Roswell Fanatics

Love the new part, especially when the crew uses the public library for research.
Don't think I'll get used to the name Max Parker any time soon.
All is well with Michael and Maria. So sad that Ava always wanted to be a mom, the hidden doll emphasized that fact.
Those breeding pains sound terrible........can't even begin to imagine!
Wow, the baby boy has arrived and a new home in Oregon is selected........all while Maria and Michael are in their own little world.
Thanks,
Carolyn

@keepsmiling7 - In the series finale Liz tells her parents in her diary that she and Max did eventually get married but her final line is "I'm Liz Parker and I'm happy" so I figure either they both didn't change their names OR Max took her name that's why I went with Max Parker - it seemed fun to me. Glad to know you are enjoying the story in spite of the name thing. Thanks for reading and giving me helpful feedback, Carolyn.

~FM

Title: Finding Something Better
Author: Fidomom
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. It is only loosely based on characters from the tv series Roswell as I imagine they could be from different points throughout and beyond the three seasons of the show. I am not affiliated with any of the original creations nor creators from the series. I will make no monetary gains from publishing this work of fiction.
Pairings/Characters/Category: Michael & Maria, Max & Liz, Kyle, Isabel, Ava, CC, UC, AU, w/Aliens
Rating: Mature
Summary: This chapter - The seven member crew are forced to improvise, including staying in place for longer than intended.
Author's Note: I have so much of this story figured out in my head and certain parts pre-written but a lot of it I'm also figuring out as I'm writing. I'm keeping notes and trying to not have contradictions as it goes. I like the story in my mind just hoping I can get it written out so it greatly resembles what I've been imagining now for well over a year.

~FM

Finding Something Better
by Fidomom

Chapter Seven

Liz watched her husband, Max, holding and talking to his two month old nephew, Lex and she smiled wistfully. Max noticed and he asked with a self-conscious smile of his own, "What? Am I doing this wrong or something?"

Liz laughed lightly and refuted, "No, of course not, Max! You're really good with him. It just kind of makes me wish that you and I could have a baby together, you know?"

Max's smile faltered and he said quietly, "Liz, we can't. Not ever and not just because we're still technically on the run."

Liz provided the reason, herself, "Short pregnancy. Too short for me to survive it."

Max confirmed, "Yes. If there was a guarantee that you and I could safely have children together, you do know that I'd want that, right?"

Liz nodded, sighed and said consolingly, "At least we get to have this little guy in our lives though. He's not ours but he is family. I'm in love with him, Max."

Max chuckled and addressed his nephew, "Don't go getting any ideas, there, Lex buddy; she's my wife."

Liz rolled her eyes and laughed as she clarified, "I didn't mean it like that, Max!"

Max grinned and admitted, "I know. That would be taking cradle robbing way too literally!"

Liz lightly shoved at his arm, still laughing as she protested, "Max! That's just terrible!"

Max smiled softly at her and said more seriously, "I'm glad we get to have him in our lives, too. As I've watched him grow these past few weeks, it's helped me fill in the gaps I know I've missed with my son. I'm looking forward to knowing Lex for his whole life. It doesn't replace what I'm missing with my son but it does help."

Liz mused lovingly, "I know you still think about him and miss him. I think you did the right thing for him, though. Do you regret giving him up?"

Max shook his head and answered, "No, I don't regret it. Like you said, it was the right thing to do for him."

"So what are you saying, Max? That I'm wrong to keep my son, since he won't have two parents raising him?", Isabel asked defensively, as she more fully entered the room and held her arms out for her son.

Liz said placatingly, "Isabel. I don't think Max meant anything like that."

Isabel retorted irritably, "I'd like my brother to use his own words, if you don't mind! Max?"

Max handed Lex to Isabel and he elaborated on his wife's answer, "Every situation is different. What was right for my son, is not automatically right for another child.

Your son was created in your marriage. Circumstances have changed for you, since then and so even though he won't be raised with two parents, you also won't be raising him alone and unsupported, either. Not that anything would be wrong with that, either, of course. There are plenty of fantastic single parents. The thing is, that despite your changed circumstances, you still won't have to do this alone, Isabel. You've got all of us behind you and we all love you both, very much. You know that."

Isabel teared up and admitted contritely, "I do know that, yes. You're right. I'm still on such an emotional rollercoaster. I didn't mean to snap at either of you. You've both been really great about this whole thing.

I'm the one who's struggling with my conscience. What kind of mother stays on the run with her baby? I know it isn't right, Max, but I can't bear the thought of ever giving him up, either and who knows when, if ever, it might be safe for us to really stop running, you know?"

Max reassured her, "We've been here in Bend now for almost eight weeks and it's been pretty quiet. If that changes, then we will have to move on, again. In the meantime, we'll stay vigilant but we'll focus on making money, performing anonymous random acts of kindness and we'll continue living under the radar, for as long as possible. Okay?"

Isabel nodded, smiled her gratitude and announced, "I'm gonna go change him, feed him, and have a nap with him. Hopefully by the time we wake up, Maria and Ava will be back from garage sale hopping. Can't wait to see what they've found that Ava and I can work our magic on and resell!"

Liz agreed, "Same here! Maria has such a good eye for finding stuff that has great resell potential! Like that really old, ugly bureau, she found last week that she bought for ten bucks and then after you and Ava were done with it, the winning bid on it was almost ninety-two dollars! That's just nuts!"

Max added, "Lucky for us, they do make a great turn over on the garage sale stuff; we have a lot of mouths to feed."

Isabel acknowledged that with a raised brow and a slight nod of agreement before leaving the room with Lex.

Liz gave Max a hug and a kiss and informed him, "Speaking of money, it's time for me to go get ready for work."

Max asked, "How many orders do you have today?"

Liz shrugged and guessed, "I think around a dozen? Depending on how spread out around the city they are, it should only take me around four hours. If I notice anything that needs some mysterious kindness, I'll use that voice recorder Maria found during the garage sale rounds, last month, to note the addresses for you guys. I think she grabbed it to keep up with her singing, but I'm sure she won't mind me using it, while I'm out doing deliveries on the bike."

Max nodded and told her his plans, "I'm sure you're right. Sounds great. Thanks for doing that, Liz. I'm going to take the other bike for a quick run to the grocery store. Just need a few things for dinners this week, plus we're a little low on tabasco sauce and Isabel mentioned earlier, that Lex needs diapers and wipes, as well."

*****

Max had gone and returned from the grocery store and Maria and Ava were still not back with the van, yet. He hoped that meant they were getting a good haul. He put the groceries away and started making dinner.

Kyle got home from his nine to five job as the walking billboard for a dentist's office, mere minutes before Maria and Ava finally returned with their haul from garage sales they'd visited.

Maria handed Max an itemised list of their purchases and a list of addresses with notes about minor fixes Max and Michael could take care of anonymously.

Maria bragged on Ava's behalf, "Our girl here did what she could for the folks hosting the garage sales we went to. I wish we could see the look on that grandpa's face when he realises his gate is fixed! Poor guy; he kept apologising for it to everyone who came through. His arthritis has kept him from getting to it himself and his son and grandkids only visit at Christmas. He doesn't want to trouble his son with fix it lists for fear he won't want to come visit at all, anymore. Now he has one less thing that needs fixing! I wish I had gnarly powers to do stuff like that, too!"

Max insisted, "You don't need powers, Maria. You contribute plenty without them. The things on this list look promising, ladies. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out and how much they resell for.,

"How about you, Kyle? How was work, today? Any trouble?"

Kyle shrugged and admitted, "No. No trouble. It was okay. I think I'm doing the whole kindness thing backwards, though. I was the recipient of it, twice today. Someone gave me a hot chocolate and someone else tied my shoelace for me; kind of hard to bend over wearing a sandwich board."

Ava teased him, "That's because even wearing the tooth-shaped head gear, you just have a face that says help this nice boy!"

Kyle scoffed, "Nice boy? Don't let Heckle hear you say that, unless you feel like sparring with him, about my many personality flaws."

Maria interrupted, "Speaking of, is he up, yet, Max?"

The three of them snort laughed at her and said in unison, "Yeah right!"

Maria grimaced at them, announced, "Tsk. Whatever. I'll go remedy that.", and then she headed down to hers and Michael's sleeping quarters in the basement.

Ava suggested to Kyle, "I'm gonna go fill Isabel in on our finds. You coming with?"

Kyle asked Max first, "You need any help with dinner?"

Max shook his head, smiled and teased him, "Naw, man. You two go ahead and get those baby boy cuddles in. I got to hold him and play with him for the better part of an hour, today."

Kyle complained, "Aww man, my work hours suck! I miss all the good stuff!,

"Yeah, I'm definitely tagging along, Ava. Lex and I have some serious catching up to do!"

Ava argued teasingly, "Oh, if he's awake, Auntie Ava has first dibs, bub!"

Kyle argued as they made their way to Isabel's and Lex's room, "How is that first dibs when I said it first?"

Ava suggested coyly, "Because his Mommy might need Mighty The Molar cuddles?"

Kyle blushed and insisted, "She's still married."

Ava grinned, teasing him, "Platonic Mighty The Molar cuddles, then?"

Kyle shook his head and muttered in a friendly way, "Shut up. I get him right after you."

Ava cracked the bedroom door open and loud whispered, "Kyle's with me. Can we come in?"

Isabel answered at normal volume, "Sure. Come on in. He just woke up about twenty minutes ago. He already nursed and burped. I was just about to change him."

Ava asked hopefully, "Can I do it?"

Isabel chuckled, "You may regret that offer, but sure!,

"Hey, Kyle. How was work?"

Kyle blurted, "Hey, Isabel. Work was okay. Ava said I have nice boy face."

Isabel grabbed his chin turned his face side to side, grinned, then sided with Ava, "Well, you kind of do, Kyle!", and then she kissed his cheek.

Kyle and Isabel smiled into each others eyes and Kyle shrugged, conceding, "I guess I can live with that, then. How about you? How was your day?"

Isabel shrugged and bragged, "Lex-centric, therefore pretty perfect! Oh! I also finished taking pictures of the items that we have ready and I wrote up the descriptions and suggested starting bids for them, too. Next library run they can be posted online for auction."

Kyle said, "Oh, so that's how Jeckle got so much time with Lex today!"

Isabel laughed and accused teasingly, "Isn't jealousy against your religion?"

Kyle defended, "I'm not jealous like the bad kind of jealous, I just, you know, ever since I took this job, I miss him and I feel like I miss out on spending time with him, like I used to get to do, when I was still unemployed."

Ava dead-panned as she cuddled Lex, "Does Max know you feel this way? You do know he's married, right?"

Isabel laughed with Ava at the unimpressed expression Kyle aimed at Ava. Kyle held out his arms for Lex, then and insisted with a tight smile, "My turn."

Ava handed the infant over to him, with a friendly smile, then she and Isabel went down to the family room to review the work Isabel had done and to fill her in on what she and Maria had bought at various garage sales that afternoon.

*****

Maria sat beside Michael and watched him sleeping for a few moments. She startled in alarm as he mumbled in distress, "Say no, Maria! Promise me you'll say no!"

Maria lightly shook him and urged him, "Michael! Wake up! What is it you want me to say no to? Michael! Michael!"

Michael groaned out, "What? I'm sleeping. Go away."

Maria asked quietly, in a dangerous tone, "Pardon me?"

Michael's eyes snapped open and he recanted, "I didn't actually mean that. What time is it?"

Maria answered, "A bit past five-thirty. Max is making dinner. Liz left for work about an hour ago. Ava and I just got back a few minutes ago. Kyle is likely hogging that sweet baby, again and I'm guessing Ava is catching Isabel up to speed on our finds while garage sale hopping."

Michael eyed her suggestively and asked, "What time is dinner?"

Maria quickly peeled off her clothes, as she answered, "We have time for a super quick round one."

Michael reached for her naked body as he demanded, "Good. I'll take what I can get. C'mere. I missed you."

Maria pulled away from his attempt at deepening their kiss and she scoffed, "You did not. You were sleeping."

Michael insisted, "Yes, I did. Even if I'm asleep, I always know if I'm alone in this bed. I don't like that empty space where you're supposed to be."

Maria slipped a condom onto his erection, mounted him and kissed him before saying contritely, "Oh. Okay then, I believe you because that's how I feel, too until you come to bed after work, every morning. I love you."

Michael moved with her and said between kisses, "I love you, too. You're always the best reason to wake up."

Maria rode him faster, declaring between breaths, "I get round two before you go to work, tonight, though, right?"

Michael nodded and added, "And round three when I get home from work, even if you're sleeping. Promise."

Maria bit her bottom lip, moaned loudly in pleasure and then acknowledged, "I'm glad we understand each other. Damn, spaceboy, how are you doing this to me already? This level of wow usually takes us way longer."

Michael answered flippantly, "Alien powers."

Maria held still and asked in disbelief, "Seriously?"

Michael chuckled and answered, physically prompting her to start moving, again, "No. I was kidding. I wouldn't even know how to do that."

Maria did a thing that made him gasp in pleasure and she suggested, "Maybe we could figure that out together? If it's even possible."

Michael kissed her and answered, "Whatever my angel wants, just do that thing you just did, again. I liked that. A lot."

Maria obliged him and then some.

*****

The next morning, but still before dawn, Michael returned from his janitor slash guard dog attendant job, at a three store chain of hair salons. He spent two hours at each salon, cleaning the place, then feeding and letting the guard dogs out to pee. He got paid for eight hours work including gas, travel time and meal breaks. He rarely, if ever, saw a single person during his shifts.

He undressed in the pre-dawn dark of his and Maria's sleeping quarters and then he slipped into bed with Maria, fully intending to keep his earlier promise. He put his arm around her, nuzzled her neck and whispered, "I'm back."

Maria let him know she wasn't asleep with a light caress up and down his forearm across her middle and then she spoke, "I'm not sleeping, anymore. I set the alarm so I'd be awake when you came home."

He smoothed her hair, away from her ear and kissed it, then asked, "How come? I told you I'd give you round three even if you were sleeping. Something on your mind?"

She nodded, then turned to face him. They kissed for a few seconds and then Michael prompted, "So what's up? You seem, I don't know? Nervous?"

She nodded confirmation and admitted, "I am because there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about. About us. But with our opposite schedules, it's been hard to have an uninterrupted private conversation with you. It involves something you have generally been uncomfortable even referring to at all."

Michael frowned in consternation and asked, "What do you mean? What do you want to talk about that you think I won't want to talk about?"

Maria took a deep breath and prefaced her chosen topic with a disclaimer, "Just to be clear, this is completely a hypothetical. I just, I guess I just really want to know, if you and I can have a child, like together, in any near or distant future, someday? Would you want to? I mean with me?"

Michael's eyes widened in obvious surprise. He pulled her into his embrace and lightly rubbed her back as he mused, "Jesse and Isabel have proven that it's biologically possible and I've wanted to be a Dad, for as long as I can remember but I always assumed it was simply unattainable.

If I had a choice about it, I would definitely want it to be with you, but Maria, even though I probably could get you pregnant, I have no intention of ever doing that.

Hang on a sec, I'll explain. I'm not willing to even try to because I'm not sure if you really get what it would mean for your body, the fact that alien pregnancies only last four to six weeks.

Isabel tolerated it, only because she's a human-alien hybrid, but Maria you are fully human. An accelerated pregnancy like that would most probably kill you. I'll never be willing to knowingly risk that.

If that ever happened, then, not only would I not have a child to show for it, I wouldn't have you anymore, either and I can't even handle imagining you hurt, never mind the reality of you dying.

So to answer your question, no, you and I will not be having children together. Not now, not ever. I'm sorry if that answer hurts you. You know I hate hurting you, for any reason."

Maria started to quietly sob and she clung to Michael, as she tried to voice her thoughts, "Now, I think I understand better why you got so mad, when I forgot to tell you I wasn't on the pill, anymore. I had just thought you were freaked out about potentially being a Dad too young or something.

But even now that I understand your reasons, Michael, your answer still really hurts. I feel so heartbroken. It's not fair. You give me so much and you have this heart's desire that I can never grant to you, because you won't let me and oh my God, Michael, it hurts! It hurts so much!

Ever since Lex was born, I've been imagining what our baby might be like and I know I shouldn't have gone there, but it's too late. I already did and now I have to like mentally erase our imaginary baby and it feels like a loss. A real one. Maybe you shouldn't even be with me. Maybe you should just do like that book says and be with Isabel. Then at least you could be a Dad."

Michael tightened his embrace and he declared fiercely, "I don't want to be with Isabel. I want to be with you. If I can't have kids with you, then so be it, I can still be happier with you, than I would ever be having kids with someone who I'm not in love with. I choose you, Maria. Always. Period. "

Maria clung to him and declared just as fiercely, "I choose you, too, spaceboy."

Michael let out a long audible breath and kissed Maria on the lips briefly as he admitted, "I want you to know that I'd never choose to have a kid with Isabel, not even, you know, like in a petri dish or something because I couldn't do that to you.

No matter how much you might support my desire to be a Dad, I think it would hurt you too much to watch anyone else give me what you can't, or rather what I won't let you even try to give me. I'll never do that to you, Maria. All of me, right down to my very last sperm cell, belongs to you and only you."

Maria sniffle laughed and said, "That's kind of romantic. I love you, Michael."

Michael scoffed, "I don't do romantic but I do love you, too. Are you okay, angel?"

Maria shook her head and admitted, "No, not really, but I will be. It will just take me some time to accept this new information. No kids for us. I'm gonna be sad about that for a while but I will come to terms with it, eventually, I promise. You know what would really help me to at least not dwell on it, right now?"

Michael's threatening smirk was evident in his voice, "I have my suspicions. Lay it on me, though. What will help?"

Maria caressed his face with both hands, gently kissed him on the lips and then answered, "Remind me how blessed we are that we can make love anytime day or night without any thought of three a.m. feedings, or I had a bad dream interruptions, or middle of the day needs or early risers demanding breakfast to contend with. It's just you and me and that will always be amazing, right?"

Michael smiled appreciatively and he agreed as he rolled her onto her back and positioned himself on top of her, "Well, when you put it like that, absolutely. Would you like that reminder, right now?"

Maria wrapped her arms and legs around him and nodded, answering against his mouth as she kissed him, "Yes, please, spaceboy. Now would be perfect. It always is with you."

Michael flirted suggestively, "Plus you know there's that thing we're supposed to figure out together. Using my powers to somehow make our sex life even better?"

Maria smirked and commended, "And just like that I forget what we were talking about a minute ago. Nicely done, spaceboy!"

Michael hastly sheathed his erection with a condom and enthusiastically began their third round, enhanced with a side order of experimentation with his powers.

*****

Kyle and Isabel smirked at each other over morning coffee and Isabel joked, "Like clockwork, right? All the way down in the basement, plus sound dampening treatment and we still wouldn't need an alarm clock! If I wasn't already up because of Lex, I mean."

Kyle quipped, "Rather wake up to the Lex alarm, all day, everyday, than to this."

Isabel asked cautiously, "Did he wake you up, this morning?"

Kyle lied with a gentle smile, "Nah. My alarm woke me up."

Liz and Max joined them with their own coffees and mumbled morning greetings. It was clear that Liz and Max could hear what was happening in the basement but they didn't verbally acknowledge it.

Liz gave Lex her finger to grasp in his fist and she jiggled his bouncy seat atop the island counter as she greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Sunshine! Such a handsome boy and so good for your Mommy, aren't you?,

"I hardly ever even hear him cry, Isabel. He's like the happiest baby I've ever met. You've got this Mommy thing in the bag!"

Isabel scoffed, "Oh, it isn't all on me! When would he get a chance to cry? He's like two feet from me when we are in our room and he gets constant attention and affection from you guys, the rest of the time! He's got nothing to cry about except if he's hungry or needs to be changed and that gets dealt with, within seconds of the first sound usually."

Liz asked in concern, "Are we overstepping?"

Isabel hastily refuted, "No, not at all! I can't imagine doing this Mommy thing without you guys! It's been great for me and for him, too, obviously! He is a very happy baby and he knows he is loved."

The sound of the doorbell made all of them freeze and exchange looks. Kyle waited until Liz, Isabel and Lex were out of sight and then he answered the door with Max nearby but hidden.

Kyle asked cautiously as he greeted the man in coveralls, "Yes? Can I help you?"

The man answered as though bored, "Routine building inspection."

Kyle refuted, "I just talked to the landlord yesterday. He never mentioned it?"

The man insisted, "That ain't my problem. I have a job to do. Step aside and let me do it."

Max flanked Kyle then and declined, "I don't think so. I don't know who you are but-"

The man took a step back and exclaimed, "Max?! What the hell are you doing in Oregon?"

Max narrowed his gaze and readied his hand to shield he and Kyle, just in case, as he asked, "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

The man sighed and answered in annoyance, "It's me, Max. Kal Langley."

Max challenged him, skeptically, "Prove it."

The man looked him in the eye and stated, "I'll hate you until my dying breath for ruining my life and making me shift that day, for what turned out to be, absolutely nothing."

Max winced but demanded, "If that's true, then what are you doing here? Let me rephrase. Tell me what you are doing here."

Kal answered tersely, "I'm here to protect the newest arrival. Are you going to let me in?"

Max and Kyle stood aside to let him in. Max demanded in curiosity, "Tell me how you knew about Lex. You seemed surprised to see me."

Kal answered, "I detected the presence of an unfamiliar hybrid and had no choice but to seek it out. I did not expect to find you in it's company, in Oregon. So where is it?"

Isabel appeared then with Lex in her arms and answered, "He, not it, is right here."

Kal blinked at her and asked, "Where?"

Max supplied, "In her arms, Kal. His name is Lex."

Kal scoffed, "Very funny. That is an infant. The new ones are generally upwardly mobile and can communicate. Hybrids don't hatch as infants."

Isabel said irritably, "My son did not hatch! I gave birth to him!"

Kal scoffed again, "Impossible. You and Michael won't be ready to breed for another three years, yet."

Isabel exclaimed, "First of all eww, gross and second of all, Michael isn't Lex's father."

Kal looked perplexed and he processed aloud, "Well, surely it's not Max's, so it has to be Michael's. Or perhaps Rath's. Genetically identical and interchangeable, in theory."

Isabel reacted, "Okay, triple gross! My husband Jesse Ramirez is the father, thank-you very much!"

Michael and Maria joined them, making it obvious they'd been eavesdropping. Kal didn't notice and he again refuted Isabel's claim, "That is definitely not possible. The royal four can only breed with their intended mates, or the copies of their intended mates."

Michael chimed in argumentatively, "Guess you've never watched Jurassic Park or you'd already know that life finds a way."

Kal startled and turned to look at Michael. He became visibly flustered as he noticed Maria and he averted his gaze from her.

Max noticed and demanded, "Tell me what problem you have with Maria."

Kal answered cryptically, "Those eyes are out of context. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Everything is going wrong. It's utter chaos. None of this is in my job description. I have to go. I'll be in touch. Stay put for your own safety."

Max halted him, "Kal! Choose a password phrase, to avoid recognition problems the next time we see you."

Kal looked at him, with unbridled hatred, as he said tersely, "Lemons took fifty years.", and then he was gone.

Michael objected, "Why didn't you make him explain that crap he said about Maria, Maxwell?"

Max shrugged and confessed, "I don't like the guy and I just didn't feel like detaining him and grilling him, only to get more questions than answers. He's good at that. He'll be back. We can try to get more out of him then, but I gotta tell you, Michael, I'm not holding out hope that he'll be any more forthcoming."

Michael sighed in exasperation, kissed Maria's cheek and announced, "Whatever, Maxwell. I'm gonna go crash now. Later.,

"'Night, angel. Love you."

Maria smiled and said back, "Love you, too, spaceboy. Have a good sleep! I'll wake you up-"

Michael interrupted her to supply, "Whenever you want? Yeah, I know. I'm good with that."

Maria didn't refute his prediction and just smiled proudly, as he bounded down the stairs out of sight.

Once Michael was gone, she turned to Isabel who was already holding Lex out to her. Maria grinned and said appreciatively, as she accepted Lex from her, "It's so great to be with people who understand me!,

"Good morning Auntie Maria's sweet precious boy! Did you grow overnight? I think you did! Gotta kiss those cheeks, oh yes I do! You are the best baby ever!"

Liz commented quietly, "And apparently hybrid blooded like Max, Isabel, Ava, and Michael, or Kal wouldn't have shown up. No microscope needed."

Isabel looked stricken suddenly and she lamented, "Jesse will just use this as one more reason to keep his son at a distance."

Kyle hastily tried to console her, "His loss. Lex is awesome! Maybe in time, Jesse will come around. Family is family. If he doesn't, you and Lex still have all of us. Hopefully our acceptance and presence in his life can counter balance his father's indifferent absence, in some small way."

Though nobody argued with him, their exchanged looks made it clear that they all knew better; when Lex was old enough to understand, nothing would stop him from feeling the pain of his father's rejection.

Isabel's little Lex couldn't have any more attention anywhere.
All of the women, especially Liz are getting baby fever. I know Max thinks about Zan, but he shouldn't shut Liz out completely.
It's a nice touch having Ava along on this adventure! I like her,
And who arrives but Kal.
Can't wait for more,
Carolyn

@keepsmiling7: Thanks for your support, Carolyn! Happy to know you are enjoying the story. This chapter is a bit light on Max/Liz but they will have a pretty big part in the story over all. Just to let you know.

~FM

Title: Finding Something Better
Author: Fidomom

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. It is only loosely based on characters from the 1999-2002 tv series Roswell as I imagine they could be from different points throughout and beyond the three seasons of the show. I am not affiliated with any of the original creations nor creators from the series. I will make no monetary gains from publishing this work of fiction.

Pairings/Characters/Category: Michael & Maria, Max & Liz, Kyle, Isabel, Ava, CC, UC, AU, w/Aliens
Rating: Adult
Summary: This chapter - Isabel's emotional rollercoaster ride continues. Ava impresses her crew. Max realizes he can't fix everything. Kyle rises to a challenge. Michael is trying; very trying. Liz helps Max see things differently. Maria wants her own bathroom because reasons.

Finding Something Better
by Fidomom

Chapter Eight

Isabel called out to Jesse tentatively, not knowing what reception to expect. He turned from his own dream and demanded, "Isabel, what are you doing here?"

Isabel swallowed past the lump in her throat and answered, "I umm, I have some news. About our son."

Jesse shook his head and confessed, "I'm still having trouble with that one."

Isabel asked defensively, "Which part, exactly?"

Jesse answered in a fierce whisper, despite that they were in no danger of being overheard within a dream, "All of it! We were together four months ago, how can there be a baby already born? How can there even be a baby? You were on the pill! We decided no kids until I had long-term employment in the bag!"

Isabel glossed over the explanation, "I was on antibiotics for a thing I thought I had and it messed up the effectiveness of my pill. I didn't do this on purpose, Jesse! And I didn't choose to be hunted like this! All I've ever wanted, is just to live a normal and happy life!"

Jesse's expression softened somewhat and he prompted, "I know. I do get that. So what is this news, then?"

Isabel wished she could just not even tell him but she did anyway, "He ... Jess, he has blood like mine."

Jesse backed up, shaking his head, as he lamented, "No, man. This. This is too much. I could have gone my whole life without being told that. What am I supposed to do with that, Is? I know we briefly discussed making custody arrangements but now? He can't ever be a part of my life. Not safely; not for either of us! This just gets more and more unreal for me, you know?"

Isabel couldn't stop her tears from falling as she asked brokenly, "What am I supposed to tell him when he asks about you? When he asks about his Daddy?"

Jesse didn't say anything for several heartbeats and then he answered quietly, "Tell him I died. That's the kindest thing I can think of, because the truth sucks and it's ugly and it's unfair for all of us."

Isabel glared through her tears and declined, "No, you are not putting this all on me! I will not lie to my child to ease your conscience because you can't accept our son as he is!"

Jesse pointed at her accusingly and he insisted, "That's not fair. I didn't choose for things to shake out like this, any more than you did. And this isn't even about my acceptance of him; I can't be a realistic part of his life, Isabel! You and I will not be like other divorced parents because only one of us has blood that endangers both of our lives! Now our son does, too! It's cruel to dangle me in his life and to dangle him in mine, when it's simply not possible for us to be family to each other. We'll never know each other, Isabel. Do him a favour and just tell him I died."

Isabel lifted her chin resolutely and declared, "What I choose to tell my child about you or anything else, is no longer any of your business. That's your choice. You're making that much perfectly clear."

Jesse asked in anguish, "What were you expecting me to do? I mean, I guess if you need money from me, I can set something like that up."

Isabel rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Expecting? Nothing. I had hope but you took care of that in short shrift. We don't want or need your money, Jesse. Once our divorce is final you'll never have to deal with either of us, ever again."

Jesse nodded and said, "December twenty-third. That's the expected date of my final divorce decree from my estranged and missing wife. You can confirm it with me, then but in the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my dreams. It's too weird and too painful. Whatever else you might think, Isabel, I did love you. A part of me always will but I just can't deal with the danger I'd have to be in, just to be a part of your lives, nevermind being with you. You did the right thing leaving me behind. It gave me the perspective I needed."

Isabel nodded and confirmed, "I'll check in with you, in December then and I'll stay out of your dreams until then and thereafter, as well. I think you're mistaken about us, though, Jesse. I don't think we did love each other. I think we loved who we thought we married and neither of us could live up to it, in the end.

I want you to know that I don't hate you for any of it, not even our ending. I can't. I got Lex out of being with you and he is the very best, random and unexpected gift I've ever received, so thank-you for him. Good-bye, Jesse."

Jesse's sad eyes said it for him and Isabel woke herself up. She wiped at the tears on her face, and checked on Lex, relieved she hadn't woken him. Noting the time, she thought she could take a few minutes for herself, hopefully out of earshot of everyone else who was sleeping.

With the baby monitor nearby, she curled up on the living room sofa, in the pre-dawn dark and sobbed her residual heartbreak into a cushion.

*****

Liz smirked in the dark without opening her eyes and she accused, "I can feel you staring at me, Max. Why are you even awake?"

Max answered as he stroked a strand of hair away from her cheek, "Not staring. Admiring. I've no idea why I'm awake but whatever the reason is, I'm glad I am because otherwise, I'd have missed the sight of my beautiful wife, smiling in her sleep."

Liz put her hand over his, still near her cheek and she asked in interest, "Are you trying to seduce me?"

Max couldn't keep the grin out of his voice, as he replied, "That depends. Is it working?"

Liz shifted so she could put her arms around him and she whispered by his ear, "Probably. Unless maybe I'm the one who just seduced you? Thoughts?"

Max nuzzled her neck, as his hands wandered and then he agreed, "It could definitely be like that. You can be very uhh, hmm, persuasive, Liz Parker."

Liz reached over to the nearest bedside table, grabbing what she knew was there even if she couldn't fully see it and she presented him with it, advising, "Either way, we'll be needing one of these, handsome."

Max flirted, "Only one?"

Liz flirted back, "At a time, Max. I meant one at a time."

Their mouths found several other things to do besides talk, after that, as they made love to each other.

*****

Kyle opened his eyes, puzzled by the darkness. He looked over at his alarm, made a baffled face, muttered to himself, "You got three more hours before opened eyes even needs to be a thing, Valenti. What the hel-. Sorry. But seriously.", and he rolled over, to try to go back to sleep.

His eyes snapped open less than a minute later, as he mused, "Unless I heard Lex? Maybe that's why I'm awake? Should I check? No. I mean Isabel's in there with him. They're both probably fast asleep. Like I should be. Except now I have to pee. Great."

Kyle stumbled around his room in the dark, looking for his robe. Finally finding it, he shrugged into it, belting it, as he left his room. He used the toilet by the light of the nightlight and finally understood what an awesome invention that was.

Halfway back to his room, he sighed and lamented, "If it ain't one thing, it's another."

He headed downstairs, intending to make himself some warm milk to quell his hunger rumblings and hopefully send him back to dreamland while there was still time enough to dream before his alarm intervened.

As he passed by the living room he heard the unmistakable sounds of Lex making baby noises in his sleep over the baby monitor and then he heard another sound that surprised and concerned him.

Abandoning his warm milk mission, Kyle went into the darkened living room and straight over to the quietly sobbing lump on the sofa. He didn't know of a way to announce his presence without startling her but he tried for a quiet voice and a light touch on her shoulder as he spoke, "Isabel? Hey, what is it? What's wrong?"

To his surprise she didn't startle at all. She turned her face away from the cushion and answered on a hiccup, "I dreamwalked Jesse. I told him about Lex's blood. He wants me to tell our son he died." and she resumed sobbing into the cushion.

Kyle understated lamely, "Oh. Well, that sucks."

Isabel added, "And our divorce will be final at Christmas! He knows Christmas is my happy place! And then he told me to stay out of his dreams!"

Kyle simply said, "Wow.", to that and awkwardly patted her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

Isabel asked him almost a minute later, "You're not gonna tell the others about finding me like this, are you?"

Kyle confirmed, "No. Not if you don't want them to know."

Isabel sat up then, indicating Kyle could sit beside her and she elaborated, "It's not that. Well, not exactly. I just felt so ... upset! I didn't want to wake anyone, least of all Lex, you know? And it's not that I'm embarrassed, it's just that they all want me to be fine with all of this and I'm not, Kyle. I miss my old life! And when Max and Michael find out about Jesse they won't mean to, well, maybe Michael will mean to, but they'll both give me those looks. The we told you so, looks. And I don't need that right now. I can't talk to Liz about it, because her first loyalty is to my brother, I can't talk to Maria because we aren't that close, I can't talk to Ava because she didn't even know Jesse or what things were like for us when they were good, you know?"

Kyle asked tentatively, "But why not me? You could have woken me up, if you needed to talk."

Isabel nodded and explained in frustration, "Well, yes and no. I mean, yes because you're my best friend but no, not really because things between us have changed. I didn't want to confuse you or have you think that I'm still hung up on Jesse. That isn't what this is about, at all. Please, tell me that you get that?"

Kyle answered sincerely, "I loved you enough to let you marry someone else, without telling you how I felt because we both thought that he could make you happy. Even if this was about you being hung up on Jesse, for me nothing has changed. I still love you that much. You are my best friend, first. Always. Anything else is just icing. So if there is ever a next time, just wake me up, okay?"

Isabel spilled fresh tears but she smiled at him as she agreed, "Okay. I love you that much, too, by the way. And more all the time. Like now."

Kyle opened his arms invitingly and Isabel snuggled against him, as she resumed crying about her encounter with Jesse until she'd gotten enough of it out of her system to be able to function again. Kyle just held her until she was ready to stop.

As she pulled away, he offered, "Tea?"

She nodded but grabbed his hand before he'd taken two steps toward the kitchen. She squeezed it and said meaningfully, "Thank-you, Kyle."

He knew she didn't mean for the offer of tea. He squeezed her hand in return and assured her, "I'll be back with tea, in five."

Kyle had just poured Isabel's tea when Michael got home from work. Kyle started to explain what he was doing up but Michael held up his hand and warned, "I only have enough energy for one person right now and you, Jockstrap, are not that person. Later!", and Michael headed straight to Maria.

Michael undressed quickly and got into bed with her. She didn't wake up until round three was almost over and she greeted him passionately when she did, mumbling between kisses, "I'm glad you're home, spaceboy. Thank-you for keeping your promise. I love waking up to you like this."

Michael managed one heartfelt, "I love you, angel.", before he was spent.

Maria waited expectantly for their post-coital cuddles but it wasn't happening. She prompted him, "Michael? Aren't you coming to bed properly?"

Michael answered with trepidation in his voice, "Uhh, Maria, we have a problem."

Maria frowned at his figure, still kneeling between her legs and asked, "Okay, what? What is it?"

Michael stated bluntly, "The condom is missing."

Maria tutted and rolled her eyes as she explained, "Tsk, no, Michael, condoms do not just go missing - you either put one on or you didn't and I can't imagine why you would not put one on, since we've already discussed that we are not taking any risks with baby making, remember?"

Michael nodded and agreed, "No, I know. That's why it's a problem. I did put one on but now I can't find it."

Maria asked him solemnly, "Michael, did we just have unprotected human alien hybrid relations?"

Michael audibly sucked breath through his teeth and he answered, "Well, I'm not sure. I think it's still in you. If it was on me until the last moment before I pulled out, then there probably won't be any spillage, but if it came off before I ejaculated, well, then yeah, unprotected."

Maria asked in clear confusion, "How could you not notice which thing happened?!"

Michael shrugged and insisted, "I don't know? It didn't feel any different to me - it just felt as good as usual! Can you try to find it?"

Maria scoffed, "I have fingernails, therefore that would be an emphatic uhh no! Thank-you very much!"

Michael sighed heavily and asked, "Well, should I go get Liz or Isabel to help?"

Maria huffed in annoyance and admonished him, "Oh for pity's sake, Michael, it's not like you've never put your fingers in there before. Just find it, okay?"

Michael retorted in equal annoyance, "Right, because I'm your lover not your gynecologist; that part of you is for love and pleasure - not scavenger hunting."

They were both quiet for several seconds and then Maria said softly, "I forgive you."

Michael wondered with residual annoyance, "What for?"

Maria elaborated slowly and clearly, "For not noticing exactly when it went missing. Here's the thing, the longer it stays in me, if that is where it is, the higher the risk of baby making.

I told you I was really horny last night before you went to work because I am fertile right now, Michael. So fertile. A woman knows these things. And although I'm pro-choice for women in general, I'm Catholic, so if there is a baby - well then there's gonna be a baby because I personally don't intend to take any morning after pill or an abortion pill or to abort it at a clinic, either.

Plus there's the whole will it or won't it be human like me or an alien hybrid like you and just in case it was like you, we couldn't let any medical facility have access to any related biological material, correct?"

Michael's voice was strained with worry as he confirmed, "That's if you even survived getting pregnant, at all, but yeah, okay, okay. I hear you. I left it in there, I have to be the one to retrieve it. Just don't watch."

Maria readily agreed, "Whatever it takes, Michael. Fine. Not watching. Whoa! Hey, now! Why are you doing that?"

Michael explained self-consciously, "Well, I couldn't see because your fleshy bits are obstructing where I usually go!"

Maria consoled and encouraged him, "Okay, well, whatever, just fish the damned condom out of me, now, would you, please?"

Michael felt around inside of her carefully and finally exclaimed, "Ahh! Got it! And there's stuff in it! Yes! No baby! Probably. I'll go wash up and then I need to scrounge up some grub. I'm starving!"

Maria protested, "Pardon me, Michael? After all of that, you're leaving me here, alone? No cuddles? Also, did you miss the part where your woman is very, very horny? We are not done here, pal-ly!"

Michael quickly kissed her cheek and patted her bare thigh as he assured her, "Nah, I didn't miss anything, that's why I gotta go eat - to keep up with you, before I need to crash for the day."

Maria conceded, "Oh. Okay, well, were you planning on bringing me some food, too?"

Michael paused a little too long before answering her, "Uhh, yes?"

Maria scoffed incredulously, "Unbelievable!"

Michael defended himself, "What? Sorry! I thought it was too early for you to want food. What do you want to eat, then? I'll bring you whatever you want, as long as it won't take too long to make."

Maria muttered, "Well, that significantly narrows my options. Fine. A meat sandwich. A piece of fruit. Oh, and I guess a big glass of milk. Can you handle all of that, spaceboy?"

Michael answered flatly, "Yeah. I'll go get your burger, fries and soda. You want diet soda or regular?"

Maria started to object, "Mic-!", but he cut her off with a brief chuckle and said,
"I'm just kidding. Meat sandwich, which, by the way, does also describe a burger, a piece of fruit and big glass of milk, coming right up. Don't get dressed; I'll be back pretty fast."

Maria asked in curiosity, "So, what happens if I'm dressed when you return?"

Michael was getting his clothes back on and he answered, "I'll have to undress you again."

Maria flirted then, "What if I'd like that? A lot."

Michael leaned in, kissed her on the lips, pulled away only an inch or so and stated pointedly, "Suit yourself. Whatever. Seems like a waste of energy that we could better spend on me touching you, some more but without the scavenger hunting."

Maria sucked in a hard breath and praised, "Oh, you're good! This chick will still be naked when you return!"

Michael grinned and admitted, "Good. Sometimes I wish my powers included fast forwarding to the good parts. Be right back!", and he sprinted away.

Maria tried to call him back but failed, "Mic-! Geez, the least he could have done is take the damned used condom up with him! Guess it can wait until later, then. What I wouldn't give to have our own bathroom down here!"

*****

Kyle touched Isabel's back in concern as she suddenly doubled over and stifled a scream. She had just fed Lex and put him down again. Kyle asked worriedly, "Isabel? Are you okay? What is it?"

Isabel answered through pained tears, "I don't know but oh my God, it hurts!"

Kyle asked, "What should I do? Should I go get Max?"

Ava cracked open the door just then and loud whispered, "It's Ava. Can I come in, Isabel?"

Isabel nodded and Kyle answered in her stead, also in a loud whisper, "Yeah, come on in. Lex is down for the count again but something's wrong with Isabel. I don't know what to do. What should I do?"

Ava took one look at Isabel and commiserated sympathetically, "Ugh, breeding pains are the worst! I think I have at least a couple more weeks before mine come back but I'm here for yours, girl. Don't you even worry about Lex. I'll look after him and just bring him to you whenever he needs you and I'll also get you anything you need, until the pains are gone, okay?"

Kyle repeated his question, "What about me? What should I do?"

Ava smirked at him and answered, "Let her take it out on you without repercussions. She might need support to make it to the bathroom, too, when she needs to go because anything other than fetal position is just excruciating. That and back rubs and hot water bottles help some but nothing can really be done except to wait for it to pass. That or conceive and it seems a bit soon for that, since Lex is only three months old. I've always wondered whose brilliant idea this was, to make it possible for us to have babies so close together because that wouldn't draw attention to us, at all! Sheesh! Three days of this, Kyle. Think you can handle it?"

Kyle shrugged and answered, "She's my best friend. I'll have to. Except I can't take time off of work. Max has same hours as me at the pet mart for the next three days, too. Maybe you and Liz or Liz and Maria or you and Maria could help her when I'm at work?"

Ava suggested, "Aren't you forgetting someone? What about Michael? He's home all day, while you're at work."

Isabel and Kyle answered together, "Unreliable. He sleeps all day."

Ava suggested, "Well, maybe he wouldn't, if you needed him not to. It couldn't hurt to ask, could it?"

Kyle shrugged skeptically and Ava dropped it. She suggested to Kyle, "How about that hot water bottle? We do have one don't we? I'll ask Max to buy a couple more, too, so they can be switched out, as needed. I think our only one is under the kitchen sink, if I recall correctly. Since you did ask what you could do for her. "

Kyle nodded and turned to go, "I'm on it."

He once again crossed paths with Michael, who was carrying a tray laden with food. Kyle informed him, "Isabel is in rough shape, Michael."

Michael interrupted before Kyle could elaborate, "I'm sorry that Isabel feels like crap, Kyle, but I can't deal with that, right now! My naked girlfriend is waiting for me! She is very very horny! She hasn't been this hot for me in like three months, so me? I'm taking this food to her and if wishes come true, you will not see us again, until hopefully, later this afternoon! Do not disturb us until at least then!"

Kyle tried again, anyway, "But seriously, Michael, Isa-"

Michael spoke over him, "No, Kyle. Has to be later. I mean it."

Kyle accused irritably, "Isabel would never do this to you, if you needed her."

Michael hastily blurted, as he headed for the stairs to the basement, "And I will be there for her but first things first! First Maria, then some shut-eye and then whatever Isabel needs! Promise!"

Kyle scoffed, shaking his head, as he muttered to Michael's already retreated figure, "Pfft. Yeah, right. Whatever."

Michael smiled proudly as he presented Maria with her food and he bragged, "Told you, I'd be quick!"

Maria accepted the food but complained, "I'm torn between embarrassment over you blurting out our intimate plans to everyone we know and -"

Michael interrupted to refute, "No, I didn't. It was just Kyle."

Maria laughed and assured him, "Trust me, honey, the walls in this place are all paper thin, you really did tell everyone."

Michael grimaced, shrugged and prompted her to finish what he had interrupted, "And? Torn between embarrassment or ... ?"

Maria made extra room for him to join her on the bed with the tray of food and she continued, "Amused chagrin. What you said was not correct. That I haven't been this hot for you in three months. Highly untrue. I'm like tabasco sauce, spaceboy - I'm always hot for you whether I want to be or not!"

Michael openly doubted, "Then why is sex always my idea? Or mostly. Like I said you being like this is not how things usually go."

Maria took a sip of milk and answered, "Sure but that's only because your libido is usually perfect for me. I generally want it when you do. I get a little more aggressive about it when I'm hornier than you, which is not how things usually are, so I can understand why you thought me feeling this way is new. It isn't, you just usually beat me to the seduction end of things.

As for the times I've turned you down for sex? Usually illness related. It's never because I found you suddenly unattractive or unappealing. I admittedly downplay your desirability, if only so I can still fit in the same room as you and your ego."

Michael looked her in the eye appreciatively and wondered, "Good to know. So, if we're on the same page, right now, then, why are you still all covered up?"

Maria explained, "Because I didn't know if someone might be barging in behind you or not, given Kyle's persistence. What exactly is wrong with Isabel?"

Michael shrugged, shook his head and admitted,"No idea. My mind was kind of on getting back to you and I didn't let him tell me. I'll find out when I wake up, later. Much later And just so you know, I'd never let anyone see you naked; that's for my eyes only."

Maria amended for him, "And doctors."

Michael made it conditional, "Only if it's a woman."

Maria laughed in amusement and asked, "What if she's bisexual or gay?"

Michael answered smugly, "So? I know that you aren't. I don't want other guys looking at you naked or touching you, either, actually, even if you're fully clothed.", as a certain New Year's Eve groping crossed his mind.

Maria raised her brows and asked cheekily, "Oh really? Did Mr. Parker and Mr. Evans get that memo? How about Jim Valenti?"

Michael answered in annoyance, "No, they don't count. I meant someone who could lure you away from me if they are better looking, better educated, more talented or make a lot of money, like say a doctor for instance.

I already know you deserve better than me, so I really don't need some other guy, rubbing my face in my short comings."

Maria smiled and patted his hand, "Oh, Michael, you really don't get it. Better than you is unfathomable to me. Maybe as far fetched as it would be to most people if we told them that an alien dressed up like Santa just to flirt with one specific human female dressed as an elf."

Michael smiled slightly at the memory and he pointed out, "But that actually happened."

Maria nodded and said, "Yeah, it did. You know it and I know it, but you gotta admit that it sounds pretty far-fetched. My point being that someone better than you, as far as I'm concerned, is even more far fetched, than that. There's no such things as aliens or Santa, either, for that matter. But you are my realest deal ever. Do you get it, now?"

Michael kissed her lips briefly and said, "Yeah. Thanks for saying that. Maybe once you're done eating, we could stop talking and get back to making out, instead because even though it was just a food run, I missed you like crazy."

Maria's eyes widened in suprise and she voiced it, "Whoa, somebody's getting mushy and for once it's not me! I am definitely in agreement with your suggested plan of action, though, spaceboy."

Michael complained again, "Why are you still covered up, then? Come on, Maria, we're alone. I like the scenery a lot better when I can see everything."

Maria asked warningly, "So now I'm just scenery?"

Michael fidgeted and tried different words, instead, "Uhh. Pass. Aren't you done eating, yet?"

Maria shook her head, smiling at his obviousness as she admitted, "Oh, I'm definitely done. Is this better?", and she set aside the sheet that had been covering her.

Michael's eyes traveled slowly up and down her body, he wet his lips and finally spoke, "Yeah. I don't say it enough but Maria DeLuca you are so damned hot. It makes me nuts, sometimes. Just so you know, I always want you, too, even when I used to wish that I didn't.

Not to open up any old wounds or anything, but that's partly what the Courtney thing was about. I was merely investigating her initially but when she tried to seduce me, I let her - just a bit! I just needed to see if she could make me not want you, anymore, since you and I were not getting along so great, at the time.

It only took a few seconds for me to get the answer; I realized it didn't change my feelings about you, at all, so I pushed her away. I never meant to hurt your feelings by kissing her back, I was just testing my own feelings, because it was kind of all new to me. Feelings are still weird. Mostly. Except for mine for you. Those pretty much always feel good. That's what made me so uncomfortable during the stupidity. Feeling good. I wasn't used to it. I'm starting to like it now, though."

Maria nodded in understanding and asked, "So besides not succeeding in kissing me out of your system, what other verdicts did you reach about me and you?"

Michael got rid of their tray, then stripped as he declared, "Just that every cell in my body is pretty much convinced that I'm only ever supposed to kiss you. Only ever supposed to love you. Nobody else. No further tests needed. I'm yours, Maria. I just really want you to understand how serious our, what did I call it? Stupid relationship? Really is for me. Stupid because I'm stupid in love with you and I don't foresee that changing soon or ever.", and he joined her in bed again, kissing her deeply as he wrapped himself around her.

When he paused kissing to breathe, Maria noted appreciatively, "You said some of that a bit differently, on your bike, when you tried to leave me behind. I like this updated version better. It leaves me with fewer things to wonder about."

Michael made love to her and then in afterglow he continued as if they hadn't stopped talking, "Did you really think I'd left you for good, that day?"

Maria nodded and admitted, "Yeah. Pretty much."

Michael gently grasped her chin to make her look at him and he suggested, "If I ever try to pull that crap again, Maria, don't believe me. Don't try to stop me, because, well, we both know what a bonehead I can be. Just wait it out, I guarantee you, that you won't wait long. I can't do this, any of this, without you, any more. The whole time I was away, I kept worrying that you'd wind up as an acceptable casualty to alien hunters. At least if I'm with you, I feel like I've got at least a shot at protecting you."

Maria put her palm on his face and lightly stroked his cheek with her thumb as she agreed, "I will accept that justification only because it really works for me and because you already confessed the real reason you'll never leave me. Say it again, now. Stupid ...?"

Michael repeated himself from her prompt, "Stupid in love with you, Maria."

Maria squirmed excitedly and asked with a big smile,"You do realise you just made me ridiculously happy, don't you?"

Michael smiled softly and kissed her temple as he admitted, "Mmmmhhmm. Know what else? I started missing you within seconds after I left, that day. Your spaceboy here was love starved growing up. I've finally come to the conclusion that I don't just like my Maria hugs, and kisses and cuddles and back rubs and quiet I love yous; I need those. Lots and lots of them. All the damned time. I need to give them to you a lot more often, too. You've definitely succeeded in turning me into an affection junkie."

Maria teased him, "Not to mention a horndog."

Michael retorted with mock indignance, "Yeah, look who's talking."

Maria strained upward to kiss his mouth briefly and then she said more seriously, "Michael, here's the thing. I love you. Deeply. I intend to feed your addictions to me for the rest of our lives together. Just so you know."

Michael sighed and tutted but he couldn't quite not smile as he scolded her, "Tsk, you're such an enabler."

Maria pointed out, "Lucky you."

He grinned and conceded, "Lucky me, indeed. Can we get back to making out and having more sex, now?"

Maria kissed her way up his chest to his ear and answered in a breathy whisper, "Oh, yeah. Definitely. C'mere you sexy alien. I want spaceboy smooches. All over my body."

Michael pulled away from her and looked at her like there was a malfunction in communication as he demanded to know, "Smooches? How the hell does a word like that turn me on so fast?"

Maria lightly caressed his hip, his ass cheek and his upper thigh and then suggested, "Oh, I don't know for sure but it might have something to do with the naked woman in your arms and in your bed. Just a theory."

Michael ravaged her neck and breasts with kisses briefly and then stopped to ponder it further, "Yeah, that's gotta be it, because seriously? Smooches? I don't know how I'm ever going to get my cool card back, now."

Maria bargained with him, "It can be our little secret."

He scoffed at her willpower, "Right after you tell everyone we know, you mean?"

She retorted, teasing him more, "I can be persuaded not to. With some very well placed smooches."

He hung his head, resting his forehead against the pillow beside her head, as he groaned at her persistence, "Arrggh! You're killing me, here, Maria. I'm not gonna live this one down am I?"

Maria shook her head in sympathy and changed the subject, "You know what, spaceboy?"

He waited expectantly and she continued, "You're a lot more fun to be with, when you're openly in love with me, like this. I feel like I'm on a high that I never want to come down from. I'm really, really happy, Michael. Thank-you."

Michael deflected, "For what? I didn't do anything."

She stroked hair behind his ear and argued softly, "For being a bit silly with me just now. It feels good to just joke around a little with you, like that, instead of always obsessing over our umm stupid relationship. It feels good to know that the person I love most, loves me, too. That's all I ever wanted from you; all I'll ever want. Just love me, your way, without holding back. Okay?"

Michael nodded and affirmed, "That's my plan. Plus, I don't exactly have a choice anymore. I don't know how to control it, or scale it back, or fight it or stop it and I am not looking for ways to do that, anymore, either. I love you, Maria and that is just the way it is. I figure I might as well just go with it and feel as happy as I can, for as long as possible. You're pretty much stuck with me, now."

She tightened her embrace and kissed him noisily but briefly before declaring, "Fabulous! I approve."

He narrowed his eyes at her and expressed chagrin, "You can be irritatingly cute, sometimes, you know that? Mud definitely won't work for me, anymore."

Maria laughed and scoffed, "Pfft, like it ever did."

Michael muttered in defeat, "So you figured that out."

She raised one brow and stated drily, "You gave me tons of clues; it wasn't that hard."

Michael nodded, shrugged and asked in curiosity, "Did you have some similar way to ward me off?"

Maria nodded and replied, "Yep. Mine wasn't really a distraction word, though. It was quite literal. I imagined situations and conversations with you, that might weaken my resolve and I practiced my word faithfully but it never seemed to take, in front of you."

Michael pressed her for more information, "What was your word?"

Maria lamented, "No. No was the word and it failed me miserably. My mouth can form the word beautifully but my heart just can't seem to deny you, Michael Guerin. Sad but true."

Michael didn't miss a beat as he added, "Is an awesome song by the best band ever."

Maria jokingly scolded, "Good thing Sher- oh, I mean Deputy Valenti didn't just hear you say that."

Michael amended his earlier statement, "Well, besides the Kit Shickers, I meant. Especially when that hot chick sings with them. Obviously."

She laughed appreciatively and pretended she believed him, "Oh, obviously."

Michael's expression sobered and he said her name, "Maria."

She prompted him to continue with an expectant look.

Michael kissed her from her mouth to her ear and slipped his hand between her legs to touch her intimately, as he spoke beside her ear, "This."

Maria closed her eyes and encouraged him, "Ohhhhh. Okay. Yeah. That. And that, too! Oh God, Michael. Yes, yes. More. Oh God Michael! Yeah, right there. Oh God, yes! Michael, Michael, oh God Michael! Please don't ever stop."

Michael caressed her on the inside and nuzzled her neck as he breathed out in escalating sexual excitement, "Couldn't agree more, angel mine. I love you so damned much!"

Maria commanded ironically, "Shut-up and show me, spaceboy!"

Michael chuckled in spite of himself and obliged her demand.

*****

By the end of the second day of Isabel's struggle with breeding pains, everyone was feeling concerned. Max was particularly upset about it because it wasn't something he could fix; she didn't require healing.

Ava was true to her word and she was at Isabel's beck and call, without resentment. Ava knew exactly how it felt and she had only compassion for her.

Ava's mothering of Isabel and Lex weren't lost on either Liz or Kyle; taking care of people seemed to be her strength.

After Lex's last feeding for the night, Isabel was especially restless and distraught. Kyle did his best to comfort her, only for her to snap at him, "Unless you're going to knock me up, right this second, could you please just leave me alone!"

Kyle hesitated but decided to back off, at least for a bit. Ava nodded her approval of his decision. A few minutes later she approached him and reassured him, "It's the pain talking. She didn't mean it; at least not permanently. In the moment she definitely meant it!

It's hard to be patient or appreciative when the pain makes you feel like you're being torn apart from the inside. It does sort of intensify to a point where you feel like you might lose your mind and then recedes to a point where you could cheerfully kill something. I think when it gets back to the latter, she might want you around again."

Kyle gasped and shook his head as he sympathised, "That sounds fun. I'm sorry either of you, ever go through that. I'm not scared off, though. I don't mind if she needs to vent at me. I just thought it might irritate her more, if I don't respect her wishes, even if it's just for ten minutes. That is the longest I'm willing to leave her alone, in this state, when I'm not at work. Time's almost up."

Isabel bellowed from the sofa, "Kyle! Where are you? I need you!"

Ava grinned at him smugly and said, "See? Oh. Don't go in there empty handed. Always have the next hot water bottle ready and in hand. I'll let her know you're on your way."

Kyle thanked her emphatically, "Thanks for the save. Last thing I want is to further antagonise her."

*****

When Michael got home from work, even he checked on Isabel, first. Kyle was crashed out on a recliner near her. Ava was sleeping in Isabel's room with Lex.

Michael sat beside her and said as helpfully as he could, "Third day, at least, right? So it's almost over?"

Isabel couldn't contain the tears of pain but she wasn't sobbing. She looked Michael in the eye and begged him, "You could make it stop sooner. Michael, please! I can't handle this anymore. It's what we're supposed to do, right?"

Michael declined firmly but with compassion, "No. It isn't Isabel. I'm sorry but I can't do what you're asking. I've made promises with Maria and I have to honour those. Have you asked Kyle?"

Isabel winced and fresh tears trickled from her eyes. She shook her head and recanted, "I shouldn't have even asked you. I'm sorry. It's just you have no idea how excruciating this is. I think I said something inappropriate to Kyle, earlier but he thankfully didn't take it to heart. I can't seriously ask him, either, not just because it's a huge deal but because I'm still technically Jesse's wife. Kyle would never and I'd never put him in that position where he's torn between his morals and our friendship. The very same reasons that I shouldn't have asked you. Can you forgive me?"

Michael squeezed her hand and asked, "For what? I don't know what you're talking about."

Isabel silently mouthed, "Thank-you."

Michael kissed her forehead and offered, "I'm about to head to bed, but if there's anything I can get for you before I do, tell me now."

Isabel tried to smile and she thumbed toward Kyle's passed out form as she explained, "I have a pact with him - I'm supposed to wake him up, if I need anything. I've been pretty hard on him today. I don't want to hurt his feelings by breaking our deal but thanks, anyway, Michael."

Michael reminded her again, "You're on the home stretch, right? There's a light at the end of this tunnel."

Isabel quipped bitterly, "It could be the tail lights of the train that keeps slamming into my insides."

Michael winced but corrected, "I don't think trains have tail lights. Cabooses, though, you're golden."

Isabel rolled her eyes and said, "Goodnight, Michael!"

Michael squeezed her hand, again and went to bed. To his surprise, mere seconds after their usual round three, Maria bounded out of bed and started getting dressed. Michael questioned her, "Maria, where are you going?"

Maria stammered and then blurted, "I'm umm, I'm gonna go pee and since I'm going up, anyway, I might as well take up our growing collections of dirty dishes and used condoms. I really hope we get to live someplace where we get an actual attached bathroom, someday. I'm so bloody done with having to get dressed, just to go pee in the middle of the night or too early in the morning or whatever! I won't be long, but miss me, anyway."

Michael grumbled, "Duh. Just hurry back. I'm tired but too wound up to fall asleep without you."

Maria smiled fondly at him and went upstairs.

I love this story, and am thrilled to see more.
Michael and Maria will always be hot/cold or ying/yang. And no one will ever want to be close to their room during sexual activities.
It's so great to see Max and Liz as the married couple, finally.
Ava along adds to the dynamics of the trip. I always loved her in the original story........and agree with her that she is broken. Hope being with this gang they will help her heal.
And most surprising of all, Isabel with baby Alex and Jesse wants a divorce.
I'm wondering about those "breeding pains". Do they just effect the gals, what about Max and Michael?
Thanks for taking us along on this journey Fidomom.........we were cheated on the original show by not having this adventure.
Thanks, Carolyn

keepsmiling7 wrote:I love this story, and am thrilled to see more.
-snip-
I'm wondering about those "breeding pains". Do they just effect the gals, what about Max and Michael?
Thanks for taking us along on this journey Fidomom.........we were cheated on the original show by not having this adventure.
Thanks, Carolyn

I would write this story even if I had zero feedback but your constant support does bring me joy, Carolyn, so really, thank-you. As for breeding pains - nope it's just the girls who get that unpleasant little party, lol. There will remain unanswered questions in this and likely in several other chapters besides but I do intend to clear up everything by story end. I feel like this will be a pretty long story because besides what I already have notes on, I keep thinking up more stuff, lol. Time will tell. Thanks for reading.

~FM

Title: Finding Something Better
Author: Fidomom

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. It is only loosely based on characters from the 1999-2002 tv series Roswell as I imagine they could be from different points throughout and beyond the three seasons of the show. I am not affiliated with any of the original creations nor creators from the series. I will make no monetary gains from publishing this work of fiction.

Pairings/Characters/Category: Michael & Maria, Max & Liz, Kyle, Isabel, Ava, CC, UC, AU, w/Aliens
Rating: Adult
Summary: This chapter - Liz and Max make time for each other. The crew reacts to some new information. Kyle and Isabel get closer. Ava gives into residual grief. Michael and Maria don't see eye to eye ... until they do.

Finding Something Better
by Fidomom

Chapter Nine

Max looked over at Liz, sitting in the shotgun seat of the second vehicle that Kyle, Michael and Ava had pieced together from scratch, and he asked, "So do you want to grab a bite to eat, before we head to the grocery store? I heard somewhere, that it's dangerous to the wallet, to shop for food on an empty stomach."

Liz looked at him oddly and then asked, "Max, are you turning our errand run into date night? Is that what we've been reduced to?"

Max's face pinkened slightly, he smiled hesitantly and asked, "Would that really be so terrible? It's not like we can just be carefree and go on real dates every time we feel like it. We're newlyweds, Liz. Is it so wrong if I want to spend some quality time, alone with my wife, outside of that house?"

Liz refuted gently, "No, Max, of course not. I never said that. I was honestly just teasing. Why shouldn't we make the most of whatever opportunities present themselves? I'm guessing by bite to eat, that you meant a drive through?"

Max shrugged and gave her a look of sympathy as he confirmed, "It's not really safe for us to just be out in the open, like we would be in a fancy sit down restaurant."

Liz nodded in understanding then brightened and said, "But you know there's no reason we can't make having a fast food picnic in this Dr. Frankenstein's car, as romantic as we like."

Max smiled in relief and agreed, "My thoughts exactly. We just need to be mindful of the time. The others know roughly how long it takes to do the big grocery haul. I'd rather not be grilled on how we spent our time together, if we can avoid it."

Liz flirted, "Well, now I'm intrigued! A picnic isn't that private, Max, so just what else did you have in mind?"

Max winked and smiled at her, "I don't think Michael and Maria have been out together, in this vehicle, yet. Somebody has to break it in. Why not the married couple?"

Liz remained intrigued but she was laughing, as if she was scandalized, as she protested, "Max Parker! Well, do we have umm the necessary things for that?"

Max used his chin to gesture toward the glove box and he teased, "I don't know, Liz? Do we?"

Liz smiled at him appreciatively and declared, "Well, I'm not even going to open that, right now. I trust you and I'm all about this entire idea with you! Why did I ever suppose that being married might get boring?"

Max frowned at her but his amusement was evident as he asked, "Is that what you really thought? Not if I can help it. Sonic?"

Liz nodded but stipulated, "I'd kill for a Crashdown burger right now, but sure, Sonic will have to do, instead, I guess."

After they picked up their food order, Max kept driving. Liz asked, "Where exactly are you driving to?"

Max answered, "One of the addresses you sent Michael and I to, last week, is actually unoccupied, vacant, abandoned. It has parking in the back, accessible by an alleyway. Very few neighbours. Broken alley lights, so it's dark there. Seems like a good place to have our picnic and not disturb anyone, nor be disturbed, either."

Liz grinned and declared, "That does sound pretty perfect for what we have in mind!"

Max parked the vehicle, killed the engine, used his powers to tint the car windows for extra privacy, just in case, and then he distributed their food order between them.

As he unpacked his food, he complained softly, "I was so busy thinking about you and about us, that I forgot to bring along tabasco sauce and sugar."

Liz suggested, "Michael helped build this car. Have you checked the console, yet?"

Max opened the console between the driver's seat and the passenger seat and he exclaimed in surprise, "How did you know that those would be there? Was it a premonition?"

Liz smirked and answered, "Nope. Maria's my best friend. I know far more about Michael than any of us even want me to know."

Max nodded and mused aloud, "I guess it wasn't such a far fetched expectation because if there is one thing, even I know about Michael, it's that he can be counted on to think with his libido or with his stomach or ... hmm, no, it really is, just those two things, in that order, usually. I wish he'd put as much planning and forethought into other decisions he makes."

Liz reminded Max, "When was the last time he actually let you down, though?"

Max nodded, conceding, "Admittedly it has been a long while. Maybe I should ease up on him, at least in my private thoughts?"

Liz finished swallowing a big bite of her burger and said, "Yeah. At least, unless or until, he gives you a reason not to."

Max watched Liz polishing off her meal and said meaningfully, "I don't really want to talk about Michael, anymore."

Liz was gathering up their trash and stuffing it into the paper bags the food had come in as she stated, "That suits me because as soon as you're done eating, I'd like to open that glove box and not talk at all, for at least twenty minutes."

Max hastily helped clean up their mess and declared, "I'm definitely done eating. Up here or back seat?"

Liz pondered the question briefly as she relieved the glovebox of it's relevant contents and she pointed out, "There isn't a steering wheel with an alarmingly loud car horn, in the back seat."

They climbed over or rather tumbled over the front seats together in a laughing tangle of arms and legs and several giggled, "Ow!" s besides.

In the interests of time and the tight space, rather than completely take off their clothes they opted for exposing just enough skin for each other, to exchange pleasure.

They each took their heads out from their shirt necks, including Liz's bra and put their shirts behind their necks, as if they were both wearing a shrug, so that their bared chests would be in direct contact.

They undid each others pants, as they kissed in hurried passion, pausing so Max could tug Liz's snug khakis down and he helped her take just one leg out of them, as well.

Max thumbed her aroused nipples as they kissed, then they had to pause, again, so that Liz could roll the condom onto his erection. They resumed kissing and touching each other and then Liz curled one leg around Max, low on his back and pulled him closer suggestively. Max entered her at the same moment that his tongue caressed hers and she moaned in pleasure.

He thrust vigorously into her and she met his thrusts, as much as she could, in the confined space. When he was spent, he continued pleasing her with his fingers, and with his kisses and lovebites, until she stifled her scream of ecstasy against his bared collar bone.

They lay together still joined for about a minute, still breathing hard, and Max spoke in a voice thick with emotion, against his wife's neck, "I love you, Liz Parker."

Liz caressed the back of his head, combing through his short hair with her fingers as she reciprocated, "I love you, too, Max Parker. All things considered, that went better than I expected. Thank-you for the surprise date night. We should probably go get that grocery haul, now, though."

Max kissed her lips a few more times, then nodded and carefully pulled away from her. They helped to right each others clothing, kissed a couple of more times and then Max tied the open end of his used condom and put it in his pocket.

Liz understood that he couldn't just go leaving alien DNA laying around in a condom, even if it seemed unlikely to ever be discovered but she did mention, in an amused tone, "Hope you remember to deal with that properly before laundry day or whoever is on laundry duty, is in for a decidedly awkward find!"

Max chuckled, nodded and committed, "Yes. I will definitely empty my pockets when we get back to the house."

*****

At the knock on the door, Kyle, Ava and Isabel looked at each other worriedly. They were the only ones available to answer it. An impromptu, silent round of rock, paper, scissors, elected Ava.

Kyle took Lex upstairs and Isabel stood by, to give Ava back-up, if needed. Ava opened the door and demanded, "Yeah? What do you want?"

The portly, middle-aged woman smiled coldly and said, "Lemons took fifty years."

Ava hurriedly stepped aside, as she informed Isabel, "It's just Kal. He used the pass code."

Isabel called out, not that loudly, "It's Kal, Kyle. Come on back down here."

Kal shifted back into the form he'd lived as, the longest and asked, "Where's Max?"

Kyle joined them again, gave Lex back to Isabel and answered, "Grocery run."

Kal queried further, "And the second in command? And his guardian?"

Isabel frowned and asked, "If you mean Michael and Maria, they are ... indisposed at the moment but should be available again, shortly, since Michael has to go to work, in a couple of hours. And she's not his guardian, Mr. Langley, she's his girlfriend."

Kal commanded, "What do you mean he has to go to work? As in a job? That stops immediately! Do you foolish children not understand that the danger you are in is real?! What were you thinking?"

Isabel argued defensively, "We were thinking we'd like to do things like oh, I don't know have a roof over our heads and eat? You have some nerve waltzing in here, out of the blue and telling us what to do and not do! Why - wait Max told me that questions don't necessarily beget answers, where you're concerned. Tell me exactly what it is that you think you are doing here!"

Kal defended petulantly, "Just because I was reluctant to co-operate with your brother, doesn't mean I'm incapable of answering questions, if I want to. What I think I'm doing here, is reinstating myself as your Royal Protector. It seems you lot are still incapable of protecting yourselves. Foolish, foolish children.

There are many things that need to change, starting with this jobs insanity, and many things, which all of you need to be made aware of, since apparently you are all quite ill informed.

When do you expect Max to return? There's no sense even trying to educate you, without him."

Isabel frowned and said, "Now that you mention it, Max and Liz should have been back by now. It doesn't usually take this long to do the grocery run. As for your condescending attitude, Mr. Langley, it's suddenly clear to me, why Max doesn't like you."

Kal's jaw clenched and he bit out tersely, "I'm not here to be your friend; I'm here to keep you alive and safe from detection and therefore from harm, as well. There isn't room in this equation for your ego or for human emotional weaknesses. I've a job to do and I mean to do it."

Ava muttered in annoyance, "Better late than never, I guess."

Kal addressed her, "If you have something to say, please, by all means, say it."

Ava's eyes watered, as she glared at him and raised her voice accusingly, "Where was all this concern for keeping us alive when Zan needed protection from Lonnie and Rath? I hold you just as responsible for his death, as they are! You abandoned us in a damned sewer!"

Kal explained himself at length, "Hindsight is twenty twenty. I've never been psychic. I thought the entire mission was overly ambitious. I expected none of you to survive outside of those pods. By the time I discovered otherwise, I was quite attached to the life I'd been living and felt no pull to complete the mission. My superiors were long dead. Until Max asserted his authority, that is and forced me to shift.

Something about that process reawakened my mission directives. I've been fighting them, ever since. These new developments, though, breeding with other than your intended mate, well ahead of schedule, even, and then producing offspring that emerge as if they were fully human infants, have suddenly made this mission not only more interesting but more important.

Her Royal Majesty, The Queen's dreams for the mission have been derailed and yet the changes are not without merit. This is not how she intended things to play out but since her children have continued on and are producing children, then ultimately, she got what she wanted.

When I detected the new hybrid, I was quite frankly, expecting it to be another back-up copy of King Zan. The Queen tended to err on the side of overdoing things, rather than risk the obliteration of the Royal bloodlines. I imagine that she has several contingencies in place, to ensure that her children, at the very least, will continue on."

Ava bit out, angrily, "It's a pretty story but it's cold comfort. Zan is still dead. Your excuses don't reverse that."

Kal argued, "The superior version of King Zan, is very much alive. Losing the back-up, while regrettable, is not catastrophic."

Ava accused incredulously, "You are a cold-hearted monster, Mr. Langley."

Kal shrugged and concurred, "I am unburdened by frivolous human emotion."

Maria startled them all, by addressing Kal quietly, "I would argue that you are burdened enough to hate, therefore somewhere inside of you, you are also quite capable of love. Compassion and empathy are closely related to love. Kindness for kindness' sake, costs you nothing."

Kal seemed flustered by her words and he wouldn't meet Maria's eyes but he did manage to say to Ava, "Please accept my condolences."

Ava scoffed, "Sure, maybe when the sun turns to ice."

Kal was not offended by her response, in the least. Kal instead addressed Michael standing elbow to elbow with Maria, "You no longer have a job. If any of your associates living here with you, care about your survival, they will also cease to have jobs."

Michael objected, "And how are we supposed to pay rent, or bills or buy gas or groceries, without jobs?"

Before Kal could respond, the commotion in the kitchen, alerted them that Liz and Max had finally returned with the groceries.

Kal opened his mouth to speak and Maria interrupted him, stating quietly, "It's waited this long; it can wait until the groceries have been brought in and put away."

Kal shrugged, conceding her point. Maria took Lex from Isabel and stayed with him and their guest while Isabel, Kyle, Ava and Michael went to go help unload and unpack the groceries.

When the rest of the crew returned to the living room, Max and Liz had clearly been brought up to speed on Kal's reason for being there.

Max stated bluntly, "I'm not entirely sure what your real agenda is with us but I know that you have one. In the interest of this crew, the people I care for most, in this world, I'll co-operate with anything that is in their best interests, all of them, not just the royal four. If you can't make a case for that, regarding changes you want us to make, expect our unanimous refusal to comply. Vow your acceptance of my terms."

Kal clenched his jaw but nodded and obliged, "As you wish, your Royal Highness, King Zan of Antar, I vow my acceptance of your terms."

Max ordered, "So, since you've made a point to come back; educate us, then, shape-shifter. Tell us everything we need to know. I'm particularly interested in how you expect us to live without a source of income."

*****

Ava cried herself to sleep that night, for the first time, in a very long while. Kyle's mind was reeling with all of the new information, Kal had shared. He prayed about it all, for nearly an hour.

While he was getting ready for bed, there was a light tap on his door. He opened it and smiled uncertainly, to see Isabel there, already in her pajamas and robe. She asked, "Can we talk?"

Kyle gestured her inside of his room and they sat on the edge of his air mattress, together. He prompted her, "What's on your mind?"

Isabel laughed wryly and countered, "What isn't? Kal's information dump was something else!"

Kyle tried again, "Let me rephrase, then. What is the most troubling thing on your mind?"

Isabel blurted, "The elixirs! I'm afraid to use the one he told me to use! What it is supposed to do is scary enough, but what if it harms Lex? He expects me to use my child as a guinea pig! It was intended for use by Antarians, not human-alien hybrids!"

Kyle pondered that and he pointed out, "Max can't interfere with natural life ending things but if you use the elixir, he should be able to reverse it, if it turns out to be harmful. Do I have that right?"

Isabel let out a sigh of relief and confirmed, "Yes, you have that right. I don't know why that didn't occur to me on my own. It's not just that, though. I don't know if I can handle watching Lex fast-track through all of the milestones I've been looking forward to. Kal has a point, though, not only is an infant more dependent than an older child, but even if I don't do this, with Lex, when I have more kids, which I think I will, they will need to be appropriately age spaced, which means more than four months apart. I mean seriously, I got breeding pains just last week and Lex is only three months old!

Talk about drawing attention! Oh how cute! Which infant is yours? Both. Oh. Are they twins, then? No. I can just pop babies out every four months! I don't know what to do, about the elixir, Kyle! Any suggestions?"

Kyle was quiet for several seconds and then he answered, "Nothing."

Isabel lamented, "Great so even my go to guy doesn't have any advice for me!"

Kyle said, "Oh. Oh! No, no, Isabel, I wasn't saying I got nothing, that was my advice to you; do nothing. Until it's necessary to widen the age gap between your future kids, that is. Maybe Lex will be appropriately older than your next child without the elixir? Just enjoy your baby, in the meantime."

Isabel smiled knowingly at him and accused lightly, "You don't want Lex to stop being a baby just yet, either."

Kyle answered solemnly, "Not even a little bit. He's perfect, as is. Why mess with that on the say so of some shady, shape-shifting alien?"

Before he realised what was about to happen, Isabel was already withdrawing from the gentle kiss she'd laid on his lips.

She smiled sheepishly and defended, "I did warn you that I'd probably do that. I'm not sorry for it but I am sorry that it's still too soon for you to reciprocate the way we both want you to. It's just that it means more to me than I could express in words that you adore my little boy, now that he isn't creepy growth and movement in my belly, anymore! I needed to let you know, a different way.

And Kyle? If Jesse's correct about the date that our divorce will be final, then I'm expecting something pretty amazing to happen between me and my very best friend, at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, since it's already kind of a special date, to us. Okay?"

Kyle agreed wordlessly, with a nod of his head.

Isabel paused at his bedroom door before returning to her own room. She spoke softly, "Goodnight, Kyle and thank-you.", and she soundlessly closed his door behind her, on her way out.

Kyle whispered, "Goodnight, Isabel.", a full minute after she'd already left and then he resumed praying.

*****

Liz and Max lay in bed together, after making love, again and helped each other process some of what Kal had told them. Liz marveled, "So now we know why a fifty-seven year gestation only produced beings who appeared to be six years old. That elixir is incredible."

Max nodded and added, "Imagine if the wrong people found out about it? At least it can't be used by anyone who has already stopped growing. I guess that's good. Ineffective on anyone over four feet tall, as well. It's bizarre. How does the elixir know the difference?"

Liz chuckled and answered, "It doesn't, Max! It's not sentient; it's scientific! It's about body mass and interaction with active epiphyses. If the bone plates are already fused, then the elixir has nothing to interact with. The potency doesn't stack by quantity, so even if there was enough to cover a being taller than four feet, it would be diluted by the distribution to the body mass and not work. I wish I could study it in person. It's just remarkable!

Same with that other one! The rapid growth one! Knowing it was used on you in your other life, explains the weird authority dynamic between you and Isabel in this life, despite that you are, in fact, her younger brother, in both worlds. I used to think it was only about the King thing, but it obviously went deeper than that and carried over, even in the absence of the elixir, in this world."

Max asked, "So do you really think it would be safe to give to alien-human or rather alien double human hybrid kids, in this world?"

Liz shrugged and admitted, "I don't want to think too much about how your royal scientists tested it, but yes, I believe it does what it does, harmlessly. Growing is what we do, until our bone plates fuse, anyway, the elixir just speeds up the process. I think the only drawback for using it, would be if there were no way to impart knowledge to the brain, at the same rate as the growth. The imparting kind of requires alien-human hybrid flashes interaction."

Max prompted her, "So you aren't at all concerned about the speed growth elixir possibly being used on Lex, at some point?"

Liz grimaced and admitted, "In theory, no, in practical use, I don't know. The logic of it makes sense to me but I have pretty strong feelings for Lex. If Isabel did use it and it went badly could you fix it?"

Max answered carefully, "If by go badly you mean if it proved toxic or Lex had a severe allergic reaction but it didn't make growth changes to him, then yes, I could heal him. If it made the changes and then had life threatening side-effects, I could undo the side effects but not the changes wrought by any growing that may have taken place."

Liz considered his answer and declared, "I'd risk it, then, if it was my decision to make, but I'd fully expect it to work exactly as intended. It would just be extra reassuring, having you as the fail safe."

They stopped talking, then, to make love, again and then fell asleep in each others arms.

*****

Michael couldn't sleep because he was used to being awake all night. He felt badly about not giving proper notice at his job. His employer had been decent to him and he also felt bad for the dogs. They'd be pretty stressed and confused by his absence, by now. He had considered ignoring Kal's advice and giving proper notice but he actually agreed with his reasons not to and so he just didn't show up for his shift.

He watched Maria sleeping, as he pondered some of the things, Kal had told them. He didn't realize he'd dozed off until Maria was shaking him awake and asking him, in concern, "Say no to what, Michael? What is it you want me to say no to?"

Michael knew what he'd been dreaming about, again, but it was a can of worms he wasn't ready to open with her, just then. He delayed his answer, "Huh? Maria? What?"

Maria repeated herself, "You were talking in your sleep, again. Having that recurring dream. What do you want me to say no to, Michael?"

Michael blinked for effect and fibbed, "I still have no idea. Whatever it was, it's gone already. Sorry if I woke you up with it, though. You going back to sleep?"

Maria sighed and declined, "No, I don't think I can and you didn't wake me up, my bladder had that honour. When I came back from tinkling, you were having that dream."

Michael posited, "I don't usually sleep at this time of night, anyway, kind of surprised that I dozed off, but since we're both awake, now, what do you wanna do?"

Maria shrugged and answered, "The other thing that I like to do with you, in bed, that isn't sex."

Michael guessed, "Talk. What do you wanna talk about?"

Maria confirmed, "Yeah, that. That Kal guy. He makes me uneasy. He told us a lot, earlier and yet I get the distinct feeling he is not telling us even more than that. What's your take on him? You usually have pretty good instincts about people, even if technically he isn't a people, he just looks like one, in front of us."

Michael answered haltingly, "I get his focus on safety and agree with him as far as that goes but I don't like or trust the guy, any more than you or Maxwell do. There's definitely something shady about him. He left our clones in a sewer and never looked back until Maxwell got in his face. I don't know if I could ever trust a guy like that. Time will tell, I guess."

Maria asked, "Any thoughts on those elixirs?"

Michael shrugged, "Not really. The growth accelerator may have it's uses for Isabel in the future, none of us can use the age retardant, not that we would ever want or need to, anyway and the birth control one isn't something I'm willing to test at the risk of your life, so in a nutshell, none of the elixirs interest me in the slightest. That information dump almost felt like a smoke screen, to me."

Maria protested, "Well, I like the idea of a birth control method that either one of us could use, that is not a piece of plastic between us, and isn't some ridiculously expensive pill that I have to remember to take."

Michael sighed, kissed the side of her head and admitted, "If it had well documented proof that it works, I'd be down with that, too, but the point is, we don't know if it works and the only way to test it, puts your life at risk, so nope, that method will never be an option for us."

Maria nodded and conceded, "No, I know. But still, I mean hypothetically, if we had proof that it worked or if me becoming pregnant wasn't life threatening, would you be willing to try it? No pills for me, no condoms for us?"

Michael answered, "Hypothetically? Yeah, in a heartbeat. Our current method isn't even one hundred percent effective, but it's close enough, because the only truly fail proof method is no sex at all and I don't think we could live like that.

It's not like I never worry that our current method could fail, but it's both of us making an informed choice, and it is your body and your life, so, it's a gamble I take; but I never take it lightly. If I let myself think about what if, too much, I'd be afraid to make love to you, at all."

Maria firmly grasped his jaw and insisted, "You are hereby forbidden from thinking about what if, too much, in that case!"

Michael cupped her breast and asked, "Was that the no more talking, after all, cue? Or am I reading you wrong?"

Maria moved toward his touches and whispered before kissing him, "I don't think you've ever been wrong about knowing when I want you."

Maria sheathed his erection in a condom, with a quick expertise born of significant practice, then pulled him down on top of her and into her body.

As Michael thrust with her, he admitted between kisses, "I suddenly remember what I like about unemployment."

Their love making was feverish and intense enough to make them both perspire heavily and yet not nearly as intense as the emotional and mental connection they were sharing through the flashes.

As they lay clinging to each other, breathing hard, in the aftermath, Maria asked in wonder, "Michael? What did I just see? I know it wasn't one of my memories. The only weddings I've been to were Isabel's and Liz's but that was neither of those. Whose wedding was that?"

Michael winced and stated quietly, "Ours."

Maria lifted her head to look at him in disbelief and she demanded, "Excuse me? You're going to have to explain that one because we've never had a wedding, Michael; we aren't married. I thought you could only share memories?"

Michael nodded, sighed and concurred, "So did I."

Maria asked gently, "So what was that then?"

He admitted uncomfortably, "Probably the result of my obsessive wishful thinking; that dream I keep having. Guess it's happened so often that my brain thinks it's a memory, now."

Maria took several seconds to absorb his words and then she blurted out incredulously, "Wait, I'm sorry, what? Wishful? Are you saying that you want to marry me, Michael?"

Michael nodded confirming, "Yeah, but we aren't actually going to do that, though. Obviously."

She demanded indignantly, "No, not obviously! Why not?"

He explained solemnly, "I have to do what's best for you; and that means I can never do the selfish thing and propose to you."

Maria's eyes narrowed on him and she asked in confusion, "How do you figure that proposing to me, is in any way selfish?"

Michael elaborated with regret in his voice, "It's like this, Maria, see, I want you to be my wife because that is what is best for me. That is what would improve my life, but the opposite is true for you.

If I were your husband, it would diminish your quality of life over time. It would be a misery that you never asked for and definitely don't deserve! It would be like condemning you to a sinking ship with no means of escape or rescue when you can't even tread water, nevermind swim.

I just can't do that to you. It's better, as is; we both know that you are with me by choice and not because of a legal obligation or unrealistic promises we made sheerly for tradition's sake; just because everyone before us made those same promises on their wedding day, too."

Maria's eyes flashed furiously even as she asked way too calmly, "Misery? Really, Michael? So what, are you psychic like Liz, now? Is this some new alien super power, that you all have? How many times are you going to use the exact same argument? That in depriving me of you, you're somehow doing what's best for me? Because seriously? Give me a freaking break, already!"

Michael stubbornly defended much less calmly, "It doesn't take either a psychic nor a genius to know the truth and the truth is, you are it for me but I do not have to be it for you! You could go have a life with zero alien content! A life with a bonafide one hundred percent human guy and get married; you could have your dream wedding!

You could even have babies that won't end your life and who would be at zero risk of having alien blood and being hunted whether they do or they don't have blood like mine, simply because I fathered them! That's the life I want for you, okay! A happy life, without me around, to screw it all up for you and make you miss out on things that I know for a fact that you've looked forward to since you were a little kid because I've seen everything there is to see and know, inside of you!"

Maria laughed, scoffing openly, "Oh, you are so full of it, Michael Guerin! You so do not want me with anyone but you and dare I say the words out loud for fear things around us might start bursting into flames or exploding but you most definitely do not want another man's baby, growing inside of my body!"

They both saw the sparks and heard the shattering sounds of glass as their lamps and downstairs television set broke.

Maria exclaimed, "Oh my God! You see? I totally called that."

Michael sighed and defended in exasperation, "Well, if I wasn't around to witness it, then you wouldn't have to be careful of, nor witness my uncontrolled power surges! Can't you just for once agree to do or in this case, not do, what is best for you, so that I don't have to feel like this disaster, that you're giving up your happiness for? Do you have any idea, at all, how much this is killing me?"

Maria glared at him and quipped, "Oh, here's a thought; why don't you stop projecting your fears onto our reality so it will stop killing you! Damn it, Michael, I love you! You! And no I really don't have the options you seem to think I do! It's simply not even possible for me to get over you, tried that and failed, or move on without you, because tried that and failed that, too, or for me to love some other random human guy instead of you, because my heart adamantly refuses to let go of you and do you know why that is?"

Michael muttered in annoyance, "No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me."

Maria passionately explained herself, "Because even without the sex flashes, you have set the bar so damned high nobody else could ever even hope to measure up to everything you are to me; all the ways that you have improved my life! I do not see you the way that you obviously see yourself!

You are everything good in this life for me and I'm so furious at you and scared right now because you are, once again, talking about making a decision that will deprive me of the most amazing damned love that I could have ever hoped for, in my life! Do not do this to me, again, Michael! I am begging you! You say that I'm it, for you? Well, right back at you, pal-ly! Uggghhh! Why do you have to be so stubbornly pessimistic?"

Michael countered quietly, "It's not the same thing, though. Do you even understand why you are it for me?"

Maria insisted angrily, "Because I'm bloody amazing!"

Michael half-smiled in spite of himself and admitted, "Well, yeah, you are. I definitely can't argue with that, but -"

Maria said irritably, "Shocking."

Michael continued, "But besides that, the reason is, there are no alien hybrid females available to me besides Isabel, who is like my sister and already in love with someone else besides and Ava, who, although single, is still all about that Maxwell copy that died and she will probably never stop grieving for him, besides which, I just don't feel those kind of feelings about either of them, anyway!

Also, we all made that pact not to tell any other humans about us, so even if I tried to be with any other human besides you, I would be entering a relationship already built on a lie and we see how well that's turning out for Isabel and Jesse. Damned if I do and damned if I don't and the worst part, for me, is that anyone in a relationship with me is doomed to be exposed to the risks and dangers I pose, just because I exist!"

Maria pulled away looking stricken and she asked in a shaky voice, "Wait, so are you saying that you're just settling for me because you're what? Out of any other options?"

Michael looked truly baffled by her question as he quickly refuted, "What? No! Dammit, Maria! No, that's not - listen, okay? You are the only person in this world, in any world, who knows everything about me; things even Maxwell and Isabel don't know and somehow you still love me anyway. I don't want to lose that; I don't actually want to be without you, Maria! Not ever."

Maria growled and demanded in frustration, "Aaargh! Then why do you keep suggesting that we're better off apart?!"

He explained in equal frustration, "Because! Don't you get it? I love you so damned much, so how can I not want to protect you from the thing that poses the most devastating threat to you, namely me? Why is my solution to your happiness and safety automatically wrong?"

Maria sighed heavily and explained with a somewhat relieved laugh, "Oh, well that's easy. Faulty logic."

He narrowed his eyes at her and demanded, "Faulty logic? Explain."

Maria held her open palm to his cheek and obliged, "Michael, honey, you've already touched my life. The people hunting you can easily find out that I am your girlfriend and that we've been intimate. They'll probably want to debrief me, you know to see if you've infected my DNA or brainwashed me, probably want to do all kinds of hidden inhumane tests on me and if you aren't around to protect me from that, then you leaving me, in order to protect me, would be for nothing. Faulty logic."

Michael was quiet as he briefly imagined Maria in some white room and then he conceded to her, "Okay."

Maria prompted him, "Okay? Okay, what?"

Michael turned his face to kiss her open palm and then he replied, "Okay, you win, but I wasn't actually planning on leaving you. You're right, I can't protect you, if we're apart but I still wonder everyday if we should get off of the relationship merry go round. I don't know, maybe I should just be your bodyguard but not your boyfriend, and not your lover, any more, from now on."

Maria chuckled at the notion and argued, "Oh, Michael, you may talk yourself into attempting that from time to time but we both know that it won't stick, you said so yourself not two hours ago. You and I could never live like that. It's a proven fact that you inevitably find me irresistible and I, of course, would actively sabotage your plans to keep us platonic, so you would just be mine again, anyway. So in conclusion, now that I know where your head is at, I can finally relax, knowing that eventually you and I will make all of this legally binding and permanent."

Michael argued but it lacked conviction, "No, Maria, we won't. I'll admit if I tried just being your bodyguard, I'd likely end up back in this bed with you but -"

She corrected him without missing a beat, "You mean you'll remain a permanent fixture in this bed with me for the rest of our lives together."

He only paused for a second before agreeing with her prediction, "Yeah, okay fine, probably, that, I do have needs but we are still never getting married."

Maria insisted patiently, "Of course we are, Michael. We're in love and that is what people do when they're in love. They get married and they try to make as much happiness together as possible between the hum-drum domesticity and inevitable crises that arise. They live because they love. Just like you and I will."

Michael held her hand without saying anything for several seconds and then he spoke very quietly, nearly under his breath, "If you only knew how badly I want to believe that with you."

Maria squeezed his hand and assured him, "It's okay, spaceboy, I will believe enough for both of us until you take Madame Vivian's advice and finally believe in the love yourself."

Michael scoffed and complained, "Oh, come on, not that again! She was a fake!"

Maria argued, insisting, "No, she wasn't but even if she was, she was still not wrong about that."

Michael was quiet again for a bit before admitting, in a voice thick with emotion, "I don't believe in her but I do believe in you, angel. Come here. Closer."

Maria snuggled in as close as she could get and he continued, "That's better. Look, I'm sorry for upsetting you with all of my doubts. I can't help worrying about your safety but your feelings are also important to me. I never intend to hurt you or piss you off but it seems to be what I wind up doing best, instead, anyway."

Maria hastily refuted that claim, "What you do best? Oh, not by a long shot! Let me remind you what you do actually do best, my sexy alien almost fiance."

He tried to insist, half-heartedly though, "More like rotten boyfriend."

Maria argued with firm, loving conviction, "Past? Maybe. Now? Nope. Future? Definitely my idea of ideal husband material."

Michael sighed forlornly and denied, "Not if I can help it."

She kissed him on the mouth quickly and declared, "Well, that settles it, then; you can't help it, because I said so! I won't let you shoot yourself in the heart or the foot or however it is that the saying goes.

Besides, you might be psychic after all. Either that or else maybe you snooped in my brain, intentionally or not, because with only a few exceptions, the details of your wedding wish flashes, pretty much matched mine."

Michael tensed in interest and asked for elaboration, "Oh? They did? Really? What was different?"

She rubbed her cheek against his bared chest, as she related, "What you were wearing and my hair. In my fantasy wedding with you, you don't wear a tux, you wear the standard issue Michael Guerin uniform and my -"

He interrupted to ask, in appalled confusion, "What? My janitor uniform?"

Maria guffawed at that and quickly corrected, "Oh, no, no, no! I meant a black t-shirt, jeans, boots and a motorbike jacket! Now, as I was saying, the other difference was that my hair would be up, but just on the sides, rather than all the way loose like in yours."

Michael asked in surprise, "So everything else was the same, then?"

She mused aloud, dreamily, "Yep, night wedding, candles, outdoor garden, lots of white flowers, short dress, just our crew, oh except in mine, my Mom also gives us her blessing and gets to see us get married."

Michael winced and tried to let her down gently, "Unfortunately, that will not be possible."

She leaned forward and up to kiss him several times before announcing, "I have faith in you, Michael. I know you'll find a way to make it happen because you know I can't do it without her, she'd never forgive either of us."

Michael reverted to his earlier plan and said, "Well, it's all moot because we are not getting married."

Maria chuckled in clear disbelief and she accused, "Pfft! Lies! Knowing what I know, now, I bet you even already have jewelry for me."

Michael asked worriedly, "Did Isabel say something to you?"

Maria gloated victoriously, "A-ha! I knew it and no but why? Did she pick out my engagement ring, too?"

Michael asked her in consternation, "What do you mean by too?"

Maria spoke without moving her lips much, like she was divulging a long kept secret, "You know, my pearl earrings?"

Michael asked crestfallen, "Oh. You knew about those?"

Maria nodded sympathetically and Michael then asked, "So why'd you act so happy as if you thought that I had picked them out?"

She explained smugly, "Positive reinforcement. I just figured that if you saw how happy jewelry made me, then you'd get it right, even without Isabel's help, the next time."

Michael shrugged, nodded, seeing the logic in that and then proved it's effectiveness, by admitting, "Guess that must have worked, then, because I did choose your engagement ring and our wedding rings, all by myself."

Maria asked, "Why'd you think Isabel must have said something to me then?"

Michael hesitated and then confessed quietly, "She caught me looking at them a few weeks back and got them away from me before I could stop her. She asked me if I was gonna pop the question to you and when I said no, she believed me about as much as you do."

Maria chuckled at that and said, "That's because we both have more faith in you, than you have in yourself."

Michael suddenly kissed Maria deeply but stopped just short of making out with her to say with emotional intensity, "You're both wrong this time, though. I'm not proposing to you, after all, because you've already declared that we're getting married and frankly I'm getting tired of arguing against something I want so badly that I'm having recurrent dreams about it.

I do want you to be my wife, Maria. You saw that for yourself. I'm just scared that the happiest day of my life, will become the day you most regret, second only to the day we ever met at all."

Maria's eyes watered briefly. She shook them off, kissed him several times and then assured him, "I look forward to the years ahead where I get to gloat and tell you every single day, that your happiest day still matches mine."

He caressed her cheek with his thumb and whispered with naked hope, "If only it would play out like that."

Maria spoke his name with compassion, "Michael."

He waited expectantly and she continued, kissing him between every few words, "I am ridiculously, crazily, madly, passionately, intensely, dizzily, stupidly in love with you."

Michael's eyes teared up even though he chuckled softly and he shared, "It's not really news, Maria. I feel it all, especially when we make love. It makes me feel even more intoxicated than I was last New Year's Eve. Every cell in my body is convinced that I'm yours and yours alone."

Maria smiled and stated smugly, "Good. I agree with every cell in your body. You are all mine, spaceboy. Now, tell me when I get to wear my engagement ring."

Michael fiddled with the ring finger of her left hand and obliged, "Right before our wedding."

She pressed for more details, "Which is happening when?"

He answered pensively, "Sometime between now and I guess, the end of summer, next year."

Maria pouted and complained, "That's too vague. The thing is, I want to wear my engagement ring for at least a little while before we get married, so I'd like a clearer answer, please."

He nodded in understanding and bargained, "Fair enough. Okay, tell you what; if I haven't given it to you by Valentine's Day, I'll give it to you that day. Deal?"

Maria objected in disappointment, "Michael, that is more than four months from now! Why not sooner?"

Michael shrugged and stubbornly insisted, "It's either then or else not until I know for sure when our wedding day will actually be; take it or leave it."

Maria pouted silently as she mulled over his terms and then she asked him, "You won't forget? Or change your mind? You promise I get to have the ring?"

Michael nodded several times and answered, "Yes, I promise you get to have the ring."

She kissed him twice and said with a small smile, "Okay. Thank-you, Michael."

He kissed her forehead and said back, "You're welcome. You tired?"

Maria said with a flirtatious smile, "No. Why?"

He played with her hand and lamented coyly, "Me neither. Wanna get up and get dressed; go see if anyone else is up yet?"

Maria answered impatiently, "No, not really. Why? Do you?"

Michael shook his head, laced his fingers with hers and confessed, "Nope."

Maria directed his hand in hers, to her ass and asked him provocatively, "So what do you want to do, my incredibly sexy, soon to be fiance?"

Michael squeezed her ass cheek, and nuzzled her neck as he chuckled out, "What do I want to do? I'm thinking I'd really like to do my insistent, persistent, impossible and completely irresistible, unofficial fiancee. Over and over and over again, until we pass out, or until we get complaints, whichever comes first. Unless you're not in the mood, anymore."

Maria complained incredulously, "How much clearer could I make it? As if! When has that ever even been the case? Other than when I've been ill?"

He added, "Or when you're pissed at me, although, admittedly I've never actually tried to seduce you, then. If I was ever brave enough to try, I wonder if you'd totally go for it, if I touched you the way I know you like? Don't hit me, okay, but I think that you just might."

Maria gasped and seemed about to argue but then she pouted instead and admitted, "I so should not confirm that but you aren't wrong. Also, when I gloat I'm super cute but when you gloat, Michael, it is downright annoying."

Michael grinned and chuckled as he said smugly, "Now I know I'm getting some more; you're kind of insatiable when you're mildly annoyed with me."

Maria glared into his eyes briefly, then kissed his mouth hard and ordered, "Shut up and do me, already, spaceboy."

Michael shifted their positions to oblige, then paused to say, "Gladly. It's just ... Maria?"

She gave him an impatient look, at which he chuckled and then he continued more solemnly, "Just ... thank-you for choosing me. It is mutual. I mean that. You are definitely not someone I'm just settling for; you're my everything. I'm kind of desperately in love with you and I think whatever good there is inside of me, might just shrivel up and die without you."

Maria's impatience evaporated and she suggested with a loving smile, "Not saying I agree but just to play it safe, maybe you should just plan to never be without me. Okay?"

He let out a long tension releasing sigh and agreed, as he gently flicked at her nipple with the tip of his tongue, "Okay. That sounds really ... really ... good to me."

She arched herself toward his mouth and encouraged him to continue his adoration of her body, "Ooooh, oh, Michael, oh, God, yes."

He paused briefly to say smugly, "I totally called that. Ow."

He briefly rubbed at his arm where she'd lightly pinched him, as she scolded him verbally, as well, "What did I tell you about gloating? However, that doesn't mean stop touching me, my alien sex slave."

Michael resumed touching her and nuzzling her neck and breasts as he welcomed her orders, "Oh, good because I was kind of on a roll, here."

Maria shifted under his touches to better accommodate his wandering hands and she breathed out in mentally foggy pleasure, "Agreed. Oh, Michael! I love that you're such a hands on kind of ... oh God, yes ... spaceboy!"

While touching her intimately he whispered near her ear, "I may not use as many words or sounds, as you, angel, but everything about you, especially the way you touch me, and respond to me, makes me feel a level of pleasure that overwhelms and amazes me every time it happens, as if it's the first time, that I've ever felt like that. In short, you drive me crazy, in all the best ways, Maria DeLuca. Damn. I think we might actually end up married, like ... to each other."

Maria was physically encouraging and inviting him to fist her, even as she conversed, "Afraid so, spaceboy. Being happy is not going to be nearly as scary or, Oh, God, Michael, I love you, or as disastrous, as you seem to think it will be."

Michael paused to admit, "I actually really hope that you're right about that."

She nudged him impatiently to continue and informed him, "Oh, I am. You'll need to adjust to that fact. I will always be right about everything but most especially, and really absorb this part, I will always be right, for you."

As her orgasm shook her entire body, Michael kissed her through it and stated, as if there hadn't been a pause in their conversation, "That much, I don't question, anymore. Marriage, though?"

Maria tackled him, sheathed his erection and warned, "Has already been discussed and decided on. So how about you just shut-up, now because it's my turn to amaze you and drive you crazy, mmkay?"

He surrendered to her after confessing gratefully, "I'm already there, angel mine and I'm loving every minute of it. I love you, Maria. I'm all yours whether we get married or not."

She kept him too distracted to maintain further conversation about that or anything else, either.

Things are moving right along. However I did love the furniture resale business mentioned earlier.
I have felt sorry for Isabel the way Jesse reacted to their son.
The funniest part was Michael fishing for the condom......
Of course I loved Max and Liz's date night/grocery store run combination. Guess when you are traveling with others you cherish any time alone.
I was proud of Max for being prepared.
Thanks, and I'm looking forward to more.
Carolyn

@keepsmiling7 - I'm thankful you are still reading and enjoying the story, so far! I'm enjoying writing it and I can only hope that shows through. I absolutely adore the cast of Roswell - all of them (except Tess but I adore Emilie so Ava is my go to, so that I can include Emilie) but, my favourites are, of course, Michael and Maria - I just love them both so much!

They won't be doing furniture refurbishing & resales anymore as a source of income but refurbishing might crop up now and again, just as something to do for themselves.

Thanks as always for your support, Carolyn!

~FM

Title: Finding Something Better
Author: Fidomom

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. It is only loosely based on characters from the 1999-2002 tv series Roswell as I imagine they could be from different points throughout and beyond the three seasons of the show. I am not affiliated with any of the original creations nor creators from the series. I will make no monetary gains from publishing this work of fiction.

Pairings/Characters/Category: Michael & Maria, Max & Liz, Kyle, Isabel, Ava, CC, UC, AU, w/Aliens
Rating: Mature

Summary: This chapter - Michael is full of surprises and the crew has a good time together.

Author's Note: So I looked up some stuff on Google and in 2002, 8 lb laptops were already a thing, wifi was already a thing (but it could experience interference from other devices like walkie talkies, baby monitors, etc.) and video calling could be done with a program called CuSee-Me (whereas skype, msn, yahoo and aim were either not a thing yet or else they were not capable of video calls, at that time).

I don't recall any of that stuff in my own life experiences (my son, who has autism, was 6 years old at that time and so I was a little too busy back then to have use for any of that ) but I'll go ahead and trust Google on these matters, lol.

Now, whether or not those three facts could have actually worked together, I may never know, but for the purposes of this story, they did. This is science fiction, after all and I imagine that our beloved Roswell alien hybrids could have made that all work together, to suit their specific needs.

I put another note at the end of this chapter, because it's spoilerish.

~FM

Finding Something Better
by Fidomom

Chapter Ten

Isabel, Ava, Liz, Max and Kyle were having their usual morning coffee while socialising with Lex, when Maria suddenly appeared, obviously headed for the shower. She greeted them all in passing, but then ran back in to kiss Lex, promising him more of her time after her shower.

The crew had barely recovered from seeing Maria, instead of just hearing her, at that time of morning, when Michael joined them. He scooped up Lex from his bouncy seat and carried him around, while he made himself coffee and a huge bowl of a mixture of every cereal they had, and he chit-chatted with Lex, in between addressing the crew, without looking at them. He completely missed their stunned looks.

He kept Lex balanced on his knee, jiggling him, gently, as he talked to the crew between taking spoonfuls of mixed cereal and sometimes he even talked with his mouth full. In conclusion, he asked them, "So? I'm gonna need to know, guys. Can we make this happen, tonight?"

Everyone nodded and Liz asked, "She doesn't suspect?"

Michael smiled smugly and answered, "She doesn't have a clue; I made sure of that, last night. It's better that way, in case something goes wrong. She can't be disappointed, then.,

"So, Prozac, kid? Can Uncle Awesome count on you to keep your Auntie Maria busy today, or what?"

Lex made happy baby noises in Michael's general direction and gummy smiled at him engagingly.

Michael nodded in satisfaction, dropped a kiss on the top of Lex's head, handed him off to Ava, even though Kyle was closer and was holding out his arms to take him, put his dirty dishes in the sink and then Michael announced, "I gotta take off, before she gets out of the shower or she'll ask too many questions. Apparently, I have a tell when I lie to her; so I can't risk it!

I'll show up on time and I've got the rest of my parts at the ready, as well. Later, guys and you know, thanks or whatever."

When he'd been gone for ten seconds, they all looked at each other, in surprised amusement and Isabel giggled, as she asked, "Did any of that actually just happen or did I dream it? Am I dreaming, right now?"

Liz chuckled appreciatively but assured, "Oh, it happened but if I hadn't witnessed it myself, I sure would not have believed it, either! He put his dirty dishes away, even! I've never seen him like this!"

Kyle quipped, "You mean in the morning? Yeah, me neither. I was beginning to think he was only a night spook."

Isabel elbowed him, lightly, even though she was still smiling and she elected herself as the head co-ordinator for Michael's mission, as she asked, "So everyone knows what to do, today?"

A general consensus of head nodding confirmed it and Isabel exclaimed brightly, "Great! This is just what we needed, really, after that visit from Kal, last night! Oh. Should we tell him? Or no?"

Max sighed, then unclenched his jaw to answer, "Normally, I'd vote no, on that, because I don't think we owe him a damned thing, including explanations for how we choose to live, however, in light of the things he's told us, it might be best to tell him, and order him not to interfere, if only so he can't intrude, right in the middle of it and ruin everything. I'll do it."

"Do what, now? What did I miss?", Maria asked as she joined them all, properly, this time.

Isabel supplied a plausible fib that was partially true, "Lex needs a change. Max was offer-"

Maria waved away her words and informed Max, "This boy is all mine, today! Even when he's stinky! Well, except for feeding time, I mean, and you already had your turn, getting him all to yourself, this week, Max!,

"Come on, Auntie's beautiful boy, let's go get you all fresh and clean and then you can tell Auntie Maria all about your week, while I eat breakfast. How does that sound, my sweet little Lex?"

Lex made happy baby noises in Maria's general direction and gummy smiled at her engagingly. She took it as his happy acceptance of her plans, and carted him off to change him.

Once she and Lex had left the room, the others spoke in hushed voices, knowing that running water, the bathroom fan, and the hair dryer, wouldn't distort sound for them, this time.

Kyle lamented, "There isn't much for me to do, now that I'm unemployed and it's Maria's day with Lex. What are we supposed to do, all day?"

Isabel grinned brightly and assured him, "Oh, I have plenty of things for you to do, to keep you busy today! You're going to spend the day helping me pull this off, for those two!"

Max chuckled and gloated at him, "You asked!"

Ava chimed in, teasing, "Oh, I don't think he minds, all that much, Max!"

Kyle blushed and Ava's smile faltered, as she started to apologise, "I didn't mean-"

Kyle shook his head and interrupted her, "I know. Don't worry about it, Ava. It's fine. I'm sure it's not really news to anyone here, by now, anyway."

Max's brows rose and he asked, "Exactly what isn't news?"

Kyle looked over at Isabel briefly before informing Max, "I'm in love with a married woman."

Liz exclaimed softly, "Oh, wow. I knew you two were close but I didn't know that."

Max asked Isabel, solemnly, "Do I need to protect you, from him?"

Isabel smirked and informed Max, "No, little brother, if anything, he needs protection from me. He's being very respectful and patient, while my divorce from Jesse is pending. Me? Not so much!"

Max grinned then and advised her, "Take it easy on him, today or he'll deem himself unworthy to do his part, later."

Isabel fake pouted and agreed, "I never thought of that. Fine!,

"I'll behave myself, today, Kyle, promise!"

Kyle smiled and countered knowingly, "But, my friend, can you say that, again, without crossing your fingers behind your back, this time?"

Isabel smirked, shrugged and without even denying his allegation, she chose to neither answer his challenge nor repeat herself.

Isabel got the most obvious things done while Maria was taking Lex for a slow walk around the block, wearing him strapped to her body, facing out, so she could point out things and tell him about them.

The hardest part of the day, was keeping Maria none the wiser while Lex was napping. They tried to give her busy work, around the house, so she wouldn't catch on, that they were all up to something.

Liz kept her distracted the most effectively, by discussing Kal and his information dump, with her, so that the others could get their things done, without being grilled.

To Michael's credit, he even called Maria to check in, so that she wouldn't worry or start asking questions about where he'd gone off to. He regretfully informed her that he wouldn't be back in time for dinner and asked her to eat lightly so they could eat together when he got home. He claimed he was back-logged on doing random acts of kindness and couldn't handle hanging around the house doing nothing and being off schedule, due to unemployment, especially since it was Maria's day with Lex.

Even his lengthy excuse didn't tip her off, that anything was up. She just chalked it up to him finally maturing, coupled with their recent extra closeness, as the reasons why he was suddenly sharing more of his inner life, and anticipating and respecting her feelings, more than he used to.

Ava suggested a glamour contest between herself and Isabel, with Liz and Maria as the models and then Isabel claimed to feel left out, so she and Ava glamoured each other, as well. Maria was still not suspicious.

The crew ate dinner together a bit later than usual. Afterward, Maria and Isabel got Lex bathed and ready to go down for the night. He was in baby dream land by seven-thirty.

Maria was just about to start cleaning the kitchen, and idly wondered if Michael would be home soon, when her burner phone rang. She delayed what she was about to do, to answer it.

"I'm back but I'm not coming in, yet. I'm in the back yard. Can you do something for me?"

Maria frowned and asked, "Michael, what do you mean you aren't coming inside, yet? Why not? You have to be starving by now? I saved you some dinner. But whatever, okay, so what's going on? What is it you want me to do?"

"I want you to trust me. No matter how weird things seem, just trust me. Can you do that?"

Maria laughed wryly, "Well, duh! Of course I trust you and when aren't things weird? Just tell me already! What weird thing are you about to spring on me, now?"

"Take out the box of Lucky Charms cereal, dump it all into a big bowl and bring the prize you find, out here to me."

Maria shook her head frowning in baffled amusement and she blurted, "Breakfast cereal? What?"

"You said that you trust me."

Maria huffed and relented, "Okay, okay, fine. I did say that. I'll be right out with it, as soon as I find it."

She hung up and got right to it. Isabel asked, "What are doing? Aren't we on kitchen duty together, now?"

Maria waved her hand about as she explained, "Yes, but first I have to do this weird thing for Michael. I don't even know why but then I never do, with him, anyway, so what else is new?"

Kyle, Ava, Max and Liz came into the kitchen, just in time to hear her and Liz asked, "Well, where is he?"

Maria answered, "Back yard, apparently."

Max headed out the back door and Kyle piped up, "I'll just go with him, in case they need a referee.", and he headed out, too.

Ava excused herself, as well and announced she had to go upstairs to get something.

Maria finally found the prize, scooped it up and headed out to the back yard. Liz delayed her briefly, saying, "I thought my husband was coming back, right away. Maybe I'd better go out there with you, in case there's some problem."

Maria beckoned with her chin and said, "Come on then, let's go get our spacemen! There's a show I'd like to watch, later, if I can finish cleaning the kitchen in time. The sooner I indulge my guy in whatever weirdness he is up to, the sooner I can get to work!"

The second that Maria caught sight of the back yard, she knew what was going on, but she couldn't quite process it, as real.

Max nudged a blindfolded Michael and said, "She's here."

Michael spoke, as he held out his closed fist to her, "I'll trade you what's in my hand for that cereal prize."

Maria wordlessly put the prize in his free hand. Max guided Michael's fist to Maria's open palm and Michael released the contents onto it.

Maria saw it, screamed, yanked her hand away and dropped it, immediately lamenting, "I dropped it, Michael! Help me find it! How could you do this to me, with no warning?"

Michael chuckled and appealed to Max, indicating his blindfold, "Obviously, I can't help her find it, would you mind, Maxwell?"

Max made his hand glow and quickly found the dropped item.

He tried to give it to Maria, himself but she refused, "No, he has to give it to me, again."

Max gave it back to Michael and Michael held out his closed fist, and suggested, "Should we try this again, angel?"

She didn't drop it, the second time but she asked in nervous confusion, "What is going on? This is crazy! Michael? Liz? Somebody please tell me what is happening here!"

Michael answered as he reached for, found her hands and deftly slipped the engagement ring onto her left ring finger, "It's exactly what you think, it is, Maria. Please just trust me and let Liz and Isabel help you go get ready. Okay, now you have to take it back off, though and put it on your right ring finger because the wedding ring goes on first. Don't worry, I'll put it back on your left finger, later."

Maria did as he said, even as she argued against the reality, "But, but Michael you're even wearing what I said! How did you do all of this so fast? And I told you, last night, that I want to wear my engagement ring, for at least a little while before we get married; I kind of meant for longer than a minute, you know!"

Isabel startled Maria, by speaking directly behind her, "All will be explained later! Now come on, inside, so you can change into your dress!"

Maria insisted in a panic, "What are you talking about? I don't have a dress, for this!"

Isabel assured her, "Thanks to me, Ava, Liz and even your groom, yes you do! Hurry up, girl!"

Maria looked around in wonder at the lit candles, the randomly placed bunches of white flowers, the starry night time sky, Michael's outfit and she teared up, as she asked, "Oh my God, you guys! How, though? I only told him about this last night! There's no way that all of this is real. There's no way you guys had time to do all of this, in less than twenty-four hours! I don't understand. What even is happening, right now?"

Isabel teased, even as she gently began leading her back toward the house, "Alien super powers, of course! I even dream walked you, silly! Liz filled in details I wasn't sure about and I waved my hand over something that was close to your specifications, Ava resized it to match one of your mini-dresses and we altered your comfiest shoes to go better with your dress! Presto change-o! You've seen Ava and I do this kind of thing, countless times, by now, Maria!

Plus a lot of these details were also provided by your groom, since it's his wedding, too. You are right about the timeline though, it definitely didn't take less than twenty-four hours, to plan and execute this. Michael has actually been planning this, since Max started making wedding arrangements for himself and Liz."

Maria exclaimed indignantly, "That sneaky devil! He told me just last night, that he had no intention of ever marrying me!"

Liz asked gently, "But do you want to marry him, tonight, Maria?"

Maria answered hastily, "Well, yes, of course I do! That's not the point! He lied to me!"

Michael defended himself, "Hey, come on, now! Lies are serious, angel, but that stuff last night, was just a cross between a temporary fib and giving you a chance to save yourself and not marry me! And, besides, since when is surprising the one you love, with their dream wedding, a bad thing?"

Maria back-pedalled, "I never said it was bad! I'm just. I wasn't prepared for this, Michael. Guys, I don't even have any vows written out and oh my God, my Mom is not here! I can't do this, Michael! I cannot get married without my Mom! No matter how perfect all of this is, and it really is so uncannily perfect!"

Maria heard her mother's voice admonishing her and she spun toward the sound, "Maria Elizabeth DeLuca! Don't you dare waste time arguing or you're going to make me have to miss your wedding entirely!"

Ava was holding a fancy, new-fangled computer called a laptop, and on the screen was her mother's image, and through built-in speakers, was her voice, in real time.

Maria's eyes welled up and she exclaimed joyfully, "Mom? Oh my God, Mom! I miss you so much! How is this possible? Is it safe? Oh! You lightened your hair, again!"

Amy patted her slightly longer, lightened hair, smiled even wider, through her own happy tears and responded, "Yes, do you like it? As long as you kids don't take too long with the ceremony, Liz said we should be safe communicating this way! We do only have about an hour before we have to kill the connection, though, so my darling daughter, please go finish getting ready, already! Hurry-up!"

Maria lamented even while smiling, "I really wish you were here in person, Mom! I wish I could get a hug! I love you and I miss you, so much!"

Amy nodded and swiped at her own bittersweet tears, "Me too, baby but this is the next best thing! Quickly, now, okay? I really don't want to miss the ceremony!"

Maria nodded and agreed, "Okay, okay! I don't know if I want to kiss him or kick him in the shin but I'm definitely making him mine for keeps, tonight!"

Michael piped up, "I can hear you, Maria! I definitely vote for kiss!"

Maria commented wryly, "Of course you would. Stay put, spaceboy! I'll be right back!"

Isabel, Liz and Ava, with Amy on screen and in tow, all went inside with Maria. Since the male residents were all outside, Maria was convinced to just change right in the hallway near the back door.

Ava let Isabel know that because they'd had to turn off any devices that might interfere with their connection to Amy, including the baby monitors, that she was periodically checking on Lex with her echo location power, instead. She claimed it helped her to strengthen her skill with it, anyway.

Isabel assumed responsibility for the laptop and making sure that Amy would be involved in her daughter's wedding, as much as possible.

Maria examined the dress, that Isabel had handed to her, and she spoke in awe, "Well, ladies you've really outdone yourselves with this! It's so much prettier than I've imagined! It's perfect. Thank-you, so much guys! Oh! So this is why he's wearing a blindfold!"

Isabel said with a fond chuckle, "Oh, I may be the Christmas Nazi but I've got nothing on that boy when it comes to avoiding any chance, at all, of bad luck! He's been a little panicky, to put it mildly!"

Maria frowned and asked, "Michael? My Michael? Over me? Over me and him? Really?"

Amy piped up, "Oh, Maria, honey, it's all men, not just yours! Love makes them all panic! Now finish getting ready and go reassure him!"

Liz nudged Maria and concurred, "You heard your Mom, don't just stand there, holding your dress! Put it on! Your groom is waiting!"

Maria changed quickly and then she took a turn panicking, "My hair, though! It doesn't match the dream!"

Isabel demanded, "Okay, show me quickly, I'll make it match!"

Isabel touched Maria's temples and then asked, "Well, which one, Maria? Up on the sides or loose?"

Maria froze indecisively, so Ava suggested, "What about, up on one side only?"

Maria started to agree, then specified urgently, "Wait! Whichever side Michael is going to see the most, during the ceremony, can you just leave my hair down on that side, only?"

Isabel nodded and with a wave of her hand, Maria's hair was back to her natural colour, gently curled and up on just one side.

Maria didn't need a mirror because, she trusted her Mom's reaction to seeing the final result. Amy openly cried happy tears and declared, "My beautiful baby girl is getting married! Maybe younger than I would have chosen for you but you know what, sweet girl? You are already leaps and bounds more mature, now, than I was when I had you, so I think you'll be fine!

Besides which, I really think you've got yourself an honest to goodness keeper, sweetheart! Michael is wonderful! I love that boy! Moreso for taking such good care of my baby girl! Oh gosh, I'm blathering on and on! I'll miss the important parts, if we don't get back out there! Hurry, Maria!"

Maria suddenly asked, "Wait! What about the other luck traditions? Old, new, borrowed and blue?"

Liz took off the necklace, which Max had given to her, for her birthday. It was adorned with a solid, sterling silver, star-shaped pendant, that was inlaid with a condensed image of the Whirlwind Galaxy. Liz smugly offered it to Maria, "Here's borrowed!"

Isabel suggested, "Technically, the dress is new and unique!"

Ava changed the colour of the floral decoration on Maria's one hair barrette to dark blue, then changed Maria's nail polish to match it and confirmed, "That takes care of blue. Only thing left is old. Any ideas, anyone?"

Amy spoke up apologetically, "Old is taken care of, but I don't want to spoil anything, so just trust me and go get married, now!"

Maria took a steadying breath and announced, "Okay, I think I'm finally ready!"

Liz hugged her and declared, "You look really beautiful, Maria! Michael won't know what hit him!"

Maria half joked, "Sure he will; I hit him on the regular. Love taps, people! They're always just love taps! Geez!"

They all laughed, Liz handed Maria her wedding bouquet and they headed back out to the back yard.

As they approached Max, Kyle and Michael, who were huddled together, Max nudged Michael and informed him, "Here they come, now. You'd better brace yourself, brother, because your bride is a knockout!"

Michael agreed impatiently, "Yeah, I know. That isn't news. How about you keep your eyes on your wife, and off of Maria, though?"

Max chuckled but he was already doing that, even before Michael ordered him to.

By then, Maria and her wedding entourage, were close enough to have heard the exchange and she said to her crew, "Okay, for that possessive remark, I've decided to kiss him, after all."

Amy scolded teasingly, "But not until Kyle says so, young lady!"

Maria faltered and asked in disappointment, "Wait, hold up! Kyle? Kyle is marrying us? So it's just a fake wedding?"

Isabel defended her bestie, "No, it won't be fake, Maria! Kyle got online certification to legally officiate weddings; he's a Buddhist, remember?"

Maria let out a sigh of relief and said, "Oh, okay, good."

Amy warned, "It had better carry legal weight or your groom will answer to me!"

Michael heard her and assured her, "It will Ms. DeLuca! Promise!"

Amy was placated but further admonished, "After tonight, Mr. Guerin you had better remember to address me as Mom and only Mom, got it?"

Michael was glad the blindfold prevented anyone from seeing his eyes tear up, as he answered her, "Copy that, Ms. DeLuca. Thank-you."

No sooner had he said that, than Max removed Michael's blindfold, and the sight that greeted him looked like his recurring dream, come to life, with only minor differences.

Looking Maria in the eye, he whispered, "Wow. You are beyond beautiful."

Maria smiled softly at him and said, "Keep heaping on the flattery, spaceboy.,

"Yeah, uhh, we're gonna need just a few moments here, to get sorted, before we do this, okay, everyone? Michael and I will let you know when we're ready."

Michael squeezed her free hand, appreciatively, for calling the temporary time out and then he insisted, "That wasn't flattery, angel. Just facts."

Maria smiled, recognizing his familiar claim, and declared "Fine. Now it's my turn to state the facts, then. Oh my God, Michael, you are so flipping hot!"

Michael teased with a straight face, "You sure this is better than a tux? I do have one on standby."

Maria lightly smacked at his arm and scolded, "Don't you dare change out of this! You look perfect. My kind of perfect."

Fighting a full on grin, Michael rubbed at his arm and asked hesitantly, "So, how pissed are you, still, about me keeping all of this from you, until the last minute?"

Maria reassured him, "Relax, spaceboy. I got over it, the second I got to see my Mom and talk to her. Expect much affectionate gratitude, later, for that alone. Where did we get the laptop? Aren't those expensive? For that matter where'd my Mom get one and how did she afford it?

Michael smiled and revealed, "Laurie said she's happy for us. They are our engagement and wedding gifts from her."

Maria smiled warmly, at the mention of Laurie and she declared, "I knew I liked that girl, for a reason! I'd love to thank her, myself, that my Mom gets to, sort of, be here for my wedding! Speaking of my Mom, she said a while ago, now, that there isn't much time left, before we need to kill the connection, so maybe we should go ahead and get started?"

Michael nodded and held his hand out to her, as he agreed, "Absolutely. Give me your hand.,

"Hey, everyone? Kyle? Maria and I are finally ready to do this, now."

Kyle stated somewhat unnecessarily, "We're all gathered here together to witness the matrimonial exchange between Michael Guerin and Maria DeLuca.,

"Michael and Maria, please go ahead and exchange any personal vows, you wish to exchange, and then we'll follow up with the usual, scripted, albeit mildly altered, vows, afterward."

Michael held Maria's left hand in his, as he spoke earnestly and clearly, "Maria, as you know, lately, I've been thinking a lot about my life, my future, you, and us. I once told you, that all I could promise you, is now because my future was too uncertain, then.

More recently, and privately, just to you, I upgraded that, to all of my tomorrows. Right now, tonight, I'm saying it, again, in front of witnesses, this time. I promise you not only now but all of my tomorrows, too, Maria. I can't even fathom a future that excludes you because you mean everything to me and I love you with everything in me.

The way we've been living, until we got here, hasn't felt unsettling to me because you've been with me, practically, the whole time. You make wherever we are, feel like my home, simply by being beside me and loving me. You are more precious to me than I can ever convey in words and my gratitude to you and for you is unlimited.

Thank-you for ... well, for pretty much every second we've ever spent together, so far, from the moment we first met, to now, and you can trust that I'm looking forward to the life we're going to be building together, from this second, and forward, too.

In the interest of time, I'll leave it at that, but I reserve the right to tell you more about what you mean to me, as time goes on."

Kyle prompted Maria, again, "Maria? Is there anything you'd like to say to your groom?"

Maria was swiping at the tears of happiness leaking from her eyes and she sniffled her answer emphatically, "Tons! But I'll just have to go with ditto, for now. Mainly because I'm just too touched, for more than this! I love you so much, Michael Guerin! Like stupid. I'm just completely and utterly stupid in love with you. And this? All of this? So beyond my dream wedding, spaceboy! Better than any dream! You really are my realest deal, ever, do you know that? God, I love you!"

Michael half-smiled, wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, even as he fought his own tears and he echoed, "Yeah, I do know, and right back at you, angel."

Kyle cleared his throat, turned aside briefly and muttered, "Got something in my eye. Just a second.,

"Okay. Ahem. Now, Michael, please repeat after me, I, Michael John Guerin, take you, Maria Elizabeth DeLuca, to be my lawfully wedded wife."
"I, Michael John Guerin, take you, Maria Elizabeth DeLuca, to be my lawfully wedded wife."

Kyle continued to lead Michael through the vows, "I hereby vow to love, honour, cherish, respect and occasionally obey, you.", but Kyle interjected to defend awkwardly, "That last bit was Michael's idea, not mine, folks!"

Everyone stifled subdued chuckles during Michael's recital of the altered line,
"I hereby vow to love, honour, cherish, respect and occasionally obey, you."

Michael continued to repeat after Kyle's prompts, "In danger and in safety, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, for richer, for poorer, for spicy and for sweet.",

Kyle smiled tightly and quipped, "Two guesses, who made that change, folks."

Michael finished up his portion of the vows, by solemnly reciting the final line, "In this life and, if space and time are willing, in every life, hereafter, as well."

Kyle addressed Maria, next, "Maria, please repeat after me. I, Maria Elizabeth DeLuca, take you Michael John Guerin."

Maria didn't falter in repeating each of the vows Michael had just made, to her, "I, Maria Elizabeth DeLuca, take you Michael John Guerin, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I hereby vow to love, honour, cherish, respect and nudge you in the right direction, as needed."

Kyle disclaimed again, "Also his idea, not mine, guys!"

Maria continued to repeat after Kyle, while fighting a residual smirk; she definitely liked that particular change to the standard vows, "In danger and in safety, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, for richer, for poorer, for spicy and for sweet, in this life and, if space and time are willing, in every life, hereafter, as well."

Max handed the smaller of two rings to Michael and Kyle directed Michael, "Michael, please place the ring on the fourth finger of Maria's left hand and repeat, after me, may this ring serve to remind us both of our love and commitment to one another, from this day forward."

Michael placed the ring upon Maria's left ring finger and repeated the ring dedication, line by line, after Kyle, "May this ring serve to remind us both of our love and commitment to one another, from this day forward, for it is a perfect circle without an end, and so shall be our love, in this life and in the next. With this ring, I thee wed."

Max gave the larger ring to Liz, who then exchanged it with Maria for Maria's wedding bouquet. Upon Kyle's prompt, Maria placed the bigger ring on Michael's left ring finger and repeated the ring dedication, "May this ring serve to remind us both of our love and commitment to one another, from this day forward, for it is a perfect circle without an end, and so shall be our love, in this life and in the next. With this ring- oh my God, I thought these looked strangely familiar! These are Breepa's and Breema's wedding rings! Mom? How?"

Amy confirmed, "Yes, sweetheart they are! Those are your something old! I'll tell you all about how it was arranged, another time, because we have to cut this connection soon! Please continue the ceremony! You're almost married!"

Maria nodded and stammered, feeling flustered, "Oh, right, sorry, Mom.,

"What's my next line, again, Kyle?"

Kyle consoled her, "Just the last line left, Maria; with this ring, I thee wed."

Maria finished, "With this ring, I thee wed."

Kyle addressed their crew and Maria's Mom, "In as much as Michael and Maria have made a commitment to one another before witnesses, God and the universe itself, and by the power vested in me by the International Golden Buddha online temple, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kis- uhh yeah, that. Exactly."

Kyle waited for them to finish sealing their vows with a long, emotional kiss, before declaring, "Congratulations! I now present to you, one and all, Mr. and Mrs. Michael John DeLuca!"

Maria's jaw fell open but it was Amy who verbalised their shared surprise, "Wait what? DeLuca? Really? My baby girl is keeping the family name going?"

Michael explained to Amy, although his look included Maria in his elaboration, "Guerin doesn't mean anything to me, Ms. DeL- I mean, Mom. It's just some random name that the social workers slapped on me, when they found me wandering around in the desert, when I was a kid.

I want an actual family name, that I know I can be proud of, so I chose yours and Maria's. Do either of you mind?"

Maria squeezed his hand, kissed his cheek, shook her head and whispered, "Opposite of mind. Thank-you, Michael."

Amy concurred, "No, Michael, I don't mind that, at all. Welcome to our family! I have a son, now, too! Yay! Thank-you so much, you sweet, beautiful boy for making it possible, for me, to see my baby girl, get married! I love you crazy kids to the moon and back! No pun intended, ha! You promise that you'll update me as often as you can, still, Michael? Our same codes as usual?"

Maria spoke quietly beside him, "Codes? What is she talking about?"

Michael answered her in a low whisper, "I'll tell you all about that, later, angel.,

"Yes, Mom, I absolutely will keep in touch, same as usual. I promise. I ummm, I love you, too and thanks for letting me marry into your family. I'll go wait in the house, now, to give you two a chance to say your goodbyes privately. I'd like to say goodbye to you, privately, too, but Maria should go first. She really misses you.,

"You've got four minutes, tops, angelwife.", and he kissed Maria's cheek.

Maria laughed in delight at the addition to her nickname and then followed his example, "Ha! Okay, then, thank-you, spacehubby! I love you, so much! I'll call you back out here, when we're done."

Maria smiled at her Mom and said, "I'm really, really happy you didn't miss this part of my life! Actually, you couldn't have because I already told him that I wouldn't get married without your presence. I just never expected it to be this way. On one hand it's really cool but then it also means I can't hug you and that part sucks. I miss you, Mom. How are you doing? Has anyone been harassing you since we left?

Amy teared up and she mirrored Maria's thoughts, "I miss you more than I can even express, but you need to know that I'm also just so damned proud of you! I can tell that you are doing okay and I have to assume it's because you are with people who care for you, a great deal. Especially one particular complicated boy, am I right?"

Maria nodded and Amy continued, "As for me, sweetheart, things are kind of okay. Maybe even better than okay. We haven't been harassed by anyone, and by we, I mean Deputy Valenti and I. We uhh, that is, Jim and I, have decided to try this dating thing again. I really, really like this man, Maria! We have tons in common, too, especially since you kids left us."

Maria inwardly grimaced but forced herself to smile for her Mom, as she asked, "So he's why the lightened hair?"

Amy stammered, blushing, "My hair was naturally close to this when I was younger, when Jim and I first knew each other and he said he thought I was cute back then, so, I thought I had a better shot at getting him to try again, like this."

Maria smiled genuinely and teased, "Mom! Did you chase Jim Valenti, this time?"

Amy objected, "Chase is a strong word, Maria! It's just that I was the one who broke it off and all I did was let him know, I'd changed my mind. I knew he wouldn't disrespect my wishes, and make the first move to try again, you see. A woman has to take matters into her own hands sometimes, you know?"

Maria smirked and said, "As long as you afford me the same courtesy, if things get to an exchange of rings moment, okay? I get to be at your next wedding, if you ever have one, again, whether it's to Jim or someone else. Also, is it fine if I gossip about this, with Kyle?"

Amy laughed and agreed, "Yes, of course, sweetheart! Oh baby girl, it's been so good for this Mom's heart just to have these few minutes with you like this but, Michael also wants to talk and the hour is nearly up, I'm afraid. I love you so much! All the best to you both in your marriage and of course in life. If you need anything, you find a way to let me know and I'll do whatever I can to help, okay?

Maria nodded and started to head toward the house to get Michael but he was already on his way. Maria commented to her Mom, "He told me four minutes but I think we went over that. He knows better than anyone how much I miss you. I think he let me cut into time he meant to have for himself, to talk to you."

Michael greeted Maria with a kiss on the lips and opened with an apology, "I really hate to interrupt you two, but I really do need to talk to your, oh, umm, I mean, I need to talk to Mom, too."

Amy let out a little gasp of delight when he corrected himself before she could.

Maria kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear, "Four minutes, tops, my butt. Thank-you, for that, spaceboy.,

"I'm heading inside now, Mom. Thanks, again for being here, even like this. Love you! Miss you! Hi to Deputy Valenti! Hope we can catch up, again, soon! Bye!", and Maria hurried away before she completely broke down in tears, so as not to worry either her husband or her Mom.

Michael focused on Amy and said contritely, "I'm so sorry there isn't more time, Mom but I'll keep you posted, just like I promised. I just wanted to say thank-you, again for letting me marry your daughter and for letting me take your name, as my own. It means more to me than I have time to tell you about right now. I'll tell you, someday, though. I'm glad you had the foresight to make that video, explaining to her about our wedding rings. I'll make sure she gets it. Probably a lot later. My date with my wife, tonight, isn't over, just yet!"

Amy held her hand over her heart and she exclaimed, "Awww! Marriage already suits you, Michael. I don't think I've ever seen you smile like this before!"

Michael concurred maintaining it, "That's because I never have. Never been this happy before! Ever. Take care of yourself, Mom. I love you. Talk again, soon."

Amy teared up and admitted, "I already like having a son! I love you, too, sweetheart! Take good care of each other. Until next time, then. Bye for now, Michael DeLuca."

Michael's eyes shone with pride and he vowed, "Count on that. Until next time, Mom. Later.", and he killed the connection.

Michael didn't rush back into the house right away. He looked up at the sky glittering with stars and he said, "Whatever is out there, if you had any hand in this, thanks."

He'd barely got inside the door, and set the laptop upon the kitchen island, before Isabel was pulling him to the living room, which had been rearranged to accommodate dancing. She insisted impatiently, "Michael! Hurry up! It's time to dance with your wife! None of the rest of us can, until you two do!"

Maria tried to refute Isabel's claim, "Of course you guys can dance, before we do! And anyway, Isabel, Michael doesn't like dancing, so I'm not going to make him; it's his wedding day, too. He should get to opt out of unpleasant things."

Michael gathered Maria into his arms and said just loudly enough to be heard over the reasonable volume of the music, "I'm ready to dance with my wife, now, if she'll have me. I'm still not great at it but there are definitely worse things than dancing; it's far from unpleasant. May I have this dance, wife?"

Maria smiled at him, in surprised, appreciative delight and accepted, "Well, if you're gonna lay on the charm, that thick, then, yes, absolutely, Mr. DeLuca, I would love to dance with you!"

As they moved together, Michael asked, "So it's really okay with you, too? The name thing?"

Maria nodded and assured him, "Yeah, Michael, it's more than okay. It actually kind of fits you."

Michael looked into her eyes meaningfully and declared with intensity, "You fit me."

She raised one brow, smiled smugly and concurred, "On so many levels, you bet your sweet and spicy loving ass, I do, spaceboy."

Michael asked fighting a smirk, "Hey, now, is that any way to speak to your husband?"

Maria laughed and admonished him, "Oh, don't even pretend that you suddenly don't like me sassing you."

He confirmed her words, "I didn't say I didn't. Damn. You just got sexier, again."

She frowned and demanded, "Again? What do you mean?"

He shrugged and stated, "You just get sexier, every second that passes, since I heard that you're my wife. Dare I hope that we are having an old-fashioned wedding night, tonight?"

Maria laughed and flirted, "Yes, Michael, believe in the love. Dare to your heart's content. Our wedding night is definitely a thing that is happening!"

Michael kissed her neck lingeringly and admitted, "Good. I'm dying to get you naked and make love to you. I want you real bad, wife."

Maria reluctantly pulled away from his seductive mouth on her neck and she reasoned, "Me too, but let's at least try to spend a bit more time with everyone before we sequester ourselves."

Michael let out a sigh and asked, "Sequester? For four nights? Can I go ahead and confirm the hotel reservation that I made for us, in a rare moment of optimism?"

Maria asked in interest, "Four nights? That sounds like a wedding night that morphs into a mini honeymoon. Does the hotel have any kind of spa or maybe a nice eat in restaurant, at least?"

Michael shook his head and answered, "Nope. None of that. It has what I felt we needed and not much else. It has privacy, a bed, a shower, in room coffee maker, room service with a limited menu and a price I could afford. Should I cancel it?"

She shook her head and advised, "No. You knew any other perks would just go to waste. Good call. Thanks for your moment of optimism."

Michael resumed trying to kiss her neck and he exclaimed in an excited whisper, "So it's really gonna happen? I get four straight days of you naked in bed with me and making love over and over and over again?"

Maria gasped in lust and agreed, even as she pulled away slightly, "Oh, yeah, but you have to stop that, Michael. We can't just make out right here and it would be rude to leave our own wedding reception dance."

He groaned in frustration but conceded, "Okay. I'll try to be patient with the socialising but honestly I just want you all to myself, right now."

She caressed his face with empathy and said, "I know. Believe me. I'm feeling what you're feeling. They did put some effort into all of this, for us, tonight, though, so the least we can do, in return, is hang out with them for a bit and appreciate being celebrated. We have a pretty great crew."

He nodded and stipulated, "Just because you're right doesn't make this any easier for me."

She gave him a quick, hard kiss on the lips and concurred, "Me neither. Let's go dance with other people before this gets R rated."

He frowned in what was almost a pout as he argued, "I don't want to let go of you."

Her brow rose warningly and she corrected him, "Uhh you mean temporarily, right? You are not actually ever allowed to let go of me; we promised."

Michael feigned smugness, "Yeah, that's what I meant. That is an order I can obey and I vow to keep, with enthusiasm. But yeah, okay. Let's get this over with, then. Man, I wish I could fast forward to the good part. Give me one more kiss to tide me over."

Maria laughed and kept him at arm's length as she declared, "I'm not falling for that! One? Yeah, right! Ten minutes later you'll try to claim it was just one continuous kiss. Forget it! Go dance with Isabel!"

Michael's shoulder's sagged and he sighed heavily as he complained, "And so the cruelty begins."

Maria scoffed unsympathetically and predicted, "Oh, pffft! You'll live! Besides, I'll, uhh, make it up to you, later and then some."

He glared at her, though he was clearly amused, as he announced, "Fine. In that case, I'm off to go dance with Isabel, now."

Maria grabbed his hand to stall him, so that she could make a request, "After we dance with everyone else, dance with me, again, before we tell them all goodnight, okay? Deal?"

He winked at her and agreed, "Yes, deal. Maria?"

She waited for him to continue and he said earnestly, "Thanks for making me see, last night, that marrying me, doesn't mean that you're doomed to a life of misery. I love you."

She smiled at him, nodded and siad, "Thanks for seeing it my way, spaceboy. I love you, too. So much. More on that later. Promise."

After several seconds of just looking into her eyes without speaking, he finally said, "I'll definitely be collecting on that promise."

Within seconds of Michael cutting in on Isabel and Kyle dancing, Kyle asked Maria, "May I dance with the bride?"

Maria exaggerated in her answer, "You mean your soon to be step-sister? Sure!"

Kyle made a yuck face and asked in horror, "They are doing that, again? Why?"

Maria warned, "That nearly sounds like you don't want to be my step-brother. That could cause one of us to feel hurt."

Kyle grinned then and recanted, "No, that part I'd be totally cool with, it's the thing that would have to happen to make it so, that I would take extreme issue with!"

Maria chuckled and agreed, "Right? Well, on the up side, we don't have to witness things, this time, that might require brain bleach!"

Kyle started to laugh but then he sobered and admitted, "I would tolerate even that, though, if it meant that I could see my Dad, again and talk to him. You and your Mom had a good virtual visit?"

Maria nodded and suggested, "I was led to believe it won't be the last time we get to talk that way, so if they are still ... gag me ... dating, by then, it's probable that you would get to see and talk to your Dad, too, at some point."

Kyle looked anxiously interested as he stated, "I'll put that in the up side column, then. I hope it happens, at least once. Man, I miss him so much more than I even expected to and I mean I knew I'd miss him a lot but this ache just never goes away."

Maria squeezed his waltz hand in sympathy and then Max cut in, "May I?"

Kyle must have been feeling vulnerable and caught off guard because he answered Max, "I thought you'd never ask, good buddy old pal! Sure!"

Max laughed and asked the room, "Alright, who gave Kyle beer? It's henceforth forbidden. It makes him think that he and I are friends!"

Kyle continued the joking, "Oh, it's much worse than that, Max! You saved my life, you beautiful human-alien hybrid! We are bonded forever, now!"

Max said solemnly, "You're right, Kyle; that is much worse."

Michael had moved on to dancing with Ava and Isabel intervened in the Max and Kyle bromance by grasping Kyle's hand and declaring, "I'll just take this away before things get ugly!,

"Come dance with me, some more, Buddha fanboy!"

Michael, who had seemed to not be following along, quipped, "You mean Maxwell fanboy."

Maria and Liz were holding their sides laughing by then and Ava was stifling hers with a fist in her mouth.

Kyle sighed heavily but a stifled smile made his lips twitch. He had sufficiently deflected their attention from his close call with tears over missing his Dad.

Liz decided to take a page out of the boys near miss bromance and insisted on waltzing with Maria. For some reason they didn't get teased about that. They hugged each other fiercely afterward and Maria gushed, "I love you forever, Lizzie!"

Liz echoed it back, "Me, too, Maria! I love you forever, girl! I'm really happy for you and Michael! Mostly you but that can just be between us!"

Maria grinned and said, excusing herself, "I'll take it to my grave! You're the only one my husband hasn't danced with, yet and I need to tinkle, anyway, so go ahead and do that. I promise, I'll rescue you and your dainty little toes, from him, as soon as I'm done, okay?"

Liz smiled appreciatively and agreed, "That would be great! Thanks, Maria!"

When Maria returned, Max had already rescued Liz. Kyle and Ava were dancing and Isabel and Michael were sitting, talking and holding hands comfortably. Isabel saw Maria first and she nudged at Michael, as she let go of his hand, "Your wife is back! Go dance with her!"

Michael asked half-jokingly, "Has anyone ever mentioned that you're kind of bossy?"

Isabel grinned, shook her head and blatantly lied, "No, never!"

Michael lightly poked her head with one finger, laughing as he suggested, "So you're hearing impaired, then?"

Isabel stuck out her tongue at him and they both laughed. Michael turned from Isabel to greet Maria with a full body hug, and a kiss on the neck and then he asked, "Do we get to leave here, soon?"

Maria asked him, "You've danced with everyone?"

Michael smirked and declared, "Look, I'm not dancing with Kyle or Maxwell, okay, not even for you!"

Maria giggled and pretended to lament, "Spoil sport! That would be so entertaining, though!"

Michael kept his smile even though his tone was serious as he insisted, "It's not happening, Maria."

Maria kissed him four times in a row on the lips and assured him, "Good. I think I'm ready for my wedding night, spaceboy!"

Michael heaved a sigh of relief and he exclaimed, "Yes! Finally!,

"Thanks, everyone, for everything and whatever but my wife and I are taking off now! We'll be back either Friday or Saturday. Don't let Prozac forget his Uncle Awesome! I'll do something cool with him on the weekend. Later!"

Their crew sent them off with smiles, good wishes, waves and blatant gratitude that they were taking their usual noise elsewhere, for a few days. If it was intended to embarrass either of them, it failed. Michael only stood taller with pride that he could make Maria very loud and Maria only got impatient to get to the noise making part of their wedding night, as quickly as possible.

Author's Post Script/Disclaimer: Highlight between the * * to read because spoilerish *Some prefer their own imaginations, when it comes to fictional weddings, while some appreciate visual hints. I give you both options, lol.

I wrote the wedding parts first, then went looking for, "Sure that's close enough to what I pictured", so if anyone wants to see the wedding stuff, here's the collage I constructed after writing the wedding.

https://imgur.com/a/zrQSgkw

It's not meant to be art; apologies for hideousness. Also, I am in no way knowledgeable about fashion or jewelry.*

What a treat to find this new chapter here waiting for me. Thank you!
Your Google search was very interesting, and like you, when children are involved you miss out on a lot of the day to day actives in the outside world. Sorry to hear about your autistic child.
Everyone loves Lex.......especially Uncle Awesome. Love that self imposed name for Michael. Now Michael planned quite a surprise. And Isabel was sure to have Amy involved.
Understand her concern over Kyle officiating..........on-line certification?
Now I'm anxious to hear the story of the rings Amy arranged.
Great part,
Carolyn

@keepsmiling7- Happy that you were happy about my new chapter! My child has come a long way - he is now 22 and about to move out on his own this spring. He is very high functioning, now. But yes early on was rough on all of us. I don't get how online certification to officiate weddings works either exactly but I know it's been a thing for a long time. The ring explain will happen eventually but for reasons you will discover if you read this chapter, not just yet, lol. Love to read your comments and really appreciate your feedback, Carolyn! Thank-you!

~FM

Title: Finding Something Better
Author: Fidomom
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. It is only loosely based on characters from the 1999-2002 tv series Roswell as I imagine they could be from different points throughout and beyond the three seasons of the show. I am not affiliated with any of the original creations nor creators from the series. I will make no monetary gains from publishing this work of fiction.
Pairings/Characters/Category: Michael & Maria, Max & Liz, Kyle, Isabel, Ava, CC, UC, AU, w/Aliens
Rating: Adult
Summary: This chapter - Michael and Maria make some interesting discoveries, that lead them to seek answers.
Author's Note: warnings=

Finding Something Better
by Fidomom

Chapter Eleven

Newlyweds, Michael and Maria, had barely closed their hotel room door, before their mouths fused to one another and their clothes started to come off. They were breathing too hard to manage words, beyond each others given names.

Maria clung to him so fiercely, that her fingertips were leaving after impressions in his skin and he was leaving marks of his own, with his mouth, wherever it happened to be on her body.

As passion escalated between them, Michael rolled Maria over, underneath him and she impatiently sheathed his erection in a condom, before drawing him into herself with her legs around his lower back.

He'd only thrust himself inside of her three times, when she yanked her mouth away from his skin and complained, "Michael, wait! Not like this!"

He blinked at her, in confusion and stilled his whole body, as he asked, "What's wrong? What did I do?"

She shook her head and insisted, "No, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm just not comfortable, for some reason. Can we just try a different position?"

Michael asked with blatant hope, "So you don't want to stop? Just change things up?"

Maria half laughed, touched his face and assured him, "Aww! I didn't mean to worry you, spaceboy! No, I definitely don't want to stop! Just ... can I be on top?"

Michael carefully pulled away from her, lay on his back and eagerly agreed, "Yeah. Course. I like you on top! I get fantastic views when you do that! But, uhh, do we need to talk about why the first way wasn't comfortable?"

Maria leaned in close, sucked on his lower lip and then answered, "If we do, then it will have to be much later because this is my wedding night and there were far too many delays, already, don't you think?"

They both gasped in pleasure, as she then straddled him and sank down on his erection.

Michael caressed her hip and said, "Couldn't agree more. Better, angel?"

She nodded, grabbed his hand and seductively sucked on his fingers before answering, "Oh, yeah, loads better! At least until I need your tongue back in my mouth! Oh, God, Michael, yes! I've been wanting this all damn day; even before we got married! Oh, Michael! You feel so good! You make it feel so good!"

Michael muttered, "You make my whole world defy logic! We're already making love but somehow you're making me feel hornier and you're taking sexy up a notch! What the hell? How are you doing this to me? The pleasure, Maria, it damn near hurts!"

Maria nodded as she rode him, as fast as her body would comply and she concurred, "For me, too! For me, too! Oh, God, Michael! I love you! Oh, God, I love you, Michael!"

Michael's free hand possessively and randomly roamed her breasts, her nipples, her cheek, her back, her arm, her shoulder, her neck, her hip, her ass, and her thigh, as she continued to monopolise his other hand with her mouth, between exclamations of ecstasy.

The closer they got to climaxing, the faster they exchanged flashes until it felt like they were one person with two sets of life experiences, each unable in those moments to distinguish which ones were their own.

Michael let out a loud yell, as he came, "Maria!", and she orgasmed, too, in the very next second.

He half raised up to meet her mouth, with his own, as she scream sobbed. He rolled them over onto their sides, holding her tightly and kissing her over and over again, as she experienced aftershocks of pleasure, that he felt both from where they were still joined and also, through the flashes, that she was still broadcasting to him. He had trouble catching his breath from her intensity.

They clung to each other without speaking for nearly ten minutes, each processing the surprisingly new experience they'd just shared.

Michael dealt with the condom, then snuggled up to Maria's back, with his arm around her. He tightened his hold briefly and asked, "You okay?"

She rubbed his forearm, nodded and assured him, "Very much. Just when I think we have all of this figured out; that it couldn't possibly improve or vary in any significant way, I'm wrong and it does. All of it. I should just start to expect being surprised and yet, it keeps catching me off-guard. Pleasantly, though, so, I mean, I'm not complaining, I'm just saying, that was umm different."

He kissed her shoulder and concurred, "That is an accurate assessment. I don't understand how it keeps happening, either. At least we don't bore, each other, I guess."

She chuckled wryly and agreed, "No, we definitely don't do that!"

They were both quiet for a few minutes, more, again and then Maria blurted, "My Mom was going to tell me about how you ended up with Breepa's and Breema's wedding rings but we didn't have time! Tsk. Can you tell me? Or do I have to wait until the next time, we can risk talking to her that way, again?"

Michael answered, "Neither. Your Mom already told you. She made a video for you. I didn't bring it here, with us but you can watch it, when we get back to the house."

Maria looked over her shoulder, at him and smiled as she reminded, "Oh. Good. Something to look forward to, to soften the dread of our honeymoon ending. Speaking of rings, though, you still need to switch my engagement ring back onto my left ring finger."

Michael slipped the ring off of her finger but didn't put it on her other finger, right away, as he insisted, "I don't intend to ever let our honeymoon end, even after we leave here. And in keeping with that, I'm not cheating you out of a proper proposal, either."

Maria rolled over to face him and asked in confusion, "What would be the point, now? We already did the deed, Michael; we got married!"

Michael explained quietly, "That's why I can do it, now. If I'd done it before and you had said yes, I would have been really mad at myself for asking and really scared for you and it would have felt like that recurring nightmare came true.

If you had said no, I would have been relieved, which would have hurt your feelings, but I also would have been devastated. That's why I couldn't do it before, Maria. I couldn't handle your answer, no matter which one you gave.

Everything is different, now, though. I'm not proposing to get your answer, I'm proposing to you, now, to give you what you deserve. Me, at my most vulnerable and jewelry. Both of which make you happy. Am I wrong?"

Maria's eyes teared up, she smiled gently at him and replied, "Not even a little bit wrong."

He kissed the tip of her nose and scrambled off of the bed, to kneel beside it on one knee. Maria laughed in delighted surprise and asked, "You're proposing to me naked?"

He shrugged, nodded and answered, at length, "I'm utterly defenseless in your presence. I'm in the raw, in every sense, here. This is me. For some reason I'm enough for you. I may never get it, but as long as that's true, I'm yours. I want to be yours.

You know how on some of the paperwork that is associated with doing pretty much anything in life, there's a spot to name your next of kin? I've always had to put none under that. I don't want to do that, ever again. I want to put Maria DeLuca. I want you to be the first and only family I've ever had. I want to be your family.

I love you. I've been in love with you, probably since I put that fake hand print on your chest but I had no idea what I was feeling back then. I saw who you are, the moment that I touched you and it woke something up inside of me, that I didn't even know was there. For me, before you, I only had three moods, hungry and angry, tired and angry, and scared and angry. That's it.

Now, I've got all this other stuff inside of me, that may have been there all along but I wasn't aware of it and I didn't know how to navigate any of it or even identify it. You taught me how to do that. To be more self-aware, to identify my emotions and to act accordingly.

Turns out I can feel other things besides just anger. Who knew? You did, apparently. Thank-you for that. Thank-you for loving me into a better person; someone I no longer hate. I'm still not my own biggest fan despite how it might seem otherwise sometimes but it's getting easier, in my head, not to trash talk myself, as much.

I'm not perfect and I don't ever expect to be. I've still got stuff to work on and to work out, on the inside. I don't want to tackle it, without you, though. I don't want to be alone, anymore, Maria. I want to be with you.

So, what do you say? Can I be your husband? Can I be your family? Will you marry me, again, someday, angel?"

Maria sniffle laughed, wiped the tears off her cheeks and accused lovingly, "What is this? Do you live to make me cry lately, or what? You lovable idiot. Yes, yes and God yes! Over and over again, spaceboy. I'll marry you every time, without hesitation. I love you, too!

I'd like my promised jewelry, now, please and then I need for you, to get back in this bed with me! I miss your body!"

Michael grinned, put the engagement ring on her left ring finger, with her wedding ring, kissed her tears away and said, "Thank-you. I didn't know it would be so drafty out here! Brr!"

Maria wrapped herself and the bedspread around him, when he rejoined her in bed and then she kissed even more warmth back into him.

At the first stirrings of his rearousal, she stopped kissing him to say, "Now that you are all warmed up, I have some bad news, for you. One, I need to pee, two, I'm hungry and three, I want the next round, like we do it when we have shower sex but without the shower. I'm thinking that wall over there, so you may need to see about turning on the heater.

So to recap, heat first, order food, get dressed, accept food, get naked again, eat with me and then right over there, we keep this wedding night going. You get all that?"

Michael grimaced in disappointment that more delays were in store but he asked with a smirk, "I take it that this is one of the occasions you expect me to honour my vow to occasionally obey you?"

She laughed appreciatively and praised, "Exactly! Yes, please do."

He sighed heavily, nodded, kissed her mouth quickly and assured, "I'm on it. What food you in the mood for? Room service here is a bit limited but we could order pizza or something else?"

Maria browsed the room service brochure and drew Michael's attention to what she wanted from it. He chuckled at her selection but ultimately approved, "We already eat that a couple of times a week and that's what you're picking? Okay, fine by me. I guess, I'll have the same.

Damn. I have to go out to the car, though. I forgot to bring tabasco and sugar up with us. Be back in a few."

Maria sulked, "You'd better be! This wedding night and honeymoon requires both of us!"

Michael finished getting dressed, kissed her quickly and assured her, "I know that. Why don't you go into the bathroom, so that when I open the room door, nobody incidentally passing by, sees anything that they shouldn't?"

Maria nodded, scrambled off the bed, agreeing, "Good plan! Just hurry back."

He agreed, "I will!"

Maria didn't see what happened next but she felt it's conclusion. Michael felt the strange sensation of the air being thick and viscous, as he reached for the doorknob, to leave, but he shrugged it off as fatigue and hunger and he pushed through it, anyway.

To his bewilderment, he suddenly found himself being propelled backward as though he'd been yanked and then he only slowed in the moment, right before lightly making contact with Maria's body.

Maria chuckled wryly, turned to embrace him and teased, "Did you forget something? I thought you were leaving to go get your condiments?"

Michael answered solemnly, "So did I. Next thing I know, I'm here, instead."

Maria laughed and said, "My Mom did tell me that love makes men behave strangely! Go already!"

Michael nodded, then demanded, "Watch me, this time, in case it happens again."

She frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Michael just reiterated, "Just watch."

He wasn't even sure that it would happen again, in which case, she'd just chalk it up to him having a love-addled brain but in case it did happen again, he wanted a witness. He felt the thick air, again, as he reached for the door knob and like before, he pushed through it, anyway. As before, he got yanked backward, again.

This time Maria gasped in concern, as he made contact with her, "Michael! Oh my God! What just happened?"

Michael's eyes widened and he answered emphatically, "I have no idea."

Maria insisted impatiently, "Well, only one of us can do this sort of thing, so why are you doing this?"

Michael insisted just as impatiently, "I'm not, though!"

Maria suggested, "Okay, well, go try again. Go get your stuff."

The same thing happened a third time.

Michael complained, "This is becoming ridiculous and inconvenient. It had better not be permanent."

Maria suggested switching spots and the next time, he wound up at the room door with her, as soon as she reached for the knob.

He asked her, "Did the air feel weird to you just before you reached for the door knob?"

She blinked at him in consternation and asked, "Weird how?"

Michael sighed in frustration, as he concluded, "I'll take that as a no, then. Look, I don't know what is going on, or why, but we're both hungry, now, so you're going to have to get dressed and come with me. This can't be permanent. We've got a few days here, for it to resolve itself, right? Let's just roll with it, for now and we'll worry about the how and why, later."

Maria's worried frown didn't disappear but she nodded, got dressed and they held hands to go down to the car to get his stuff.

Michael opened the console and complained, "Somebody has been into my stash! There's hardly anything left in here! I hate to say it, Maria, but we may have to cut out of here earlier than we planned on. Between this condiment shortage, and that thing that happened in our room, I mean."

Maria squeezed his hand and made an alternate suggestion, "Or we could just go pick up more sugar and tabasco, at an all night grocery store and then wait out that other thing?

Like you said, it can't be permanent. I mean it can't, right? Whatever is making you do that, to us, will work itself out, by the time our mini-honeymoon ends. Because why wouldn't it? Right?"

Michael rubbed at his eyebrow and did his thinking out loud, "I get that it must be me who's doing it, but it isn't a conscious thing. As far as I can tell, it's not hurting either of us, though, so, yeah, I mean, it's gotta, or rather I've gotta stop doing whatever it is, that I'm doing, to cause it. Eventually.

Let's just go get more stuff, then. Just remember to stay close enough to me, so that that thing doesn't happen to us, again, where other people can see it. Okay?"

Maria grinned, kissed his cheek and flirted, "I have no issues with having to stay close to you! That is a deal I will happily take!"

Michael asked apologetically, "You're a little freaked out about it, though, aren't you?"

Maria sighed heavily, held his face between her palms and insisted lovingly, "I know who I married. I'm okay, Michael. Like you said, whatever it is, it seems harmless.

Maybe you're just overreacting to happiness or something? Doesn't matter. Let's just work with it for now. If it's still a thing, by the time we go back to the house, then maybe one of the others will have some insight on how we get it to stop. Or maybe even Kal, if it comes down to it. Let's not worry about it, unless we get some indication, that we should."

Michael muttered, "I feel like a dog on a leash, that gets snapped back when he gets to the end of his lead."

Maria pointed out, in quiet indignation, "That's an unfair analogy; I'm not doing it to you and I would never treat you like that."

Michael said contritely, "No, I know that. I didn't mean to make it sound like I was blaming you. It's just making me feel weird."

Maria got settled in the passenger seat and waited for Michael to get behind the wheel, before she mused, to him, "I prefer to think I'm a magnet and you're metal. You just can't resist being attracted back to my body."

Michael snickered and admitted, "That sounds about right to me, actually. Thanks for reframing it, for me. Now, it's not bugging me, as much."

It only took a smidge over a half an hour, to do the condiment run and get back to their honeymoon quarters.

They didn't further test nor discuss the invisible tether between them, as they resumed their honeymoon.

The next morning, in the middle of foreplay, Michael's face turned white and he scrambled away from Maria. His face crumbled, as he broke down in tears, lamenting, "I did this, to you! I'm the reason you're going to die! No! No, Maria, please, you can't die! Please! I'm sorry! Please, don't die! Please, don't leave me!"

Maria's eyes welled with concerned tears and she demanded, "Michael, what are you even talking about? Stop it! You're scaring me! I'm not gonna die! Well, I mean, not anytime, soon. Why are you suddenly so upset? Talk to me!"

Michael looked her in the eye and said barely above a whisper, "I just got a flash from someone besides you. You're pregnant, Maria. I killed you. I'm so sorry, my angel."

Maria frowned and refuted, "I'm not pregnant, Michael. I haven't missed a period and it's too soon for my next one, so I'm not late, obviously. Maybe you just had a nightmare?"

Michael slowly shook his head, looking even more stricken, as he insisted, "You're just proving my point. It's an accelerated pregnancy. It's gonna kill you and it's my fault! We have to go back to the house, Maria! We have to get Kal to tell us how to kill it, before it kills you! I can't lose you. I just can't. You're my family. I finally have a family. I can't lose you, Maria. Please, let's go back, now, okay?"

Maria crawled off of the bed and embraced him, as she tried to console him, "Okay, okay. We'll go back. You're not going to lose me, okay? I feel perfectly fine, Michael, I promise. I'm not in any pain, no morning sickness, no indication, at all, that I'm even pregnant. But we'll go back and get this sorted out. Come on, spaceboy, let's get dressed and then we'll go. Okay? I'm fine. Really. Just breathe and calm down, okay? I love you."

Michael was still crying as he stroked her cheek and he sobbed out, "I love you, too. So much. Don't die on me. Please don't die."

Maria hugged him tightly and insisted, "Sssh, I won't. You'll see. Let's get ready and we'll go."

They packed up what little they had brought with them, and Maria drove them back to the house. She'd barely finished parking, when Michael bolted from the car and ran into the house ahead of her, calling for Max, still in a panic, though no longer in tears. He didn't snap back to her, this time.

Maria mused wryly, to herself, "Well, at least that isn't an issue, anymore. Instead, I might die from an alien pregnancy. Right. No, that's definitely not happening. He'll see."

The crew had abandoned their morning coffees, on the kitchen island and were crowded around Michael, demanding answers from him.

When Liz saw Maria she exclaimed in teary-eyed relief, "Oh, thank God! Michael just told us he'd killed you! Why would he even say that, Maria?"

Maria indicated they should all sit and she held onto Michael as she explained to them, "Michael has reason to think that I'm pregnant. He got flashes from someone other than me when we were you know, uhh honeymooning."

After a collective quiet gasp, Liz asked solemnly, "Maria, when was your last period?"

Maria shrugged and guessed, "Three-ish weeks ago?"

Liz blanched and she swallowed hard as she sought clarification, "So if your baby is already broadcasting sensory input ...", and she trailed off, unable to finish voicing a condemning conclusion.

Max did it for her, "Then it's an accelerated pregnancy."

Maria shrugged and nodded even as she argued, "But if that's true, wouldn't I be in pain? When do unborn babies start experiencing sensory stuff?"

Liz suggested, "If it's a hybrid then what we know about human fetal life might not apply, Maria. In human fetuses the five common senses start forming at various points from week seven through to week twenty-nine."

Maria asked, "Well, first of all, I don't even know for sure that I am pregnant. Michael could have been mistaken? And second of all, if I am, how do we figure out how far along I am? I can't exactly go to a doctor, in case it is the accelerated version."

Max offered, "I'll get Kal to come over. Maybe there's something about all of this, that he hasn't told us yet, that might help."

Ava asked, "I could try to see your baby? I mean it won't immediately tell us which kind of pregnancy you're having, but then you'd know if you are or not and depending, I can describe it to Liz.

From there, we could probably figure out within a few days what kind of pregnancy you're having. If it's the short version, you're going to show and get bigger, really fast like Isabel did, right?"

Michael implored Maria with his eyes as he answered Ava, "Yes, do it, Ava! Please?"

Maria nodded at Ava and agreed, "Okay. Go ahead, Ava."

Ava concentrated but ultimately she shook her head and apologised, "I can't see inside of you, at all. It's like you're wearing a lead shirt or something."

Michael hugged Maria and started to cry, again as he varied between apologising and begging her to be okay and not die. Maria did her best to comfort and reassure him but she was starting to feel some concern, herself. She kissed him repeatedly, wiping at his tears.

Ava's next question made them both look at her in confusion, "That's kind of neat! How are you guys doing that?"

They said in unison, "Doing what?"

Ava nudged Kyle, who was busy fussing over Lex and she said, "Look! Isn't that cool?"

Kyle looked at them and his eyes widened as he answered her, "Or freaky?,

"Uhh, guys? Isabel? Liz? Max? Are you seeing this?"

Liz looked and gasped, "Whoa.,

"Max? Max!"

Max was on the phone quietly arguing with Kal, but he turned at Liz's insistence and caught sight of Michael and Maria. He spoke urgently to Kal, "I require your presence immediately, shape-shifter. Obey me.", and he hung up on him.

Isabel just stared at them and Max asked Michael, "When did that start happening? Does it hurt?"

Maria demanded impatiently, "Oh my God, will you guys just spit it out, already? What? When did what start happening?"

Liz started to speak but Isabel halted her and suggested, "If they aren't even aware of it, then words aren't going to convince them of what we're seeing. Only a picture will do that. Allow me."

Isabel took an instant Polaroid picture of Michael and Maria embracing. As soon as it finished developing, she verified that it had sufficiently captured what they were seeing and then she showed it to Michael and Maria.

Michael scoffed and accused, "This didn't develop properly. There's something wrong with that camera."

The rest of the crew backed Isabel up with an in sync shake of their heads.

Maria frowned at the picture and laughed uncomfortably, "This makes it look like I'm half disappeared into Michael, so obviously the exposure on it is messed up or something."

Liz said gently, "That picture shows exactly what we're all seeing right now, Maria. You do seem to be partially disappeared into Michael."

Maria dismissed the notion, "That's ridiculous. As if! I'm looking right at our actual bodies where we're touching and everything looks the same as usual, to me. And to answer your other question, Max, no, I'm definitely not in pain, of any kind."

Michael concurred, "Me neither.", then he asked her quietly, "Should we tell them about the other thing? You know, the magnet thing?"

Maria sighed and said in exasperation, "Sure. Whatever. This is getting really ridiculous!"

Michael described the invisible snap back tether incidences but nobody had any ideas about what might have caused it, nor why it had ended.

Michael then asked, in an attempt to distract himself from the despair he felt, over, what he was certain was, Maria's impending death, "Speaking of what led to that discovery, why was there hardly anything left of my stash, in the car? Which one of you depleted my condiment stash to the extent, that Maria and I had to go buy more and restock it?"

Max, Ava and Isabel all raised their hands. Ava apologised first with a nervous smile, "I saw you stock it and I was in a pinch last week, during laundry duty. I got hungry and hit a drive through. Sorry, Michael."

Isabel admitted, "Lex was fussy after my bout with the breeding pains from hell and so Kyle and I took him for a drive, so that he wouldn't wake everyone. I got hungry and we did the drive through, too! Kyle also knew, that you'd stocked the car."

Max smirked and apologised insincerely, "Sorry, bro. Same as them. Fast food pinch. Thanks for stocking it so well, though. There was enough there to serve all three of us, apparently. I'll take a turn restocking it, sometime."

Ava and Isabel echoed him in unison, "Me too."

Michael shook his head, shrugged and resumed fretting over Maria, as he said dismissively, "Yeah, whatever. That's the least of my concerns, right now."

Maria encouraged him to cling to her, as much he wanted to, in hopes it made him feel somewhat reassured. By the stares of the crew the morphing together thing was still happening. She ignored them and concentrated on trying to keep Michael calm.

At the knock on the door, Max rushed to go answer it. He returned to the kitchen, with Kal close behind him. Max gestured toward Michael and Maria and asked Kal, "Tell us anything you know about what might be causing that."

Kal gasped in shock, fell to one knee and solemnly pledged, "We welcome and defer to thee, most eminent Guardian; the Commander and wielder of the most powerful force in all of existence. May you truly save us all."

At his words, it was like a bolt of compulsion ripped through Max, Ava and Isabel, simultaneously and they also fell to one knee and repeated the same pledge, though they clearly didn't understand why.

Michael frowned in annoyance and asked, "What are you guys doing? Who are you talking to?"

Kal wouldn't look directly at Maria but he answered a direct question in Max's presence without being compelled to do so, for the first time, since Max had met him, "Your Guardian, Michael. I suspected she was ... different from other humans but I didn't know it was Her; the one who can save us all. It never occurred to me that the next one could be other than Antarian. Nothing I've ever been taught could have prepared me for this."

Michael insisted, "I still don't know what you're talking about. You mean, Maria? She's my girlfr- I mean my wife, not my guardian or commander or whatever else you said, either!"

Ava teared up and asked Kal, "The prophecies were real? Not just pretty bedtime stories?"

Isabel demanded, "I don't even know what's going on here! Why did I just do that and say that stuff? Why did Max? What bedtime stories, Ava? What prophecies, Kal? I need answers, damn it!"

Ava spoke in a far away voice, as she remembered, out loud, "I had a Grandmother. She told me about love. The Guardian. The Commander. The ender of wars. She said love was so powerful a force, that it could create something significant from nothingness - but it needed someone to harness it and direct it; it needed the Commander.

She said the Commander would save us all with the power of love. It sounded so romantic. There were stories of past Commanders but I can't quite hold onto the details. I just remember how the stories made me feel; happy and hopeful. Grateful.

Somewhere along the way, since that far away life, I stopped believing that there really could be a Commander. It was just a pretty bedtime story that my Grandmother used to tell me.

When I was a little girl, here on Earth, in New York, I told bits of it to my special baby doll but even that seems several lifetimes ago, now."

Kal added, "Lifespans on Antar vary but no Antarian could ever live long enough to see more than one Commander take up the power of love and make things right, again. So the Commanders became a legend to some, a fairytale to others and to a select few a prophecy to hope for but it's assumed it will happen to some future generation; it remains elusive, a thing nobody expects to be alive to witness first hand. I have ancestors purported to have witnessed a Commander, at work but no living relatives to corroborate that.

Once I arrived here, it became, well, irrelevant. No prophecy has ever indicated that the Commander could be anything other than Antarian and yet, She is the Commander. I'm facing something that I have no frame of reference for. Forgive me, for my ignorance, Commander."

Michael and Maria looked at each other, looked at their crew and then at Kal and Maria stated, "I think you might have been exposed to some gnarly space gases in your travels, or something because you've got this way wrong, Mr. Langley.

Hi, I'm Maria Elizabeth DeLuca, average everything. Mediocrity is what I excel at. I'm definitely not this Commander being that you're talking about. The most interesting thing about me, isn't even about me, it's about this guy; my husband.

Whatever you think you know, I can assure you, that you are mistaken. I'm only special to a handful of people who love me; otherwise, not so much. I promise. I haven't got gnarly powers of any kind and certainly I do not have the solution for ending any wars, here or anywhere else, either. You've got the wrong girl. Like really wrong."

Michael partially concurred, "My wife isn't quite as unremarkable, as what she is trying to claim but I have to agree with her on the main thing; she isn't this Commander being that you're talking about. Case in point? I didn't kneel and say stuff when you guys did. I think Kojak here is Tessing you guys, on this one. The whole thing is bogus."

Kal retorted, "Why would you do as we did, Michael? You've obviously already dedicated yourself to the Commander's cause. You pledged your entire being to her, didn't you? How else could you internalise her, the way that you're doing, right, now? You've obviously dedicated your very cells to her."

Michael confirmed uncomfortably, "How could you possibly know that? I told her more than once that every cell in my body belongs to her. So is that what's causing this melting together thing, too?"

Kal nodded and confirmed, "Yes. You made a verbal vow, presumably because you love her. That definitely did it, Michael."

Kyle asked for clarification, "So, this melting into each other thing, is not his alien powers at work?"

Kal explained, "Not at all. The power of love is a real thing on Antar. The legend and prophecy is that there is only one being who can harness love and summon or command those who are motivated by love, to rise up and claim victory against oppressive rule, when math and logic would deem victory impossible.

It's as Ava's Grandmother told her, the eminent Commander can create miracles from nothing. Maria is this era's Commander and she is made particularly strong by Michael's cellular allegiance to her, given freely for love's sake, so yes, that's why they look like they are melted together. It has nothing to do with alien powers, at all. Love transcends all forces, all powers, all life.

Michael's cells are now particularly susceptible to being commanded by or even summoned to Maria, anytime she so much as wishes it because he dedicated them to her and because they love each other.

Maria could very well end Kivar's rule over Antar once and for all and without further loss of life nor even blood shed. It's not something that can be planned out or have any strategy applied to it. Only the Commander will know when and how to harness the love, to vanquish Kivar."

Maria scoffed, "It's some kind of joke, right? Seriously, guys, come on, it's me, plain old Maria DeLuca. I don't know anything about this Commander stuff. I really do think that you've got this one wrong, Mr. Langley."

Kyle teared up and whispered, "The power of love. So Buddha was right."

Max, Isabel, Ava, Kal and Michael spoke in unison, "No, Maria, it's for real. You're definitely the eminent Commander."

Maria turned to Liz in desperation, "Lizzie? Help me out, here! You can't possibly think he's right, right?"

Liz shrugged and admitted, "I don't know, Maria, but it would sure explain a lot."

Maria implored Kal, "Isn't there some sort of test that I can spectacularly fail, to prove that you're all wrong?"

Kal smiled smugly and instead suggested, "Why not go into the living room and wish sincerely for your husband to join you? Don't try to do it wrong. Just try it out. One caveat; his clothing and belongings have no allegiance to you."

Maria scoffed and laughed but agreed, "Right, I'm going to transport my naked husband to me just by thinking it? Ha! If only! I could have enjoyed that! Whatever! I'll try it, even though it's absurd, just to prove how wrong you are! Me? This Commander thing? Pfft! Not a chance, Mr. Langley! I mean, even his vows stipulated occasionally obey, so this will definitely not work; no how, no way! You'll see."

Maria went to the living room and turned to watch the door between her and the kitchen. She pictured Michael and her feelings for him took over; she didn't need to fake wish for him. She waited for a few seconds, and seeing nothing happen she called out and started back toward the kitchen, "See guys? I tol-"

"Uhh, Maria? Behind you.", Michael said in quiet awe.