had already heard from Michael. Michael had no more to say than to add to what Liz had told him. Isabel had only her furry to speak for her. Max was wondering what Tess was doing. If she was probing for a weakness in the three aliens, she didn’t find it. Isabel and Michael were satisfied with their lives. You probably would better say that they were very happy. They both had loving spouses and wonderful children. It was Max who was so unhappy. Since he felt that Tess had been principally responsible for his misery, there was nothing she could offer him. Tess regretted the loss of her daughter, but it was not the grief held by Max. Tess was sorry that her daughter hadn’t been strong enough to take the mental stimulation to draw upon the alien skills. If she had known the tears that Max had cried over Felicia’s death, she still wouldn’t have understood them. The value of Felicia as Tess saw it was that she had produced a son who was strong in alien traits. Tess would offer this grandson up to the emissary in exchange for her passage back to the civilized world off Antar. Tess couldn’t wait to return. There she wouldn’t be held down by emotions and other human traits, but she would be able to develop the alien traits she had seen in Nasado.

It was obvious that Tess wasn’t going to get help from anyone. She had beat the king down before. The very empathy that made him a good king was the tool she would, again, use to force him into her will. Tess wondered where that human consort came from. She was sure she had warped the woman so that she would give her life before she would come between the king and his destiny. That the child would choose the human over his natural Grandmother bothered Tess. Because it is what she would have done, she was sure that someway Liz had managed to warp the child so she could get close to Max. Tess returned to her hiding place until she could be better prepared to remove the offending human and bend the will of the king.

Max moved a cot into the master bedroom. He placed the cot so that the little bed of Aaron would be between the cot and the bed where Liz slept. The cot was terribly uncomfortable, but Max was now sure they could not leave Aaron with only one protector. As Max was trying to go to sleep on the uncomfortable canvas cot, he pondered. Why did Aaron say he chose Liz to be his grandma? How much did the little boy understand about Tess? It was important that Aaron had rejected Tess’s advances immediately. Max did not understand. He had never said much in Aaron’s presence about his natural grandmother. Anything Aaron came up with about Liz was strictly from his mind. Until Liz came back, Max almost held a religious prohibition in mentioning her name. It was a long time before Max was able to achieve sleep.

Liz awakened before Max’s alarm went off. She had heard him tossing last night. She was going to have to suggest something tonight because Max couldn’t function on that little sleep. Liz showered and was fixing breakfast when the alarm sounded. Max groggily arose and stumbled into the bathroom. A very hot shower helped, but did not solve anything. They had passed last night without a mishap from Tess. Max took his perhaps family to the Crashdown and went on to school.

Through out the day Liz felt pressures in her mind. She would look out the windows, but she saw no one. It was as if some one was probing her to look for weaknesses. Aaron played quietly. Occasionally, he would look out the window, but Liz did not connect in her mind that when he did that the probing ceased. A young Hispanic boy came in the Crashdown and spoke to José. José came to Liz and said, “The abuela of the boy was seen down the street in a car. Chico, mi primo says that he saw her a few minutes ago.

Liz felt safe in the Crashdown. Tess had backed down the other day because of the intensity of José and the number of customers in the restaurant. Tess had been confused when she went up against the mind of José and the other cook. Tess was used to the minds who had weaknesses. José just wanted to run his restaurant and support his guardian angel, Liz. When Tess went into his mind, she was confused because it didn’t have the drives she could manipulate. When she tried to bend him against Liz, she might as well have been trying to change his whole culture. Liz had been the one to fulfill his dream of being his own boss. Tess was lucky he didn’t use that meat clever.

Max picked them up and took them home after school. Liz noticed that Max was worn out. After supper, Max had his school work to finish. Liz sat with him as he graded papers. Aaron sat nearby coloring in his book. Max looked up. Liz felt it. It was like your hand feels if it looses circulation, sort of prickly. Max and Liz looked at each other. Max saw that Liz was breaking out into a sweat. Aaron didn’t seem to notice anything. “What are you thinking?” Max asked of Liz.

She shook her head, “Tess is near by. She is trying to make me feel depressed. She is telling me that it would be better if I died.” Liz wiped her brow. Max stood up and walked over to her. He put his arms around her. Max could feel a prickling sensation, but that was all. Liz kept trying to clear her head. Max still held her in his arms. He began to kiss her as he smelled the berry scent of her hair. This brought back sensations to Max that were from Liz, but never from Tess. He was remembering the time in the Crashdown. He remembered taking Liz in his arms and lifting her to the counter. The kisses that he showered upon her that day over twenty years ago were coming back to him. Later that night when he had Liz to himself in Michael’s apartment, oh why didn’t he love her then? Max knew the reason and the reason was that Maria appeared and broke them up. The night they found the cursed rock and fell asleep to be awakened by the Hispanic cowboy. Wait a minute, that cowboy had to be Nasado. They had been controlled the whole day. Just like someone was trying to control them now. Max hugged Liz. He was searching his mind. Yes, he was doing this because he wanted to, not because somebody or something was making him. Max began to search for his own volition. He had to regain control of what he wanted to and make sure it was his desire and not something else.

There was a flash of light against the window and Max heard a car peal out. There was also a flashing red light shining through the curtains. There was a knock on the door. For the first time in many years Max was frightened. “Max, Max,” came the call. It was Valenti. Max opened the door. “Max, I got a call from Maria. Michael was having terrible headaches. Then a few minutes after that, I got a call from Alex. Isabel was having the same thing.”

Max, still holding Liz unabashedly, stood talking to Jim Valenti. “She was here sheriff. She was trying to take control of us again. It was so like, so long ago when Liz and I were in the strongest love we had ever known. She was trying to rekindle that love.”

“Why Max? I would have thought Tess would want to drive you apart. Why would she try to strengthen your love?” Jim asked.

“Just like last time, Sheriff. Tess used Liz’s love to make her sacrifice her self for what Tess told her was the greater good. That damned destiny she was always spouting,” Max stated. It must be easier to increase the love that is already there, rather than try to destroy it. If Tess can make it appear that by giving me up Liz would be loving me more, she will. She did it once and is trying to do it again.”

Jim looked at Liz. She was sobbing and she had her hand on Max’s chest, but Jim saw that her other hand, the one that was behind Max was being held tightly by Aaron. He was squeezing tightly with his eyes closed.

Jim left to resume his patrol. He was getting too old to be actively doing this. He planned to retire soon. Kyle, his son, was out of state and he had asked his dad to consider retiring near him. Jim asked some of the other officers to keep an eye open for the blonde woman.

Liz and Max prepared Aaron for bed. Then, Max started to turn down the blankets on the cot. “No, Max, you did not get much sleep last night and I want you closer to me if Tess returns,” Liz pointed out to Max. He went into the bathroom to change into sleepware and when he came back, Liz was wearing a gown. He had moved Aaron’s bed so they were between the outside wall and Aaron. Liz went to the bathroom and Max could hear her as she prepared for bed. He was thinking, he couldn’t remember hearing Tess preparing for bed at night. He kept wondering why he didn’t have any memory of her. Hearing Liz was arousing. Wouldn’t he have had the same memories when he and Tess were first married. He had tried, but Max could remember nothing of his life with Tess that really stirred him as deeply as just the suggestion that he and Liz were sharing sleeping quarters. It wasn’t as if this could be a great romantic night since Aaron was just an arm’s length away and both Max and Liz had the imminent fear of Tess being out there somewhere.

They crawled into bed. Both of them were facing Aaron’s bed. Max was so tired that sleep soon claimed him. He started dreaming. He saw Tess, but she was a great distance away. There was a high fence between them and Tess. Tess just seemed to pace like a cadged beast. That was a strange analogy because it was Tess who was outside the fence and Max and Liz were inside. Liz, in his dream, came to him. She was naked and he could feel her flesh in his hands. He ran his hands up and down her body. He could feel her flesh and curls as his hands passed over her. He could feel the softness of her breasts. He could also feel the life pulsing through her breasts. Under his hands, he felt her shoulders and, then, her neck. The softness of her face was just inches from his grasp. Max groaned and groaned. His groans became so loud that he woke himself up. He looked and saw that Liz was completely awake. Max was startled because her gown was pushed up almost to her shoulders. He had been stroking her naked body in his sleep. Max pulled back. “I am sorry, Liz. I was dreaming and I do not know what got into me.” He started to pull her gown back into place. Max couldn’t tell what expression Liz had in the dim light. He felt terribly embarrassed. Liz was helping care for his grandson and he had almost raped her in his sleep.

Liz turned to Max. “That is all right. I was dreaming that we were back 16 again. Max, no matter what has happened, I think I want what we were doing to happen for real when we are awake next time. Liz kissed Max. “There is no love I can give more strong than staying with you.” She began to kiss Max’s lips and face. Neither Max nor Liz saw the dim haze that was floating in the room between them and the outside wall. The haze couldn’t seem to cross their bed to get to Aaron. In fact, as Liz and Max mutually shared their oral fixation with one another the haze dimmed and finally disappeared.

Tess was furious. She had sparked the feeling in Liz hoping to make her back off from Max or maybe even scare Max off. Tess knew that Max feared being out of control. All she had accomplished was to make them more intimate. If they finally sealed their love with intimacy, then Tess would have to use force because force would be all she had left. Nasado had always warned her about force. It must be the last resort. Those who you used force against had the power to turn it around and destroy you.

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The Loves of Maximo Delgato a Roswell western with an hispanic twist. i really enjoyed writing this story and thinking about the heritage of all the people who make up the southwest.

Acommidation This is a sad story how two people overcome adversity. It is a Max and Maria story that could be possible

[ken_r]

Flamehair Tess’s powers were as were the powers of all of the aliens were never investigated in the canon. I put the part about her not managing José because his mind was not one that she could understand. His motives were very clear, his family, his restaurant and Liz his surrogate daughter and benefactor. These were things Tess was not trained to recognized.

Begonia9508 wondering why Earth was chosen for the royal 4. Maybe the values of Earth were needed in the Antarian culture. (See Second Chance for Antar.) the aliens still didn’t know how to handle Tess. if nothing else materalized maybe, Michael was right, kill her!

Katydid you wanted return fire.

Natlie36 same as I said above. You asked for it.

Timelord31 thank you

Bethann thank you for reading. I investigated Liz getting powers in my first story (I will Return for You) for some reason I did not carry it further in this story. Maybe because she immediately left the influence of the aliens her power never developed. I wanted Michael, Isabel and even Maria to grow. Michael finds his home in Maria as Max was in the canon in Liz. Maria would probably grow stronger because of her mother’s non conformist behavior. Isabel was not a Paris Hilton. She was smart and would eventually use her brains to make her way.

Allie Xie force can always be used against you.

Stories by ken_r


Chapter 10

Nasado had guided most of Tess’s life. His where abouts now were completely unknown now. For all she knew, he had made a separated deal with the emissary and already returned home without her. Tess remembered the first time she had observed the three aliens. Nasado looked like the Hispanic cowboy, or maybe a migrant worker, from the irrigated fields that surrounded Roswell. Tess had changed her hair color to dark and she had changed her eyes so she appeared to be his daughter. They were in the Crashdown observing. It had been that day that Nasaado made his first move to remove the threat of the human from Max. The waitress wasn’t even cognizant of Max, but he was fixated on her. There was an argument in the corner near the door. The two men were vulgar and quarrelsome. Nasado started to agitate each of them. Things that would, normally, only have been irritating to either man seemed to take on meanings of their own. When the dumbest of the two drew a gun, Nasado had pushed him until Nasado was sure that the firing of the gun would hit the waitress. He was so sure that this would clear the mind of the king and that Tess would have no problem ingratiating herself within the group. No one watched or said anything to the couple, father and daughter, people who worked the fields, as they left the Crashdown that day. That the stupid boy king would dare to, almost, reveal himself had infuriated Nasado. He left Roswell to think. What could he do to regain what he saw as control of the king?

Nasado’s next move was to allow the king to experience relationships. Nasado allowed them to intensify, but he always terminated them before they became intimate. It wouldn’t do for that silly juvenile king to get some Earth girl pregnant and, thus, produce an heir over whom Nasado could never establish any control. Tess did have two sides of her DNA the same as the other three alien youngsters. Nasado constantly suppressed the human side because that was something he couldn’t understand. It had been Nasado and Tess who were pushing the pair that fateful day. Tess was instructed to make them arrive almost to climax in their emotions. Nasado had hoped that Max would overstep some line and that Max would anger the little waitress. What he couldn’t understand, and Tess couldn’t tell him, was that the waitress was becoming so infatuated with Max that soon Max could have done nothing that she would have not wanted.

The next tactic of Nasado was for Tess to increase Liz’s feelings toward Max, but always keeping barriers so they could never cross that line into oneness. Then, Nasado began to set up props for his final production. He would use the very love she had for Max to make her leave. The FBI, he, Nasado, not being able to control the actions of the other aliens and, finally, Nasado’s final screw up of landing Max into the White Room, were all increasing the variables Nasado was juggling. He did, finally after his own death and resurrection manage to pull it all off. Liz went running from the pod chamber, never to return or so he hoped. Even in this, he was in error. Nasado never thought about the love of her parents someday drawing Liz back because Nasado understood none of this parental-child bonding.

That the heir of the Max and Tess union would not pass the emissary’s investigation had never been in Nasado’s mind and, thus, Tess also had no concept of this occurrence. Neither Tess nor Nasado had any understanding of generation jumping, but they never in their wildest thoughts wondered about a grandchild. After being refused by the emissary, Tess went insane for a time. It was almost approaching 20 years before her fitful mind thought to return to Roswell and review any options she might have. Liz had returned all because of the chance death of her parents. That this death would override the barriers Tess had created was never considered. Then things got worse. The aliens and their human counter parts were all fighting to re-integrate Liz back into their group. By the time Tess was ready to marshal her attack, her adversaries were more numerous and, also, more powerful.

It was to the greatest furry and consternation that even her present threats had moved the couple only one step from cementing their intimacy that had been denied for so many years.

It was morning. Max had at least gotten some sleep. He and Liz had finished the night in each others arms. They were all dressed and ready to leave, Liz and Aaron to the Crashdown and Max to his high school. Max turned to lock the door and hearing an uptake of breath he spun around to view Tess. Liz was clutching Aaron and glaring at Tess. “What do you want Tess?” Max almost spit.

Tess smiled. She was being the sweet, simple girl who had gotten her way so many times before. “Why Max, I want to help you and Liz. Let me take the boy off your hands so you and Liz can go on to start your own family.” Tess could not see why they would want a product of her bearing to interfere in their lives.

Liz just held onto Aaron tighter. Max moved to stand between his two loves and his enemy, his ex-wife. “Tess, we had a beautiful daughter and you destroyed her. I would never let you hurt my grandson!”

“Max, you may have two loves. Can you protect them both forever?” Tess was glaring at both Liz and Aaron. “There will come a time when Liz does not have your protection. If I must stay on this stinking planet, then I am just going to wait until you are least expecting it. Then I will kill Liz.”

Then, as quickly as she appeared, Tess vanished. Neither Max nor Liz was sure whether or not they had been mind warped. Max returned into the house and called in a substitute. Max would not be working today. He then called Sheriff Valenti.

When the sheriff arrived Max and Liz were sitting at the kitchen table. Aaron was playing with his colors as he did so much of the time in the living room, sitting where the two adults could constantly see him. Jim sat down. He cold tell that both Max and Liz were very worried. “She presented me with a dilemma, sheriff. One, that for me, has only one solution. I have to kill Tess or have Michael do for me,” Max stated.

Jim was not about to condone a crime so he raised his eyebrows and looked at both of them. Max continued, “She left me with a impossible choice that has no options. Tess said that either I give her Aaron or she will just wait until I make a mistake and she will kill Liz. If Liz leaves, then Tess figures that she can deal with just me alone. She might be right or with Liz gone, Tess can track her down and kill her where no one will be there to offer her protection. It is almost as if Tess will have Aaron, no matter what. Michael and Isabel have their own families, but even if they didn’t, they can lend me alien support, but neither of them can make me stronger like Liz can. My being strong is the only thing that can deflect Tess.”

The rest of the day Max, Liz and Aaron stayed in the house. Neither Max nor Liz felt anything. If Tess was near she was being careful. Max had decided that his only chance was to kill Tess immediately when her saw her. She must not be allowed to say anything or do anything. When he talked it over with Michael, he agreed. That night even with Aaron in the room, Liz and Max had decided to make love. They were beginning to realize that with Tess nearby, it could very well be the only time they would have. Even though each of them had a married history, when they came together it was virginal. They were careful not to make much noise because they were nervous about waking Aaron. Max was as awkward when touching Liz’s naked body as he had been when in high school. When he was dreaming and caressing her body last night, his movements were assured. When he approached her this night completely awake, he was hesitant and even fumbling. When she had first felt Max last nigh, Liz just froze. She hadn’t felt caresses like that, maybe, ever. Charlie was not particularly romantic, so Liz just lay there as she felt Max’s hands go over her body. Tonight, she knew that everything he did was deliberate and she was trembling with anticipating what his next move would be. She, also, was allowing her hands to roam about the form of Max. There was that night so many years ago when she felt the skin of his chest. It was much younger skin and her tactile feelings were less experienced then, But now, knowing what she had missed, her mind was taking in every touch. Liz had sat contemplating Tess’s threat. It was a very real possibility that Liz was going to die. Liz had no belief that Max would relinquish Aaron to Tess. Liz wouldn’t have allowed it even if he had been willing. The short time Liz had been with the little boy kindled the fires of maternity that had always burned deep within her soul. If she was to die, she wanted her last memory to be of loving the boy, now man, to whom she had given her heart back in high school. Let her death occur with at least with one happy occasion to celebrate in her life, rather than just commiseration of her death. When Max did finally enter the body of Liz, it was with no theatrics, but with a tenderness that had been belated for over 20 years. Liz just took him in. She wanted to continue this for the rest of her life and, now, she was only wishing she knew that she even had a life for many more years.

Tess, waiting some distance outside, felt the two of them become one. She felt even more anger. She had hoped Liz would run like she had done before. Liz would, again, needlessly sacrifice her self, run and leave Max vulnerable. If Liz had stayed last time, Tess would never have been able to seduce Max. It puzzled Tess why Max and Liz had formed that bond. Nasado had told Tess that she would make the power bond with Max because they were both alien. Nasado had promised her that Max would follow her forever once the bond had been cemented. Well, Tess had slept with Max and afterward except for feeling the immediate results of the pregnancy, Tess felt nothing. When Max married her, Tess thought it was because of the bond. That he would do that out of honor and duty was not in her mental structure. When she wanted to shape the infant child to prepare it for the emissary, Max just wasn’t there in spirit. He met along, with the other aliens, when the emissary examined the child. But even with her warping its mind, the baby couldn’t bring forth any alien powers. Something told Tess that something was going wrong with the baby. Max was putting all of his emotion into the child. Tess never had the parential feeling of a human, so she decided that she would leave the baby and Max to each other as she tried to make the best of being trapped on Earth. Now, Tess believed there was going to be one more chance for her to return.

Max and Liz lay together for sometime. They had made love, but given a future, it could be so much more satisfying next time. They had no idea about what would happen next.

Tess was angry. It was going to take a show of force now. She was preparing herself. The time was in the very early morning. The very air seemed different as the time got closer to daylight. There was a moment that Tess was awaiting. She hoped that no one would be expecting her. The king and his scullery maid would still be enraptured at discovering themselves. Tess slowly prepared her body for several blasts. There would be a series of explosions that the king would have to explain. Tess didn’t care. After this assault, she would have the child and either the king would be dead or broken at the death of his common consort.

When she decided it was time, Tess let loose a blast that rocked the walls of Max’s house. Immediately, she let loose another blast against the couple who were in bed between herself and the boy. The third blast she released, sould silence the king from, in anyway, stopping her.

Michael was in bed with Maria sound asleep. He heard the first explosion. He jumped out of bed as the second and third blast went off. He was dressed and outside driving toward Max’s house within minutes. Maria was phoning the sheriff’s office. She couldn’t get through because there were numerous reports of the explosions. She went to her children and held them filled with worry for the safety of her oldest friend, the alien king she had supported for 20 years and, finally, the anchor she had developed with Michael.

Isabel and Alex woke up to the thunder and, also, to the effect of an alien power blast going off. Alex started to get up to go to the aid of his friends. Isabel put her hand on his shoulder. “Alex, if Tess is involved, Max will need alien support. This is not a time for machismo. This is not the time for you to get your ego hurt. Max will need me if we are to face Tess,” Isabel said as she kissed him.

As much as it hurt Alex to admit it, Isabel was right. He dressed and went to the children’s room. He heard Isabel start the car and leave the driveway.

The sheriff’s office called Valenti at home. He was already awake. They gave the location of the blast and Jim was sure this was Tess-related. Explosions at the Max Evans home would be too much of a coincident to not be caused by the blonde alien. Jim arrived almost before emergency services. The whole side of Max’s house was destroyed. Smoke was still rising from the wreckage. Jim almost lost all faith as he drove up. He knew approximately where the bed room was located and it sure looked like that was also the location of the explosions. This was far worse than Jim had expected. Jim felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked around to see Michael standing behind him. About that time, another car drove up and. over the protestations of the emergency crews, the driver ran toward Jim and Michael.

Isabel’s heart was beating so hard she could hardly speak. Jim caught her in his arms. She was in tears. No one could tell them anything, yet. Chaos was still reigning. None of the three could see anything inside the destroyed house. The first victim was being rushed to the ambulance. Jim handed Isabel off to Michael so he could, with his authority, find out who was on the stretcher. As the stretcher reached the ambulance, Jim reached over and uncovered the face of the victim. It was Tess.

Tess was burned and her clothes were ripped from the explosion. She was alive, but she was terribly in shock. As soon as he found a deputy, Jim assigned a guard for her. He had placed a police hold not to release her from the hospital.

Now Jim was nearer to the site of the explosion. He, finally, made out three people being taken from the destroyed house. There were two adults and a child. As they were being led to the ambulance, Jim waylaid the ambulance driver and gave him the address of the clinic. He made a phone call and the Evans’ physician, Dr. Sanchez, would be waiting. Doctor Sanchez also assured Jim that her husband would be at the hospital waiting for Tess.

Jim returned to Michael and Isabel. He told them about the clinic and they quickly departed. The arson investigators were collecting around the home. They would not do much until daylight, but they were sure there would be something to investigate. There was nothing natural about this fire and explosion.

Daylight brought all investigative units into play. Jim was questioned about why he had placed a hold on Tess. He explained she was an ex-wife who had threaten Max Evans. The deputies had found a car registered in the name of Theresa Harding, which was Tess’s maiden name. Apparently, she had gone back to using it. There were notes about Max and Liz, but they were very cryptic. The arson squad tested for nitrates, plastics and other more rare explosives. They found nothing. The gas stove and gas heater were on fire, but the explosion clearly originated from the outside of the house. Tess’s body was also tested for traces of any know explosives and she also came up negative. After several days, although it was strange that Tess was at the scene of the explosion there was no theory about what caused the explosion, or what explosive material had been used. Tess appeared to be completely without any memory of anything that had happened.

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The Loves of Maximo Delgato a Roswell western with an hispanic twist. i really enjoyed writing this story and thinking about the heritage of all the people who make up the southwest.

Accommidation This is a sad story how two people overcome adversity. It is a Max and Maria story that could be possible

For those of you that like vampires i am finishing a vampire story about a vampire who finds himself in the new world. is is not a sad story I had enough of that in the story Accommidation. it is very laght hearted.

[ken_r]

Flamehair I have been playing with another story and Nasado seems to be the person the pod squad’s troubles revolve about. I am glad you liked the Max and Liz romance I was afraid it might be cheesy. Your last question is answered today.

Martine yes Tess is crazy. I think we could have seen the compulsion as we were watching the story. She was no better than the man who can’t understand when a lady says stop. Today’s dilemma is what to do with her. Again I am glad you liked the romance.

Begonia9508 Tess clearly had issues of sanity. She was raised to be totally selfish. She never allowed the human feelings of compassion it be developed. What happens to Tess? I hope you all are not too displeased at what I do. Resigned to die Liz and Max went forward. Now in the light of life and reality what will they do?

Katydid Tess made it clear that she did not care what happened to Max or the other aliens. The condition of her memory is what the rest of the story is probably about.

Natalie36 I sure do not have any Tess lovers reading my story. We will just have to wait and see about Tess’s condition.

Stories by ken_r

Chapter 11

That night of the explosion at the clinic.

Isabel and Michael arrived at the clinic. Liz and Max were almost naked without the blankets they had wrapped around them. Aaron was scorched, but he was surprisingly unharmed. Liz had some trauma to her hearing and Max was having trouble seeing. The doctor was surprised that they survived the havoc that had been described to her. After a few hours, they were released to return to the Crashdown where, for the time, they would be living. Michael and Isabel returned to the house to try to salvage some clothing. They managed a few sets for Max and Aaron. Liz still had most of her clothes at the Crashdown.

Several days later, Jim and the aliens all met at Isabel’s house. Max went first. “Liz and I were in bed,” He stated. Eyebrows went up. We had arranged the bed so that we were between Aaron and the outside wall. There were three explosions. The first blew down the wall and shocked us. Tess just walked in through the hole she had made. She brought a second blast against us before we could marshal our senses. We were blown against Aaron and we were struggling to get up. Tess let loose a third blast and something happened. Aaron glowed green and the blast blew back against Tess. It literally blew her back through the wall. The house was on fire, but it was only minutes before the fire crews arrived. We knew nothing more about what happened to Tess until Michael and Isabel caught up with us at the clinic.”

Liz was next, “I only knew that there had been an explosion. I saw Tess, but I had no idea what she had done. I was shocked from the first explosion, then again, from the second. I believed I was going to die as she had promised. The third explosion was coming toward me then, like in a movie when you run the projector back wards, the explosion turned around and engulfed Tess. I have no idea why we aren’t dead.”

A small voice spoke up. “Tess was using force against us. I couldn’t allow that so I reversed it.” Aaron said no more and it was as if he had just told his grandfather he needed to go to the bathroom. He went back to play with the other children.

The aliens, their spouses, Jim and Liz all sat for a while. This was a revelation that would be hard to understand. Max and Michael would have to set up training for Aaron and see what, indeed, would be his powers. Jim had no idea what he would do about the criminal act. Tess was still at the hospital with total amnesia. This was rare because she had no memory of anything at all. The doctors were talking about programs to retrain her. There was no proof that could be presented, so no charges could be preferred against her. Max and Liz, with Aaron as their charge, were now free to attempt to reclaim their lives from 20 years ago, maybe.

It was Michael who called a meeting. The two aliens were there along with their spouses; Max, Liz and Jim Valenti were also present. Max and Liz were still confused about their relationship. The meeting was called on Saturday afternoon. This meant the children would be with their parents, but Diane volunteered to supervise a party in the back of Maria’s yard. The nine concerned adults met in the front room.

“Okay, Michael what is the big problem that can’t wait?” Max asked.

Michael stood up, “I can’t see why you guys didn’t see this in the first place! Tess shouldn’t have been allowed to live. If she gets well, then she will come after us again. If she doesn’t, then someday something is gonna trigger those powers and, without knowing any thing about what she is or what she is doing, she is going to let loose.”

Max frowned. He hadn’t seen Michael that upset in a long time. As a result of being married being to Maria and now a father, Michael had mellowed out considerably. Liz and Max had suffered the most under Tess. Liz frowned because she thought she knew the direction of Michael’s thinking. “Michael, are you saying we should kill her?” Liz inquired making a terrible face at the idea.

Jim stood up, “If you are going to be talking about anything illegal, then I need to be absent. Be warned that I won’t be part of cold-blooded killing.” He started to leave. Liz reached up and caught his arm.

“Jim, we need your help. I know there can’t be any killing. We need help to decide what to do,” Liz pleaded.

Michael was still angry. Why couldn’t the others see what had to be done? Leaving Tess in the hands of what, essentially, was the government was dangerous. He was prepared for what had to be done alone if the others wouldn’t help. All eyes were on Liz. She, maybe even more than Max, had a right to hate Tess. Liz had moved back to the Crashdown now that Aaron was out of danger. Max and Aaron were living in a large rent house not far from his parents. None of the group knew what was brewing between Max and herself. Maria was twice worried. She was very much afraid of Tess, Now she was afraid that Tess would cause Michael to do something that would, at the least, get him into serious trouble. It could also lead him into severe depression much like the time he had to kill Agent Pierce. Isabel, who since Liz had left, had been the one to offer the most sane suggestions was just looking out the window. Isabel, much like Michael, had a lot of guilt about not supporting Liz those 20 years ago.

Max was very much like he had been after Liz left. He was totally indecisive. He didn’t want to kill Tess. Even after all she had done, Max, essentially, was a healer not a killer. Hubble and the others who said the power to heal is also the power to kill, had no idea what they were talking about. Max understood what Michael was saying up to a point. Tess should be removed from the hospital as soon as possible. Max as her ex-husband would need to be the one to do this.

Liz stood up, “Max and I can visit Tess. Max as her husband, although divorced, can probably have her put in his custody. Liz volunteered because she knew the indecisiveness that Max was enduring. That about wrapped up the meeting. Everyone slowly left. Going out, Jim caught up with Max and Liz. “Could we have coffee somewhere?” Jim asked.

Since it was now open, Liz suggested the Crashdown.

There was a group of teens in the front. They were laughing and having a good time. Liz remembered when she and all her friends were like that. Two high school girls were taking orders. They were wearing sombreros and had pants with an embroidered stripe down the side. Liz had to laugh. At least José didn’t have them in those short skirts like she had worn. There was no one in the back of the restaurant, so the three took a back booth. Jim addressed Liz first, “Are you all right with Max getting Tess out of the hospital?”

Liz just shrugged, “Max is the closest relative Tess has. He is the natural one to take responsibility for her.”

Jim grimaced, “Well, I just thought maybe you and Max were getting back together. This might put a damper on your relationship.”

Liz didn’t look at Max. “Max and I have a lot to talk about. We slept in the same house for Aaron’s sake under the pressure from fear of Tess. What else we did there is for us to figure out. If we get back together, we would have to consider a lot of things and Tess is certainly one of them.”

Max didn’t say anything. It seemed to him that Tess was about to take Liz away from him again. He didn’t want Michael to kill Tess and that is, surely, what would happen if he didn’t intervene. But, he also wanted Tess out of his way as he tried to make up with Liz. The three of them sat there quietly drinking their coffee, each trying to think of what to say. Inside, Liz was about to bolt, again. She didn’t think she could stand to see Max slip away from her again while taking care of Tess. They just sat. Finally, Max looked up. There were tears in his eyes. “Maybe, we should visit Tess and talk to her doctor before any of us makes any permanent commitment.” He turned to Liz, “I need you to be with me because you are my strength. I hate to ask this, but will you accompany me to see her doctor and also to visit her?”

It was the hardest thing Liz ever did. “Yes, Max I said I will go, but I do not know how long I am going to remain in Roswell.”

With that, Liz went upstairs and Jim and Max left. As they walked out to Jim’s car, Max was very depressed. “Did you hear her, Jim? I am going to loose her again. I wouldn’t let Michael do the deed, but I am tempted to do it myself. How much of my life can I allow that woman to ruin? Tess ruins every thing she touches!”

Maria came by later that evening to see Liz. “Chica, I don’t want Michael to become a murderer, but I do not want your life to end up in shambles again. Promise me you won’t run without talking to us, please just for me.” She pleaded.

Liz couldn’t make that promise to anyone, especially to Maria who she didn’t want to lie to. She just said, “I promised Max that I would accompany him to the hospital Monday to see her and her doctor. I do not see how I can be in the same house with her. Even if she has lost all of the old Tess, she just hurt me too much!”

Monday morning Max and Liz went to see Tess at the sanitarium. The doctor asked them to come into his office.

“What is your relationship with Tess Harding?” was his first question.

“She used to be my wife,” Max stated. We are divorced, but she doesn’t have any relatives. She had a man who raised her, but he has been missing for over 20 years. I signed her into the hospital because I was the closest relative she had.”

The doctor turned to Liz, “What is your relationship to this woman?”

Liz swallowed, this was what she had been dreading. “I am a close friend of the family. I am here just to give support to Mr. Evans.” Saying Mr. Evans struck at Liz so deeply even Max could feel the pain.

The doctor just shrugged, “Well, we understand that Ms. Harding was in a terrible explosion. It is remarkable that she didn’t suffer any more physical damage than she did. It is her mind that has us perplexed. She is gaining in rudimentary things like eating, dressing her self and speech, but the deeper mind seems to be wiped clean. We can’t promise she will ever gain her full facilities back. She does seem to be responding to therapy. Her speech is returning in leaps and bounds. Every day it seems she can talk better. When we try to test her for memory, there is just nothing there.”

Max and Liz just sat there. They had no idea what they should say. Apparently, the doctor understood because then he stood and asked, ”Would you like to see her?” and he led the way down the hall.

Neither Liz nor Max had any idea of what they would find when they saw Tess. They were both surprised because without the hatred, she really looked much more pleasant. She looked up as they entered the room. The doctor stated, “Tess, there are some people here that used to know you. They want to talk to you if it is okay.”

Tess smiled and held out her hand to first Max and, then, Liz. Both of them took her hand as offered. Liz didn’t know what she expected, but this wasn’t it. Tess’s hand was cool and dry. She seemed almost gracious. She smiled and said, “Were we friends?”

Liz couldn’t choke out an answer to that, but Max replied, “Yes, Tess long ago, we knew each other.” Then he and Liz sat.

Tess seemed tired. She was dressed in a simple skirt and sweater. Liz had no idea where they came from, but it was not the Tess she remembered from high school. Tess, when she was in high school, was second only to Isabel in fashion. She wasn’t looked up to like Isabel because she lacked the true regal bearing that Isabel Evans had always had since she was in grade school. Tess had allowed her obsession for Max to turn her into a whiny creature who even the best of fashion wouldn’t hide. Even those that had no knowledge of the aliens or the interplay of their personalities, saw that Tess was only a shadow of what she portrayed. Isabel was seen as a goddess that the other girls admired, envied and, even sometimes, hated. Tess had never achieved this stature. Among the aliens and those in the know, Tess was a constantly complaining bitch who only could cry, “Max, you and I belong together.”

Looking at Tess now, Liz could only see a middle aged woman, slightly frail and obviously afraid. Liz, in her heart, would hate Tess for all of her days, but this woman wasn’t the Tess Liz hated. It was perplexing.

Max was also dumbfounded. He didn’t know what to say. Should he tell her that they were married at one time? Would that trigger the questions of did he love her? Max looked at the woman before him. This wasn’t the Tess that he hated, but he didn’t love the other Tess and it was sure that he didn’t love this one, either. Max needed to take Tess out of here. He had to give her enough information so she would agree to go with him. Once out, Max had no idea of what he would do with her.

Once again, it was Liz who he depended on, “Tess, would you like for us to take you out of this place and take care of you?” Liz asked.

Tess looked at her and replied, “Yes, it would be so nice to see something other than the walls of this place. They take me into the courtyard, but all I see are people walking somewhere. I, so much, would like not to be chained to this place.”

Liz and Max had been told by her nurse that almost all of the functions of speech had returned to Tess. The doctors were totally without explanation of how quickly the functions of eating, talking and caring for herself were returning but none of the memory of her former life seemed to be there. The nurse had said that Tess was reading and she was showing a surprising intellect in understanding. But when asked where she learned something, she would blankly stare and say nothing. They spent over an hour talking to Tess. Max was careful not to say anything about his former relationship with her.

Back in the doctor’s office, Max and Liz were discussing the future Tess would face. “You were probably wise not to mention that you were married. If, as you say, the marriage ended in a very unhappy divorce then these are not the memories that would help her. In fact, they might even drive her further back into herself. If you can offer her a safe place to stay, being out of here would be a positive move forward. We would need to arrange a regular visitation to keep up her therapy. She will need some supervision, at least for a while, until she better integrates into a social setting. It would help if she could get some kind of job where she interacted with people, but was not judged as to her skills, until we discover what those skills might be.”
_______________________________
Acommidation This is a sad story how two people overcome adversity. It is a Max and Maria story that could be possible

The Loves of Maximo Delgato a Roswell western with an hispanic twist. i really enjoyed writing this story and thinking about the heritage of all the people who make up the southwest.

The Young Vampire is a light hearted story about a vampire.

[ken_r]

Flamehair in this story the group are truly good individuals. They are worried about Tess and she does need someone with her.

Begonia9608 because Max is the alien king he must rise above other feelings. I hope you approve my story when I finish it.

Natalie36 dream walking is one answer. Aaron is a great and intelligent child. He is a true heir to the throan. Watch how he handles himself through the end of the story.

Chanks_girl I am glad to have you reading my story.

Martine you and begonia are two of my dearest readers. I can only hope you both approve how I handle the story. Aaron is a very strong little boy. The way he brings closure I worked very hard on.

Stories by ken_r

Chapter 12

On the way home Max and Liz were silent. At the Crashdown Max turned to Liz. “Liz, don’t run from me. I need you as much as I did years ago. Tess took that time away from us and I know that you probably hate her, but I do not want Michael to kill her. I do agree that she should not be left with strangers. Liz, I am asking something I probably have no right to do. I truly want that night we had just before the explosion. I want what we should have had every night since high school. I need your support to help me with Tess.”

Liz was looking at her hands, “Tess took our youth away from us. She took our family that may never be away from us. Max, I do not think I hate the person of Tess, but I do hate what she did. I do not think I can ever get over that. This isn’t the Tess that blew up your house the other night. I do not know who she is, but she is a person who needs help. For a while, I will stay in town and I might even move back to your house if you need help caring for her. More than that Max, we will just have to wait and see.”

Michael wasn’t then, and Michael wasn’t now a trusting person. He was just getting over being mad at Liz and now she was putting herself and Max in danger. Michael had long ago quit looking up to Max as a leader. He soon saw that after Liz left, Max just crumbled. Michael talked to Maria. He just couldn’t see why Liz would put herself out to help Tess. “You are her best friend. She was just starting to get back with Max, I thought. You have got to talk to her! Why is she putting herself out to help the enemy? Talk to her Maria, if she runs after letting Max start this, we are all going to loose.”

Later, sitting in the Crashdown with Liz, Maria heard Liz say, “You just have to understand, Maria. She isn’t the same person she was only a few weeks ago. She doesn’t know anyone or anything she ever did. She doesn’t even know that she and Max were married. Michael is right. She is a danger to all of us, me included this time. I just do not want him to get in trouble taking care of her. If Max and I can help her rebuild her life, then Michael and the rest of us will not have anything to fear. I have to try Maria. My love for Max is even stronger though I do not think it would be strong enough to keep me from leaving, eventually. Now, I think I need to stay to help all of us. We have to supervise the rebuilding of Tess and also guard against her returning to her powers.” Liz was direct as she spoke to Maria. Maria was in the place of being a go between. just like she had been with Max and Liz, but now it was between her husband, Michael, and everyone else.

Liz moved into a spare bedroom at Max’s rental place. Aaron thought this was an excellent idea. He liked Liz and he knew his grandfather liked her, also. When they brought Tess home, Liz was watching Aaron very closely. When he first saw Tess, he took her hand and said, “I hope your stay is enjoyable,” In that adult way he had. He wasn’t surprised nor did he ask any questions about why she was staying with them.

Those who knew Max and Liz, only slightly, had more questions than those nearest to them. Why was Max helping his former wife? Why was Liz putting up with this? There wasn’t a single one of her old friends nor of friends of her parents who didn’t feel badly that Max hadn’t married her instead of Tess. Most who knew Tess, didn’t like her.

At first, Tess tried to stay in her room. Liz and Max both insisted she go out with them shopping or when they had errands to run. It was, finally, at the Crashdown that Liz got her first break. José was complaining that the high school girls were having a hard time unless an adult was present. They knew what they were doing, but sometimes a customer just acted a little different if they thought an adult was supervising.

José, how would you like an adult to work here full time?” Liz asked.

José frowned because he also was one off those who had asked what were Max and Liz thinking taking care of Tess. He quickly figured out that hiring Tess was what they were getting at. “Mr. Max, do you think she is safe? Last time she was here, it took all of us to make her leave.”

Liz suggested, “What if I stay here for a few days to supervise her and make sure she doesn’t get into trouble?”

José smiled, “Liz was like his daughter. She was responsible for him having the Crashdown in the first place. “Hija (daughter), if you stay and watch the Señora Tess, then you have a deal. We will make her cashier. That way the girls can have someone to assist them or so it will seem.”

Max and Liz told Tess about the job. She was not happy about the prospects until Liz promised to stay near her for a few days. Then, with Liz there, everything seemed fine in her mind.

Liz rotated with Diane Evans, Max’s mother, taking care of Aaron. Some days he would stay at the Evans and others he would stay with Liz. Max was working as hard as he could to not let his problems interfere with the students at his school. Liz would read as she had been doing most of the time, anyway. Tess was polite and the girls seemed to like her. There was one day when a tourist, slightly drunk, said something to one of the girls. The girl started to cry. Liz started to intervene, but she saw Tess walk over. Liz heard her say, “If you have a problem about one of the girls, see me or take it up with the owner in the back, but do not take your problem out on one of my girls!”

The man looked at Tess and before he could say anything, she just took him by the arm and with minimal protest she escorted him firmly out the door, “Consider your meal today free, but unless you learn to behave please do not come back!”

Tess returned to the cash register and Liz looked up at the kitchen window to see José wink at her. Yes, Tess was doing a good job.

There was that one time when Tess was working at the register and three men came in the restaurant. Liz frowned because she recognized two of them. They were football buddies of Kyle Valenti, the sheriff’s son. One of them recognized Tess. He stood up from the table and walked over to her. “Hey, Tess, remember me? How about we go out after your shift? You aren’t still married to that Evans loser are you? Come on, we can have some fun like we did years ago!”

José came out of the kitchen. He was carrying his clever. “Señor, please do not bother my cashier. She has work to do. Either sit down and be served or leave.”

The man reared up. He was almost six feet tall and, except for the beer paunch, he still thought of himself as an athlete. He was about to say something derogatory to José when Jim Valenti walked in.

What is the problem, Pauley?” Jim asked.

“Well, sheriff, I just want to have a few words with my old girl friend here and this …” Pauley started to say, but Jim stopped him.

“Pauley, she isn’t your girl friend and you better not insult the owner of this restaurant. He is the one who gets me my coffee every day and I wouldn’t want him angry.” Jim interrupted.

Pauley was confused. He knew Jim as his friend Kyle’s father. He also knew Jim as a sheriff that, even at his age now, didn’t take anything off of anyone. Pauley blinked, “Isn’t this the girl Tess that went to school with us?”

Jim just shook his head. “No, Pauley. This is someone else. I don’t want to hear of you bothering her, so I suggest you just move on to the truck stop at the edge of town.”

Pauley shook his head as a linebacker would who had been hit a few too many times. He looked back at Tess. She gave no hint of recognition and he didn’t want to get into trouble with the sheriff. That cook holding the clever also didn’t look like he would be a person to tangle with either. He slowly shook his head again. Maybe he had, butted heads a few too many times long ago and, maybe, he was just confused.

José smiled at Liz. “I called Jim the first thing when I saw that gringo starting trouble. I think we will keep our cashier and I do not think we will let anyone bother her unless she wants them to.”

It was now going on two weeks. Tess was fitting in at the Crashdown and José was happy with her. She was meeting the customers and she was backing up her waitresses so Liz thought most things were going well. Not so at, though. She and Max were still in separate bedrooms. With Tess under the same roof, Liz couldn’t see how things were going to change. Max was wearing down. You could tell that the strain was telling on him. He didn’t say anything, but Liz had seen him looking at her in a hungry manner, several times out of the corner of her eye. They could have just sneaked around and gotten together when Tess was working. That was for teenagers. Liz and Max were adults. Neither of them wanted a relationship of sneaking like it was a clandestine tryst of youth.

Max could sense something very bad and very scary. Liz was fixing to bolt again. He knew the stress of being with Tess was telling on her, even though she showed it less than he. Max knew that Liz loved him. She had loved him 20 years ago. Love just isn’t enough sometime. Liz needed the freedom to come to him and for him to go to her. Tess, no matter how hard they tried to pretend, was preventing this.

Because Max was working during the day, it was up to Liz to take Tess to her therapy sessions. She and Tess would exchange pleasantries as they drove. They never got into anything very deep. The sessions were going well, at least the doctor said she was making progress. It was after one of these sessions, after Liz had returned Tess to their home, that Tess turned to her. “I found a paper the other day that said Mrs. Tess Evans. Was I married to Max?”

This took Liz unaware. Liz was not a liar. The only time she had ever lied was when she was trying to conceal from her folks that she and Max were playing slap and tickle late at night. Liz just wasn’t able to face her folks with the truth that her emotions were way out of control when it came to Max. Now facing Tess, she was not prepared to lie. “Yes, Tess once you were married to Max.”

Tess shook her head, “Were you ever married to him?”

Liz dropped her gaze. What did fates expect her to do? “No, Tess I wasn’t ever married to him.”

Tess sat there just taking it in. “You love him, of course.”

Liz looked up. “Yes, Tess I have always loved him.”

Tess sat there, again, taking it in and trying to analyze what she was hearing. “Why didn’t you marry him?”

This was more than Liz could take, “I was forced to go away and when I was gone, the two of you got married.”

“What happened to my marriage,” Tess inquired.

Liz couldn’t help it any longer, “Tess, you did some bad things to Max. Then, you decided you wanted to be free of him. You left him after four years.”

“Was that man, Pauley, one of the men I went to instead of Max?” Tess asked.

“Yes, Tess, I think he was one, but there were many.” Liz answered.

“Why didn’t you comeback when I was no longer with Max? You still wanted him, then. You still do now, don’t you?” she inquired again.

“I didn’t want to be the reason to break you and Max up. Later things got complicated and I couldn’t come back.” This was breaking Liz’s heart.

Tess sat several minutes now contemplating the answers or maybe thinking of what she next wanted to ask. “Who is the little boy? Is he mine?” she asked again.

Liz stuttered on this one, “No, Tess you aren’t his mother.

Tess thought and then slowly asked, “Am I related to him in any way?”

Liz wished Max would hurry home, but he wouldn’t have been much help anyway. “Tess, you had a daughter. She died. Aaron is your grandchild.”

Tess looked at Liz with an unblinking stare, “Did I do something to the daughter to hurt her or make her die?”

“Tess, you hurt many people in your old life,” Liz was afraid she would push Tess over some brink back into insanity.

Tess looked at Liz one more time, “Did I do something to hurt you, Liz?”

Almost inaudibly Liz answered, “Yes, Tess you hurt me very much.”

Tess stood up and went to her room.

As soon as Max returned home that night, Liz bolted out the door. Max could tell she had been crying. She didn’t give him a chance to talk to her. She just ran.

Max called Isabel and Maria to tell them. Maria and Isabel, with their husbands taking care of the kids, got in Isabel’s car and started cruising. It was several hours later and the sun was down, when Maria thought she saw a familiar form on a park bench way across the park. They stopped the car and two women walked to a huddled up Liz, far away from the friendly light that lit most of the park.

As Isabel and Maria just sat there they heard, “She was asking me questions. I wanted to scream you destroyed everybody, but I couldn’t do it. The woman Max is caring for is not the Tess that did all that damage. She is in the same body, but she is guileless in anything done by the former Tess. She is like talking to someone else. She had no idea what she did and, thus, has no shame for any of her actions. She was asking why I didn’t marry Max if I loved him so much. I wanted to scream because I loved him so much I gave him up so he could fulfill his damned destiny with you. Even now, she is driving us apart. I cannot go to Max nor let him come to me while she lives under the same roof.” Liz looked up at the two other women. “I tried. I truly tried! I know that Max needs me, but I can’t live giving up so much and getting nothing back in return. I can not keep living like this no matter how important it is.” With this, Liz broke down into sobs and tears.

Isabel and Maria took Liz to Isabel’s car. They put her in the passenger front seat and Maria took the back. Isabel drove Liz to her house. When she arrived home, Alex came out and helped to take Liz into the house. Maria called Michael and told him to watch the kids because she didn’t know when she would be home. As soon as they got Liz settled, Isabel drove back over to Max’s house.
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I am almost through with The Loves of Maximo Delgato a Roswell western with an hispanic twist. i really enjoyed writing this story and thinking about the heritage of all the people who make up the southwest.
This is the hardest story i have written to date and i know there are some mistakes in it. It will still remain my favorite.

Acommidation This is a sad story how two people overcome adversity. It is a Max and Maria story that could be possible

The Young Vampire is a light hearted story about a vampire. I hope that even those who do not like vampire stories look at it. it was just for fun.