Roswell Fanatics

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The apartment was dark and quiet. Maria had finally succeeded in persuading Michael to take a nice long moonlit walk with her. They so obviously had things to discuss.

He had disappeared in to take a shower, and she lit a few candles in the living room and opened a bottle of sparkling wine. Taking out the two new crystal glasses that had been only part of her surprise for him. She poured herself a glass and then poured cold grape juice into his glass. She had set everything up on the coffee table and then turned to find some mood music on the portable radio. Finding the slow jazz station, she stepped back to have a look at her transformation of the small living room and smiled to herself. She heard the water shut off in the shower, and she quickly headed into the bedroom to change into the other part of her surprise for him, the black two-piece teddy that she had picked up days before. Every night had been an adventure with him, but she wanted tonight to be even more special. She had convinced herself that she wasn't going to worry about anything for the next few hours.

She knew how wrong she had been now. She never should have kept anything from him. They were in this together, whatever it turned out to be. They had always been in everything together since they were very small children. They had gone through fire and brimstone and come out again...here, so far from their home, so far from the people they used to be. They both had promised there would be no secrets, and all she wanted to do now was to make things up to him.

She positioned herself on the couch facing the bathroom door. First trying her most seductive pose, but then feeling slightly ridiculous she finally settled for looking as passionate as she was feeling. She closed her eyes and pictured him stepping out of the shower the water glistening on his near perfect body. All the running he had inflicted on himself was certainly paying off, she thought. She saw him standing in front of the mirror, carefully drying the droplets of water from his tanned skin. Come to me, she sent her thoughts to him. Just as suddenly her mind raced again, ...Zan, my beautiful Zan.... She was the happiest woman in the world ...in any world, now that he was by her side again.

The bathroom door opened, and he stood there for a moment surprised, adjusting his eyes to the faint candlelight of the room. As his eyes focused on the most perfect vision before him, his breath came short. God, she was amazing...as always. There still were times when he found it hard to speak around her; she had that effect on him still. He had known her forever, it seemed he had loved her forever, in two worlds. This beauty was part of his life, here and now; part of his heart and soul, for now and forever. As their eyes locked, he walked slowly toward her. "Liz?"

She stood, as words totally escaped her. 'Surprise', her thoughts rang out, although the word never formed on her lips. 'You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known', he thought to her.

She saw her reflection in the light of his eyes, as his face came alive with desire. 'Come here', she motioned to him. He reached for her, and he felt her anticipation through the soft folds of silk that barely covered her body. "This can go now," he said to her in a whisper, as he caressed the soft shiny fabric. His hands ran firmly up over her hips to her tiny waist as he raised the only thing between his naked body and hers.

Then aloud he spoke to her. "It's all that I can take just to know what lies under this and not be able to see it with my eyes, or feel it's softness with my bare hands...or taste it's sweetness on my lips. I want you so, mon jumeau 'ame. I belong to you, and you to me. Whatever is to happen, we will always be. My Ava...my Liz."

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Sunday morning came quickly. They had both fallen asleep in each other's arms on the living room floor a trusted army blanket binding their bodies together. Liz was first to open her eyes. Seeing Max's sleeping face so close to hers, then feeling his arm still heavy over her waist, she took a moment to be sure...then she remembered vaguely slipping the top of the teddy set back on, after Max had drifted off to sleep. She had known that Maria and Michael would be coming back home, and she also knew that neither she nor Max had the energy at that point to retreat back into their own bedroom.

She twisted slightly to see the clock on the TV, and then a little more to see that Maria and Michael's bedroom door was now closed. Staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, her mind traced backward. Flashes of Max's eyes and Zan's smile from the night before ran through her head and she still felt their hands on her body a sweet mixture of them both. Liz had felt a difference within herself, as well. This hadn't been the first time… that would have been three months ago, back in the pod chamber; and several times since including their wedding night. She also knew that it would never be the last time. At this point they had each been so beautifully blended with the spirit of their former selves, that even Liz couldn't think of her and Ava as being two different entities, as she once had after she had learned the truth back on that fateful night. Then she chuckled, quickly covering her mouth so as not to be heard in the still quiet apartment, as the thought came to her. There was only one thing better than making love to Max all night, that would be those occasions when they both experienced the passion from the very soul of Zan and Ava.

She suddenly smelled fresh coffee. What the…? she thought. Carefully she released herself from Max's grip and quickly grabbed the panty addition to the teddy set, which was lost in the depths of the blanket, pulling them on in one motion. Quietly taking the few steps into the kitchen, she saw that the coffee pot was indeed on, and now filled with freshly brewed coffee. Looking closer, she read the note next to her favorite cup. "Liz, I woke and watched you sleeping for the longest while this morning. My dreams have come true, and it's all because you love me. I wanted to do something for you, something small, something unexpected, and I figured the one thing you might appreciate from me this morning would be...this. Good morning, mon 'ame. I love you. signed, Max."

She folded the note placing it up on top of the refrigerator, and poured herself a cup of hot vanilla flavored coffee. "Good morning. And is there any special reason that you're suddenly now speaking French to me, Max?" she asked softly to the still unmoving figure on the living room floor.

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It was close to ten before Liz got her self together, showering, dressing and straightening up the apartment. Max had woke up not long before and headed out for a quick run. Before he left, he thanked her for the wonderful surprise the night before. "You were great,” his face couldn't hide the grin. "I know I never heard them come back home," he remarked, nodding to the still closed bedroom door. "Did you?"

"No, I don't remember hearing anything... only us." She blushed and pecked him on the cheek. "By the way, the vanilla coffee was perfect." They both smiled.

A rare blush filled his face. "I would give you the moon and the stars, and heaven itself if I could, vanilla coffee is only a jumping off place,” his lips brushed her forehead. "I won't be long."

"Oh, listen Max," she called out to him as he was about to close the door behind him. "I'm going to call Nicole in a little while to see if she'll come and visit later this afternoon. Maybe we could throw some hamburgers on the hibachi, or something?"

He nodded before bounding down the stairs, whistling. "I'm anxious to meet these three."

No sooner had the front door closed, than Maria came quietly sneaking out of the bedroom. "Morn'n," she gave a little wave in Liz's direction.

"How'd it go?" Liz pushed the wet mop across the kitchen floor.

"We're good. It took a lot of doin', but we worked things out...across the street...in the park," she blushed, quickly turning her back to Liz.

"Maria!" Liz exclaimed and then relented. "Well, good, I'm glad. The park, huh?" she nodded her head, thinking of the possibilities.

Maria sighed, "Yep, outside, under the stars. Ahh.."

"Sounds strangely romantic. We had a very good night too." Liz laughed slightly, as if to hide some big secret.

"Yes, it would seem so. By the way, thanks for covering up before we got back. You two!" Maria laughed out loud. "Well, at least you didn't have to fight off the nasty hungry mosquitoes!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The air conditioning was blasting inside the First Union Bank of New York, as Isabel stood at the teller window, withdrawal slip in hand. One quick wave, and she produced her mother's signature on the paper in front of her as the teller returned.

"How can I help you today?" Isabel handed her the withdrawal slip, adding one more zero at the last minute to the amount she had already written there, before doing so. "Mrs. Diane Evans? How are you today?"

"I'd like to withdrawal $3000 from my savings account please," she looked the woman right in the eye.

"Certainly, I'll need to see some ID, please?" Opening her purse, Isabel slid her drivers license out of her wallet, passing her hand over it's front in doing so. Looking at the picture and checking the name and address, the teller asked with a plastic smile, "How would you like that, Mrs. Evans. Would hundreds and fifties be okay?"

Vilondra smiled, pushing her hair back. "That will be perfect, thank you."

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Liz had tried twice so far, and was having no luck getting through to the number that Nicole had given her. It was Sunday, and it was a beautiful day, she thought. Nicole probably had the girls at the park or maybe the library. It didn't matter she would try again. The library, she thought. Yes, she was certain they were at the library; her mind's eye flashed a scene of two little red heads sitting at a small table, under a blue and red sign that read, Story Hour. Then the flash faded.

"Liz, we really should go pick up some things at the market. We keep saying we’re going and nobodys gotten there yet. We're out of milk, cereal...and strawberries..." Maria threw Liz a cocky smile.

"Don't look at me, Michael's been eating them like candy," answered Liz, without looking up from her now wet and shiny kitchen floor. "But you're right, we do need to go. We'll pick up some ready-made hamburgers and maybe some soda and chips, in case we end up with company later."

Maria was silent for a moment or two, and then asked, "Just what do you think’s going to happen to them? I mean, just how are we supposed to protect them? We're supposed to be keeping a low profile, aren't we?"

"I know Maria, but they are linked to us. Now that we know that, we just can't pretend now that they don't exist. We have to help them, we will help them. I want John to meet with them. He'll know the right questions to ask Nicole. He'll find out everything else that we need to know. Maria...they're both so small, and so scared...well Emily is, not Sierra. She's somethin' else… so innocent, and trusting, she needs protecting even more than overly cautious Emily. Nicole is a woman on the edge, she's ready to crack...I'm worried about all three of them."

Maria was staring off into space, thinking. "Like I said, it's almost as though we were meant to find them, that's the weird part. Like it's a small part of a bigger plan."

"Exactly," Liz nodded. "Another piece of the puzzle. There's a reason for all of this Maria, there just has to be."

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Serena and John sat on the big front porch looking out over the incredible view before them. They had worked very hard to have all of this, to keep all of this. Years and years of sweat and tears, never knowing if their plans would work out. Trying so hard to build a life together. Hoping that John's secret would remain that way, and yet needing to somehow plan for the day when possibly it wouldn't.

Both were very proud of not only themselves, but each other for having the perseverance to overcome all the uncertainties. Their love kept them bound, kept them determined. And as it turned out, John was a damn good cattle rancher. He had in fact just finished branding the new shipment of fifty head of cattle. Serena couldn't help but smile, remembering back to the beginning, and his first attempts at branding the ten small calves that they had started out with. He was in tears because of the pain that he felt he was inflicting on each and everyone of them. She looked over at him now, lost in thought. He was a very sensitive man, and yes a man is what he had come to be. She couldn't remember ever thinking of him as anything else. John Brown was who he was now, who he had been for fifty-five years. She chuckled to herself, admitting that it had bothered her that he still basically looked the same as he had twenty years earlier. She had always hoped that he might end up remembering some potion, some miracle Antarian spell that would give her the opportunity to grow old just a little slower, and with a little more grace. Kal used to joke with her that just being intimate with John was keeping her looking younger and fitter; and over the years, looking into the mirror, she had to agree with him. And agreeing wasn't something that Kal and Serena ever did much.

They had never officially married, even though Serena was well aware of the seven year common law marriage that made them man and wife in the eyes of the New Mexico legislature. But they had had their very own ceremony. They had combined both native indian wedding rights, along with some beautiful philosophy from Antarian nuptial ceremonies; and to Serena, it was better than any church could have sanctioned. They had knelt just outside of the pod chamber, with three occupied pods just inside the door, seeming to serve as their own family witnesses.

Thinking back she remembered the feeling that had come over her at the first sight of the granolith chamber weeks before that night. He had taken her to see the child, as he referred to her. Inside laid the most beautiful, tiniest of infants. She looked so very small and fragile, and Serena remembered how much she had worried for her.

Ava was wrapped tightly in a beautiful blue silklike cloth that seemed to shimmer all around her. She was protected by what appeared to be a small glass dome. Of course now Serena knew that the womb wasn't at all made of glass. It was lakani, like glass but without the silicon, and hundreds of times stronger. Lakani was an amazing substance that gave off healing properties, accompanied by a low pitched pleasant humming noise. This was only one of the incredible abilities within the granolith, just a scratch on the top of a huge iceberg, she thought.

"..This iceberg of yours, Serena," John answered her thoughts. "How's it going?"

She reached to squeeze his hand. She loved it when he got inside her head. There were times like these that it made things so much simpler. "If we can just get through all of this new information, which has given us alot of text...there's much of the last page in these pictures from the manuscript. It's written in a totally different language than the rest of the book. Coby believes that it's also coded, because of the series of repeated symbols and numbers. We thought maybe you'd come out sometime tomorrow, and see if you might recognize it as anything from the old dialects. Whoever it was, where ever it came from, the people who wrote this book were very extraordinary people, very wise people. They knew what they had." She continued to speak what she was aware he already knew. "It's potential boggles the mind. It could be wondrous, John, absolutely wondrous...or, it could be catastrophic. And the key is all in the last page."

She stood and walked to the rail, "What do we do with this information then John?" She turned facing him, and their eyes shared the same worried look. "Right now, it's interesting beyond description. This would change the world as we know it. The knowledge of the machine and it's origin...whether it started or has only ended here, will change everything that mankind has come to know and believe in. I don't have to tell you, that in my obsession and my desire to understand and document all that I've learned...I've never let myself see beyond the point of succeeding. What happens after that? Let's say that we succeed. Do you realize what we will have?"

He was silent for the longest while. "Something that maybe we shouldn't have at all?" he answered with a question in his voice. She couldn't look away from his face. "Serena, I don't know what we're supposed to do with it. We were to hide it here on this world. Hide it." He laughed, but it was a sad confused laugh that Serena heard. She knelt by his side. He caressed her face, looking deep into her eyes. "I've known from the beginning what it's meant to you. You have had this driving need to dissect this unearthly time machine, but," his face grew dark, "maybe we were given this responsibility for another reason. Maybe we're here only to stop it from falling into the wrong hands."

"And whose hands are the wrong hands, John? We know.. Kivar, and now Jared. But what about my world, the government? How can we be sure what the safe thing is to do?" She covered her face with her hands, as he stood and walked away from her, staring out over the mountains. "You've obviously thought that this would one day be presented to someone..you had to be thinking eventually the government."

"I don't know anymore. I don't care about the glory, I never did. It's the science of it that has driven me and Pete and Coby," Serena walked to his side, and he pulled her close to him. Neither spoke outloud their third concern. Kal was very sure of it's purpose. He always had been. They knew that he believed that the quad was one day to return to their point of origin. They were to return to finish a war that had started long ago, long before they were born. John couldn't help thinking what had occured to him over and over again for the last ten years. Maybe the answer at this point in the journey was simple. Destroy it, before it destroyed all of them.

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

It was after three, when Liz reached Nicole. She had seemed leery about meeting the three friends that Liz had told her about, but she finally agreed to stop by with the girls around four or four thirty. When Liz hung up the phone she thought she had sensed something in her voice, but was having a difficult time interpreting it.

She went to sit with the others in the living room. "They'll be here around four," she felt tense, and couldn't place her finger on why.

"Good, I for one am very anxious to meet them," Michael got up going toward the kitchen. "How bout I fire up the grill, and throw on some hamburgers and dogs now, so we won't be interrupted when they get here?"

"That's probably a good idea," Max massaged the back of Liz's neck. "Relax, everything's going to be fine," he said into her ear. "I'm really worried about them Max. Wait till you see them, they're so precious."

"Look, Sweetie, whatever has to be done we'll do it. It's that simple,” a phone ringing drowned Maria out. Michael in the kitchen tossed Liz's pocketbook over to her, "It's yours."

Liz searched and came up with the cell. "Yes..." her face beamed... then fell quickly. "Dad? What is it? Mom?"

Liz listened intently to the words spoken on the other end of the line, as Max's cell rang out. He grabbed it never looking away from the fear on Liz's face. "Max, It's John. Can I talk with Liz?" His voice was low and unsteady. "She's on the line with her Dad. What is it? What's goin' on, John?"

"Serena just heard that Liz's mom was just taken to the hospital this morning. Has something to do with her lungs. They have her on a respirator. She's stable now, her condition was just upgraded to good." John hesitated. "I guess the fates have spoken out. You guys should come on home. All of you for at least next weekend, here at the ranch. I want Liz here till she's okay with leaving her mother."

Liz continued with her own conversation in the next room. Max shook his head, as his eyes locked with the tears in Liz's eyes. "I'm coming home Dad. Tell Mom that I'll be there tomorrow morning." She listened to her father objecting, telling her that things were better now and that she should wait till Friday or Saturday. "Are you sure, Dad, I mean really sure? Can I talk to her? Let me talk with her, that's the only way I'll be comfortable waiting five days to get back there."

Maria went to her side. Liz spoke a few comforting and questioning words to her mother and then ended the conversation telling her dad that she'd see them on Saturday, and that he was to promise to call her if anything changed before then. The conversation ended. She sat with the phone in her hand, as Max finished his conversation with John. She looked up at him, then Michael and last Maria. "We're going home."


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"She'll be fine," Liz tried to reassure herself. "It's just that walking pneumonia that she hasn't been able to shake. It's lingered on. Dad said that she had a few minutes this morning when she couldn't breath, and he called the ambulance. The doctors put her on the respirator as a precaution. But she's doing better with her breathing now. They're working on getting the fever down. It's been a steady 101 for the past three days." Max had walked Liz out onto the patio for air. Michael was sitting on the rail after lighting the coals on the hibachi, “Well, we've needed to go home, I'm just really sorry that this has happened, Liz. Really I am."

She smiled in his direction. "Thank you. She'll be fine," Liz repeated.

Max held her hand a little tighter. "John said that he was about to call and tell us to get a plane on Saturday morning, when Serena came in with the news she heard from one of their neighbors. He wants you to stay there at the ranch for as long as you think you should, Liz. You take care of things there, and we'll come back and take care of everything here. I don't want you to worry about anything do you hear me? He's booking the flights for Friday night." She buried her head into his chest, as the tears came.

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They heard the sound of small pounding feet on the staircase outside the door. "I'd say we have company," Maria laughed. Liz, now feeling a little better after splashing some cold water on her face, tried hard to pull things together. One problem at a time, Lizzie, she reminded herself. As she answered the rapid knocking at the door, Max was directly by her side.

Two huge grins greeted them at waist level, as the door swung open. "Sierra! Emily! I'm so glad to see you both. Nicole, come in please." An arm went around her leg, as she continued. "Nicole, girls...this is Max, and this is Maria and Michael."

Max stooped down to the girls, after shaking Nicole's hand. Sierra giggled, "Hello, Max, how are you doing?" Her face lit up and suddenly her arms wrapped around his neck, almost knocking him over.

"How are you?" he laughed out loud at her actions and at her adult-like question, then answered. "I'm just fine, Sierra. I'm very glad to meet you and your sister. Hi Emily." He regained his balance and held his hand out to her. She timidly shook it. "Nicole, we're really glad that you could come over. We want you to feel at home." Nicole didn't have a lot to say, but watched Max and Liz, intently.

It was Maria's turn; she had been taken by a little hand and lead over to the refrigerator in the kitchen. "These are mine," Sierra proudly announced to Maria, who tried to control the grin that was spreading across her own face. "They certainly are, little one. A very pretty picture, from a very pretty girl."

Sierra noticed that Emily was standing alone in the middle of the other room. "It's okay, don't be scared…come on."

The older sister broke a smile, as Michael motioned to her. "Wanna help me flip some burgers onto the grill? Ever done any cook'n?" A trace of a smile crossed her face, as she followed him out onto the patio. "Yes," she answered, "I can cook too." Michael was surprised at her quick response, but didn't doubt for a minute what she was insinuating.

They ate and talked small talk, mostly about the little town they were all calling home now. They talked school, restaurants, Flanagan’s and the girl's favorite place...the library, and then they ate some more. They were all somewhat surprised at just how relaxed and natural things were. Even Emily was warming to Michael, who kept plugging away trying to make her laugh and relax.

Max was the first to break the ice with Nicole. "Liz has told us about the things that you've been dealing with. We want to help you. I just want you to know that."

"I was worried about coming here. After talking to Liz, I was afraid that I had talked way too much." She looked around the room at the others. "But, I'm glad that we came. It's good to meet you all. I'm not sure how you can help us, but I am grateful to have someone else who understands."

"Nicole, I hope you know that you can totally trust us. I mean, I did tell you my little secret too. I've had this telepathy thing for a very short while, so I do understand some of what you've been going through,” Liz reminded her.

"Can we talk a little about Lucas's family? Is it possible for you to contact any of them? You know, maybe they could help you," Max asked, trying to gain any new knowledge about the Landau clan.

"I did just talk to his sister this morning," Nicole replied.

Liz hid her surprise. "Really, that's wonderful. Has she heard from Lucas?" After a few minutes and a quick glance toward the patio doors where Maria occupied Sierra and Nicole, she finally responded. "She said that she hadn't any news, but I'm not a hundred percent sure that I believed her."

"Why wouldn't she tell you? I mean she knows that it's important to you and the girls, I don't understand." Michael asked.

"She's scared, she's as scared as I am. I have a feeling that he's right there with her and she just couldn't tell me, either because he doesn't want me to know or because maybe she's afraid that her phone is tapped." Nicole was again getting nervous, it was written all over her face.

"Where did you call from, not from home, right?" Liz worried.

"No, no not from home. I'd never do that. I called from a pay phone at the library this morning. The girl's were in Story Hour there, and I took the opportunity to use the phone outside the ladies room." Michael shook his head recognizing the phone in question, and Liz remembering her flash of the redheads under the story hour sign, smiled to herself. She was relieved to know that her flashes were still ringing true. The telepathy connecting her to Sierra and Emily was all the more evident to her.

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Maria was enjoying herself out on the patio with Sierra. Emily had finally apparently come to the understanding that Maria meant no harm to her sister, and had left them alone, going back inside to join the others. Not having much in the apartment that would hold a child's interest for very long, Maria had brought out her new scrapbook to show Sierra.

"It's hard being so far from home, so I've been taking pictures to make me feel better. Do you like looking at pictures?" Sierra shook her head. She opened the book to the first page. "Okay, I've just started this, so there's not a whole lot of shots to show you. See, this is one that I took the day after Max asked Liz to marry him, and this one is Michael and Liz and me at a place where we work called Flanagan's." Sierra seemed excited. "What do you do there?" she asked scooting closer to Maria's side, in order to see better.

"I sing and Michael plays the drums in a band there," she smiled down at her. "You're very grown up for your age, do you know that?"

Sierra was engrossed looking at the page. "...the new Mr. and Mrs. Evans," she stated, looking at one of the shots.

"You READ that?" Maria was shocked. "How old are you anyway?"

"I'm four," she answered her in a way that let Maria know that if she already knew her age, why ask. "My oh my," Maria replied, hesitating.

Sierra laughed. "I love the library. We go all the time. It's my favorite place. Lots of books," she exclaimed innocently. Maria could only smile to hide her amazement. Okay, she thought, maybe kids were reading much younger now than she had imagined, after all it wasn't like she knew very much about young children.

"No," Sierra responded to her thought, "I'm pretty good."

Maria shook her head, suddenly understanding. "You just read my thoughts. You are good."

Sierra stopped her, as she was about to turn to the next page. Flipping the page back, she slowly ran her finger over the faded and only slightly visible picture in the center of the page. Maria had originally put it there as only a joke, but just hadn't removed it. She now stopped, holding her breath. It was an old picture of the granolith that she had taken the year before. She had promised Michael that she would destroy it, after he pitched a fit about the fact that she had taken the shot at all.

"What is it, Sierra?" Maria asked hesitantly. Sierra continued staring at the picture, touching it lightly with her fingers. Then looking up into Maria's eyes, she quietly whispered, "Nothing." Maria wasn't sure how to respond. "Are you sure it's... nothing?" Sierra's eye then caught the shine of Maria's bracelet in the sun which instantly distracted her. Touching the shiny gold links with her fingertips, she smiled, then reached to flip to the next page of the album, leaving Maria with her heart in her throat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sierra had returned inside to join her mother and sister. Maria sat clutching the scrapbook to her chest, raising her hand to get Michael's attention through the patio doors. She motioned that she needed him outside. She had recognized the granolith she knew she had. Somehow, she knew. How was that possible?

A few seconds later Michael slid open the patio door. "What's up?"

Maria slowly rose from the chair. "Michael, you know that picture that I took, the one that you were so pissed about... and you thought that I...I told you that I destroyed..."

Michael was confused. "What the hell are you talking about Maria?"

"The granolith, Michael...remember I took that picture and then I told you that I tore it up. Well I didn't Michael. I stuck it in this album. I fully intended on getting rid of it, but Sierra just now saw it...and she knew it, I'm sure of it. She stared at it. The look on her face was ...it was somehow familiar to her, Michael."

"You didn't destroy it?" Michael was furious. "You lied to me??..."

Maria grabbed his arm. "Michael, LISTEN TO ME. Sierra knows something about the granolith. I'd bet on it. Go ask her. You've got to go tell Max."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael begrudgingly cornered Max about Maria's suspicions, which also meant that he had to then explain how Maria had the picture to begin with.

Max responded much as Michael figured he would. "Why in the name of...why would she take a picture of it?" There was no response. Max found that he wasn't too much surprised by either bits of information. "We were meant to find them. This was all supposed to happen, don't ask me how or why, but I know it's true. Zan knows it. I want to dig deeper here, but I don't want to scare them away," Max answered. "We might just have to show Nicole that we're not... well that we're not completely normal. She already knows that Liz has recently discovered her gift of 'traveling'. Maybe we should let something else slip."

"Let what slip?" Liz asked, as she walked up behind Max and Michael in the kitchen. "Sierra just saw a picture that Maria took of the granolith. And she thinks that the girl reacted to it. Positively reacted to it."

"I thought she ripped that up months ago," Liz said surprised.

"No apparently she just said that she did," Michael replied. "Max thinks that maybe we should do something, ya know, let them know that we're just a little different too. That way if she knows anything, she'll have to say something, right?"

"...or run out the door and we'll never see her again..." Liz shook her head. "Is that really a good idea right now?"

Max was deep in thought. "We need to do something to find out more. I'm tired of this cat and mouse game. I think I agree with Michael. Just something small."

"I'll think of something." Michael turned and went back into the living room to join Maria who was now sitting, talking to Nicole. The girls were sitting on the floor watching a movie on the TV.

"Max, if she runs away, we've got nothing," Liz wasn't sure about any of this. Just then Nicole called to Max. "Max did you say that you're working for the paper here in town?"

Max returned to the couch, sitting next to her. "Yeah, I haven't worked there long, but it's pretty interesting. Why?"

Nicole answered, "I guess you get a lot of strange stories coming across your desk." Max shook his head. "There's been a few, yeah. Crop circles, bright lights in the sky. Now that you mention it, there was a report of bright lights up in Maine the other day. Right around Andover, if I'm not mistaken. A couple hundred witnesses saw them, as a matter of fact."

Max then took the opening. "How bout you, Nicole? Do you believe in extraterrestrials?" The room suddenly became unnaturally quiet.

She didn't hesitate for too long, looking him in the eye. "If you'd gone through all the things that I have in the last six years, you'd believe too."

"We believe," Maria, stated sincerely, as she boosted herself to sit on the countertop in the kitchen. Again nothing but quiet filled the room, until Liz broke the stillness. "I personally know that just the thought or mention of aliens scares the hell out of most people. There's so much that we really don't have any idea about."

Nicole was looking at the girls, who lay on the floor still engrossed in Shrek, undisturbed by the conversation. "There was a time that I thought maybe Lucas's family were aliens. Can you imagine?" she laughed nervously. "Actually they were just really a weird bunch..." Then just as abruptly she stopped herself, and her face grew serious. "I really wish somebody could make me understand what this is all about. I've been given a responsibility here, and I don't know that I can fulfill that responsibility knowing that there are men hunting down my girls, men that wouldn't stop even if it came to harming them. Why do they have to suffer like this?"

Michael looked at Liz. Liz looked at Max, who then suggested, "Maria, why don't you and Michael here, take Em and Sierra across to the park for some water ice. My treat."

The girls looked up at hearing the word water ice, and immediately got to their feet. Michael looked disappointed, but knew better at that moment than to question where this might be going.

"Yah!! Do they have strawberry, Maria? I love strawberry," Sierra cheered, reaching for her hand. Emily looked over at her mother, who simply nodded her head with approval. Emily smiled up at Michael. "All right, and you can show me that big shiny SUV outside," she challenged him.

"That's not an SUV," he emphasized down to the eyes that were prompting him. "It's an H2. A Hummer. Big difference," he winked, kidding with her. "It's apples and oranges. Let me tell ya, an SUV is a truck, that big shiny thing outside? ...That’s a tank."

Emily rolled her eyes, seemingly quite at ease with him. "Michael, it's an SUV. It stands for Sports Utility Vehicle," the little one countered. As the three exited the apartment, Maria turned smiling. "I love it, she's like a mini-me." The bantering continued till they heard the downstairs door close.

"I haven't seen her respond so positively to anyone since, well...since before her father left. It's good to see her smiling again," Nicole said. "Your Michael seems like good medicine for her." Liz agreed, "It's good to see her let her guard down a little. She just seems worried all the time. It's heartbreaking." They all looked at each other, each one knowing that they were alone there for a reason.

Max then began the journey into the unknown. "Nicole, like we've already said, we're glad that you came over. We all really needed to talk to you," Max settled into the conversation, not knowing where it might end up. "You see we've been trying to find some answers and now we've discovered something that kind of links all of us together…Lucas's family and me, Liz and Michael. Although we can't really prove much to you right now, it would seem that the Landau family was indeed ...special." He looked to Liz for help. It was very much like the blind leading the blind.

Liz moved up, sitting at the edge of the couch. "Let's say that the Landau family had at some point in the past, carried a …we'll call it a gene..a gene that made Emily, Sierra and Sean's gifts possible. And let's say that that gene, was foreign, something from long ago...something passed down, but dormant in the generations before these children," Liz paused. "You know already that I have transported myself, like on that night that I helped Sierra. I can do that because of something inside that I've inherited from my past. There's one other thing that you need to know, Nicole," Liz took hold of her hand. "Max and Michael also have that gene."

Nicole looked surprisingly at Max. "The three of us are different, just like your Sierra and Emily." Nicole shook her head repeatedly from side to side. She doesn't understand, Max thought to Liz. No, Max, she understands she doesn't want to believe it, Liz answered back in thought.

Max's glance fell on Maria's empty glass sitting on the counter that separated the kitchen from the room where they were sitting. "Nicole," he called her attention softly and pointed in that direction. Without a doubt of what he was doing, his hand raised and the green glow flashed. The glass popped and shattered onto the countertop. Liz jumped, not expecting the scene that had unfolded before her. She sighed. "I'm not sure this was the way to do it, but that was Max's way of telling you that you're among friends."

Before Liz could go on, Nicole interrupted. "This is about Trinity, isn't it?"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why didn't you tell him about Isabel, John?" Serena asked, as she changed into jeans and a top. She had promised Liz that she'd visit with her mother at the hospital and call her giving her daily reports until Friday arrived. "He needs to know."

"I had all intentions of telling him, but something made me decide not to. I need to get a hold of Kal first. I'm still hoping that she'll show up at home, ya know like any minute now..." He watched her brush her long hair in the mirror, as he stretched across the bed. "There's no point in worrying him about it. She's more than capable of taking care of herself. Actually that's what she's always been about. She's not your normal nineteen year old girl."

"Woman," Serena corrected him. "No, she's not. But that's not to say that she couldn't be in trouble somewhere. And Pete did say that she was pretty upset when he stuck her on that plane. I'm sure she believes that he used her and just threw her aside. You do know what happened in France between them, right?"

"Don't remind me. I could have drawn and quartered your little Einstein. How stupid could he be?"

"What? He was falling for her, John. He thought that she cared for him, really cared for him. You and I know that that probably wasn't going to happen, but poor Pete...he doesn't know Isabel like we do. And he certainly never had the pleasure of knowing Vilondra." She put the brush down on the dresser. "But I think we should prepare ourselves for what's likely to happen when she does arrive home. He's insisting that he needs to talk to her, to explain. We can't interfere, John. She's legally an adult, and so is he. What we think about this really doesn't matter to either of them."

"I'm trying to keep an open mind about this, I really am. Kal on the other hand, his mind is never open."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN


It was difficult for Max or Liz to find words to answer Nicole's question. Trinity? Oh my god she does know!, Liz thought to Max. I get the feeling that she's known all about the Landau family down deep inside for a while now, Max answered back in thought.

Nicole broke the silence around her. "Angelique, that's Lucas's grandmother, she was Mother Angie to all of us, she used to tell tall tales about a place called Trinity. She talked about it a lot actually. In the beginning she referred to it as the homeland, and we all believed that it was one of the smaller hamlets that used to thrive somewhere in Europe, but after the girl's and Sean were born, her story became even more elaborate. She claimed that Trinity, and it's two sister worlds, were all in another galaxy...that her ancestors were hybrids from another world."

Nicole was no longer smiling, as she got up and began to pace the floor in front of Liz and Max. "She swore on her own life that she was telling us the truth, especially after the children were born with their..." She broke a slight smile. "That was her explanation for the children. Of course, everyone just listened politely for years. She was close to ninety years old, for god's sake; plus no one ever disagreed with the head matriarch. Put that together with all the strange stories and whispers of witchcraft... Well, I thought with the exception of Lucas and Ava, that the entire family was possessed, especially when that damn relic that I told you about, when that thing went off...well, she immediately ran to it. I remember that her face turned ashen, she began to shake, and after several minutes she mumbled something under her breath, something so dramatic like..It has begun. There was such a look of fear and then relief on her face." Nicole shook her head, as a shudder passed up her spine.

She paused ever so shortly, and then continued with her tale. "And then when we were spied on, and it was clear that our lives were in danger...and then that horrible day in Maine...well, I began to think that her stories might not have been so far off the wall after all. I don't have another explanation as to why anyone would be searching so barbarically for three small children, not to mention the need to destroy an ancestral mansion for god's sake, and a family bloodline that had been well established over a century ago."

She plopped herself down in the side chair. "I spoke to Ava. I had to know if she had any word from Lucas. They could have killed him by now and none of us would ever know one way or another. She claims not to have heard from him. I don't know if she was lying to me or not. I truly couldn't tell. Not only is she frightened to death, but she's all alone now that her son is dead, and she's having horrible nightmares and dizzy spells." She looked from one to the other.

Liz could see the confusion in her mind. She's genuine, Max, she thought to him. We need to tell her the truth.. and after your little magic trick, I'm not sure we have a choice. before either could say a word, Nicole took a deep but guarded breath, "Now...what's your story, Max?"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Serena looked up as Pete strolled into the study. He looked like hell, Serena thought. "Any word on Isabel?" he asked, hopefully.

"No Pete, Nothing yet. What have ya got there?" He walked to her desk and placed a small pile of papers before her. "It's a complete docile on the Landau family. Everything we could find ...its very interesting reading. The oldest member of the family has no actual birth date on record, only the baptismal record of his first born son. His death is recorded as taking place in 1834. His name's barely discernible in the records, just the initials LSL. Several sisters and brother are mentioned they’re as well, and all the rest of this glorious family are mentioned here on the back, right up to the current time. The grandmother, Angelique Landau, is in her nineties now, her husband, Lucas the fourth, died in March of '95. According to everything we've found, there are six direct descendants, not counting the granny, still alive. The last address for all six was the Landau estate. Jonathan who is forty-three, Lucas who is thirty-three, Ava...interesting, huh? who is 27, and three in the last generation. These last three are the children obviously that Liz was referring to. Emily who is five, Sean who was also five and Sierra who is four. There's no death record mentioned for little Sean."

"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Serena whispered.

"There's more," Pete continued. "The land that the estate sits on, as well as the church back in the old hamlet, was deeded to the first Landau of record. His great-great grandson was the last priest there. That was back in 1900, right before the church was destroyed and plundered by the local neighbors. Nice bunch of people," he said sarcastically. "All the land was originally deeded in 1832, the same year that the first Landau, LSL, died."

Pete was biting hard on his pencil. "Oh, one more thing...and don't kiss me for this..." He took a step back as he handed something in her direction. Take a look at this picture that Coby took of the baptism record."

Serena leaned over taking the photo in hand. There was a moment of dead silence, and then Serena jumped up to her feet. "Oh my god. I love you! I love Coby!" She jumped up and grabbed him around the neck. He swung her around like a schoolgirl. "Do you know what this means? Well, of course you do!"

As the two celebrated their excitement, the photo slowly floated down to land on John's desk. There, barely visible from age were the initials at the bottom of the baptism certificate. LSL , but it was the symbol drawn above and to the right of the initials that was clearly bringing them closer to the last piece of the puzzle. It was the symbol of Antar, it had been included as an accent to his initials.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"She was right, Nicole," Max started down the path of no return. "Lucas's grandmother spoke of Trinity, and we know it.. we know it well. I think that Lucas's ancestors were hybrids. Everything points to it, and believe me, we wouldn't be saying this to you if we weren't pretty damn sure," Max was still waiting for Nicole to jump up and run out the door. Instead she only nodded her head. "I knew it. Somewhere deep inside, I've always known it." There were tears in her eyes.

"Nicole," Liz continued with the truth. "Me, Max and Michael.. and Max's sister Isabel, we're also hybrids. Our ancestors were born on Antar and Adia, the two sister worlds that Lucas' grandmother spoke of. But just like Sierra and Emily, we're also human. We have all the same human feelings and emotions that you or anyone else does. But we do have gifts that were given to us by our. .other side."

"So you three? What about Maria?" At this point she was taking the news so much calmer than they had expected.

"No, Maria is a full blooded human. Just like you, she just happened to fall in love with a hybrid. You two have a lot in common," Liz answered.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


All was quiet at the Eagle Rock Installation. Everyone but Madison was home enjoying their weekend. He had slept there the night before. His senses were heightened. He was waiting for an answer to an email that he had sent out the night before. "Damn," he yelled impatiently to the empty room. "Doesn't anyone at the CIA work on Sundays?" He resent the email again an hour before, demanding information. He had come across some very interesting and tantalizing information. It was a coded memo from NORAD the day before, stating that they had surveillance of activity in the Moab area. He needed to see those damn aerial shots, and he needed them now!

He went for his fourth cup of coffee of the day, and instead found the carafe empty. Throwing it crashing against the wall, he suddenly was brought to his senses. "It's okay, it's okay. Time is on your side, you have a few irons in the fire; and if this memo turns out to be any...anything at all..."

He sat down, gathering his sanity. Relax, he told himself again. After all, the Parker girl's mother was in the hospital, things didn't look good for her, and he knew that wherever Liz Parker was, Max Evans was by her side.

He looked down at the computer monitor before him and hit a combination of keys bringing up a picture. It was an old picture from the unit, back when it had existed a few years before. A young man in gray scrubs sat crouched in the corner of a room of white padded walls. He smiled, as his heart rate returned to normal.

How long could it take before she was home in Roswell again, home to see her dying mother?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


He lay down before dinner. His head had been aching, aching like it used to...the last time. He needed to close his eyes in a dark room, just for a little while. Brody lie across the bed and fell fast asleep.

It was over an hour later that he awoke with a start. He was sweating profusely and he had the worst nightmare, even worse than the last time. He walked the floor, thinking, going over everything that he knew he needed to remember. This was important and he couldn't ignore it any longer. He had to talk to Max. Looking at his watch, he heard the housekeeper call out that dinner was ready.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"The Landau's are directly connected to it all, there's no doubt. We have all the information from the past, but now we can connect it to the present. Between the church symbols and now this," Serena hung up the phone after leaving John a message on his voicemail. "This is amazing…the children, the girls. Pete, do we dare believe that they could be the Angels that hold the key?" Serena couldn't take her eyes off the pictures in front of her.

"Serena, we need to see these kids. John needs to talk to them. And most of all we need to protect them. Listen, Kal will be back from his vacation in a few days and you know that he'll want to see them.. up close and personal," Pete was pouring himself a drink. "Just wait until he hears about Isabel's little hiatus."

"I don't even want to think about that right now. But, you're right. We need to see the girls, and their mother. We need to find out everything she knows. We need to talk to this grandmother, she's got to know something. I can't believe that throughout all these years that no one in that family was aware of anything," she exclaimed. "That's just not possible."

"And what about the bigger picture here? Why were they sent here, or left here? How many children have been created from the day they arrived? Do they have powers? And most important do they even know who they are? I know this is a jump but my next question has to be ..shouldn't we check out more about the Cohokian records? I mean, there's not much to check, but it's worth the shot. Don't you think? There could have been hybrids here in America as well. The presence of the symbols in their technology is something that we can no longer call coincidental, Serena."

"I hear what you're saying, Pete. But, I'm more concerned with the here and now." The phone rang out. "John. Where are you?" She listened, then asked the obvious question. "I've been thinking, how about we ask the Landau girls to come out with the kids, when they come home this weekend?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER NINETEEN


Liz was so very relaxed and thankful that, all in all, the announcement of their closely guarded secret had gone so well. Of course, Nicole had questions, and they tried to answer them all; but without delving into the entire essence explanation of who they were or had been. There was no sense in complicating things any more at the moment. It was enough that she was now aware that they were different, that there was a connection between these three new friends and her daughters..and a legacy, even though slightly clouded right now, with her husband and his family.

"The telepathy and the teleportation? When did you first know that Sierra and Emily were capable of these gifts?" Liz asked, as she settled herself cross-legged on the floor in front of the side chair. Max returned to the room with a refill on cold drinks. Passing one to each of the others he sat by himself on the sofa. "Emily was the first, of course. I knew that she was very bright for her age, and I repeatedly tried to convince myself that her drawing and writing at two and three was..well, while it was amazing.. I needed to believe that somehow, it was normal."

Normal, Max thought. There was that word again. All those years that he had wanted to be nothing but normal, but then after Liz entered his life, suddenly all he wanted to do was to convince her that normal wasn't necessarily all that it was cracked up to be. He looked up to find Liz smiling and watching him...hearing him. He winked at her.

"With Emily, the first experience happened when she was a little more than an infant. Sierra had been born at home, all the children were. It wasn't that Angelique didn't believe in hospitals, it was more that she was under the assumption for years and years that she could handle anything that came along. She had a cure for everything it seemed. Anyway, Lucas and I had just gotten back into a routine about a week or two after the baby was born. We had both the children in our room temporarily, it was easier to handle things through the night that way. Sierra was laying quietly in her cradle, and Emily was in her crib. Lucas had fallen off to sleep, and I was just about to, when Sierra started fussing. You know, just low little whimpers, normal baby stuff. I lifted my head and looked over in time to see little Emily slowly stretch her hand out in front of her and gently rock the cradle. She was a good six feet away at the time."

"She was just a year old then?" Max was amazed.

"Yes, a year. From that time on, I presented her with opportunities. Not that I was testing her or anything, but I needed to know. I didn't mention any of this to Lucas, til Emily was fourteen months old; not until the day that Angelique witnessed Emily moving her cereal dish from her high chair into the sink with a wave of her hand. She didn't say a word, she didn't have to. I knew that I had to explain everything to my husband, before she did. And then, of course, when Sierra was around the very same age, she began doing the exact same things. They mimicked each other. Things became twice as hard. During this time, Ava returned home and I met her and her boyfriend for the first time. Sean was born three months after Sierra. We watched as Ava went through the same confusion. One morning, she was in tears and I comforted her, telling her of Emily and Sierra's gifts. By the time the children were two and three, everyone living in the household knew that they were very special."

Changing the subject slightly, Liz needed some other answers as well. "Nicole, you told me that Lucas's sister, Ava, was named after the girl in the statue..the one at your apartment. What do you know of this other Ava? Did Angelique ever talk about her?"

Nicole was quick to answer, nodding her head. "Yes she did. I was never sure if it was actual fact or just one of Angelique's fables, time frames were sometimes impossible to understand in her memories. Many times I heard the story that Lucas's sister was named after a greatly loved woman who lived back in the old country..." Nicole closed her eyes for a moment, contemplating those three words and what they now meant to her and her daughters.

"Anyway, the story was that this young girl was of royal blood. She was courageous and beautiful and beloved by her people and... unfortunately she died, young and tragically in war. As sad as the story was, Angelique would always finish by saying that she died in the arms of her prince. Lucas had told me on more than one occasion that he truly thought that his grandmother believed that her granddaughter could be in fact, the reincarnation of this.. this girl. You see, according to grandmother, Ava,.. the martyred Ava, was destined to return, accompanied by her great love..the prince of the people. But anything more than that, I never knew. She had many stories through the years. And like I said before she was an old woman, who sometimes couldn't remember to turn off the tea water, so there wasn't too much credence put to her memories."

Liz was no longer listening. She was staring at the floor, and then slowly raised her eyes, searching into Max's. It's okay, Liz. He tried to smile to let her know that he understood the hurt that she felt welling up inside of her. He felt it too. Their flashes were simultaneous. The wedding..the joy...the noise..the screams.. . I love you and I'm here, Max thought to her. Oh Max... she couldn't finish the thought. She was afraid she might be sick. She couldn't hide it any longer. As the tears began to build in her eyes, she stood quickly, excusing herself out onto the patio, saying she needed to check if the fire was out in the grill.

Max took a few deep breaths to stop himself from shaking. He rubbed his temples, trying to control his feelings. "Nicole, where is Lucas's sister now? Where was she when you called her? And your grandmother, do you think she's with her?"

"Ava is in Bismarck, North Dakota," Nicole said with a sigh. "And yes I think that Angelique is with her." Nicole set her drink down on the side table. "I can't see that any of them, by choice, would leave her alone somewhere..that is, if she's still alive."

Minutes went by, and somehow there was comfort in the silence that filled the small apartment. Nicole remembered something suddenly, "My god, Max, Angelique had pictures of the homeland. She had photos. I remember they were in a small wooden box with intricate carvings on the lid. Pictures? Jesus, is that even possible? Damn, now I wish I had paid a lot more attention to her ramblings and all those dust collecting antiques of hers. I just couldn't get myself around any of it, back then. It would all be very important to all of us now, wouldn't it?" The surprise showed in Max's face. Pictures, he thought. Pictures of Zan and Ava's world, how incredible would that be? He shook his head bringing himself back to the here and now.

Liz returned inside finally. Her face was still somewhat pale, and her eyes puffy. Max wanted to hold her, hold her tightly and remind her of how strong she was. No sooner had he thought the words or felt the feelings, then Liz seemed to pull strength from his very thoughts. "We need to get back to the girl's gifts, Nicole. It's important," Max said, apologetically. "I know this is hard for you."

"What about their traveling?" Liz was even more anxious now to know everything. "Is there anything else that's..different about them? Do they have any other powers."

Nicole listened as they heard footsteps coming slowly up the stairs. She spoke quickly. "Lucas and I had taken a holiday for a weekend, and the girls were left with Ava and Angelique for a few days. It was right around the same time, two years ago, when that device went off. A few days after that is when Emily traveled for the first time. She was so excited, until I told her that she could never do her magic again. Within weeks, they were both traveling. I was scared, scared like you can't imagine." Nicole lowered her head. "Sorry, I guess you can imagine, can't you?"

The door swung open and two small faces covered with the remnants of sticky water ice smiled. "I tried to keep their little dresses clean, but they did spill a tiny bit," Maria shrugged. "Tiny bit??" Max and Liz exclaimed at the exact same time.

"Momma," Sierra giggled, "it was the best water ice I have ever had." The look on her red stained face, proved her point. "Sierra, you always say that," Emily stated, trying to wipe at her sister's mouth with a wet soggy napkin. "Can we please use your bathroom?" Nicole asked, smiling. Emily continued trying to explain to her mother. "It was Michael's fault. He insisted on getting her the large size. I tried to explain to him, but he didn't believe me when I said that she'd only dump most of it on herself." "Yep, that would be me," Michael grinned, pointing both thumbs up at himself. "I never listen," he rolled his eyes, as Emily and Maria both stood smirking at him.

Liz laughed at the smallest one. "Not a problem, Sierra," she announced, trying not to giggle, "I think you really do need to wash up." The mother and two small heads of red hair vanished quickly down the hall.

"So..?" Michael asked quietly. Max motioned to him and then to Maria toward the kitchen. Once safely out of ear shot of the bath, he explained all that had been said. Liz filled in key things as he went along.

" Lucas and his kids....," Michael thought outloud. Max nodded his head, adding, "and his sister, and his grandmother. We don't know anything so far about his mother or father." Maria took her turn. "What about the granolith? Did you ask her about the granolith?"

"No, I don't think it's a good idea to bring that up just yet," Liz answered. "Serena will be calling tonight after she sees my mother at the hospital. I'll talk to John then, and we'll decide how to handle the whole granolith thing. He'll know what to do."

"When's Kal due home from the Carribbean?" Michael asked, searching in the cabinet. "Now what are you looking for?" Maria asked.

"He should be back by the time we get there Friday night," Max replied.

"Cereal, Maria. Where's the Cocoa Puffs we asked for?" A voice came from around the corner, "I love Cocoa Puffs." It was Emily. Michael smiled at them, "This just keeps gettin' better and better." He ruffled at the freshly combed hair on her head.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was beating down on him, the suits were hot. Six lackeys, all packed into one small black sedan. Andover, Maine, who knew? Such a small little hole in the wall town. It was a nice farm though, he remembered. Quiet, secluded and very well hidden. But they couldn't hide forever, and they had finally found them. It had taken a while since they had arrived in this country; but now, they had them right where they wanted them. The shots rang out again loudly echoing in his head. One. Two. Three. The boy fell to the ground. He stood there..again.. over him in his mind, and watched as the little yellow and blue flowers beneath the small body turned scarlet. How the hell was he supposed to know that they'd try to outrun them? How were any of them supposed to know? He saw the sunny meadow, he heard the sounds he'd never forget, he smelled the freshly cut hay. He was sweating...again..

You've got mail, was the loud automated response that woke Madison from his nightmare, almost knocking him off the chair he had propped himself up in. He quickly looked around, wiping the sweat from his face with his bare hands. Coming finally to his senses he sat straight up, quickly dismissing the dream...voiding the memory...

"Well it's about frigg'n time!" he yelled at the screen. As he hit the key, the window opened, and he grinned at seeing not one, but two emails there. The sender on the first file read NORAD, and the second was US-DOD with seventeen jpg attachments.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Mrs. Evans? I hate to bother you," said the voice with the heavy accent over the phone, "but, my name is Brody. I'm a friend of Max's and I really need to contact him. It's very important."

"Is it Isabel, do you have news of Isabel?" Came the frantic response on the other end of the phone.

"Isabel? No. I'm not calling about Isabel. Is Max at home, Mrs. Evans?" He paced in his kitchen, as the sun was setting, making things appear darker there then they actually were. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say your name was Brody? Brody that used to run the UFO center here in town? How are you?" she answered his response. "No Max, isn't here. He's away on vacation. Would you like to leave him a message?"

"I truly need to speak to him...it's imperative that I speak to him as soon as possible," he grew more agitated at Max's whereabouts. Damn it, Man. You told me to keep in touch if anything strange happened. Where the hell are you?

"They been away for a little while.....he's on the East Coast. Wait, I'll get his cell phone number for you." Silence filled the line. "Brody? Okay, try this number, you might just get his voice mail, I usually do. But I'm sure he'll call you back. It's 609-887-9565."

"Thank you, Mrs. Evans. I will give him a ring there. Thanks ever so much. I'm terribly sorry to bother you." He jotted the number down. "No bother, Brody. It's so nice to hear from you. Are you still living near Roswell?..." The conversation was cut short, as Brody hurriedly disconnected the call.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


She stepped off the bus a few blocks from the bus depot. A small part of her was glad to be back home, but a bigger part was reminding her of why she was there. She knew where Madison lived. She'd wait there for as long as it took. He had to sleep sometime, and when he did she'd be waiting to dreamwalk. She would find out what he knew. She would find out where Jared was. It was the only hope she had left. They would all pay for what they had done. The time was drawing near. She smiled to herself. She was back on track again, it had taken alot out of her, but she knew now what she had to do, and where she was meant to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER TWENTY


Serena called Liz right before six o'clock that night. Nicole and the girls had left for home before the phone call came. Liz's mother was holding her on. There had been no real progress, but the doctors had told Jeff that they didn't expect much of a change for a few days. She was still in the ICU, getting her meds intravenously and the fever had been random, staying low most of the daytime hours, but spiking during the night. Jeff was hopeful. He and Nancy had been so surprised and grateful to see Serena, and Liz felt better knowing that Serena had seen her mother in person. It would make the next five days easier for her to bear, knowing that she and John were close to her. Serena said that when she had left Nancy that afternoon, she reminded her that Liz would be flying in on Friday and of how anxious she was to see her.

The phone conversation then switched to their coming visit. Of course, John insisted that they stay only at the ranch, somewhat under cover. He had gotten on the phone with Liz to let them know that he didn't feel that there was any real danger, but he wasn't willing to consider things yet as being back to normal. The story of the robbery, and the missing two million dollars worth of extremely high tech sensitive machinery, was something they all chuckled about. The loss of the expensive equipment had a slowing effect on progress at the installation. They also were comforted by the fact that Jim had done his best to become friends with Madison. John then asked to speak to Max. "Hey, what's up? Can't wait to see you all. Everything under control back there?"

"Everything is under control. Serena's sending the tickets out by Fed Ex tomorrow morning." Liz slid her arms around his waist, as he listened to John's reassurances. "Max, I'm sending seven. You need to convince Nicole and her daughters to come out with you, just for the weekend," John explained. "Yes, we agree," Max, replied. "We were just talking about all that, as a matter of fact. They were just here, Nicole and the two little ones. We had a very interesting visit with them." Max proceeded to fill John in on the events of the afternoon.

"So, I suppose that most of the important questions have been answered. The Landau heritage can hardly be denied now." There was worry in the sound of his voice, and Max had sensed it. "We left open the whole granolith and essence issues, John. Liz thought it best to wait and let you handle that."

"She's right. Kal will be here then too. Max, there's something else. Isabel ...well we don't know where she is. Pete put her on a plane out of Paris days ago and your mother called here, looking for any information we might have. We told her what we could, leaving out the parts...well the parts she couldn't handle. Now we just have to wait and see what happens."

There was a silence on Max's end. "Max, what is it?" Liz asked, sensing the concern in Max's mind. "It's Isabel," he said to the three others in the room. "It's seems that she's gone MIA. Pete cut her visit short when they were in Paris, sending her home on a plane. But, she hasn't been back to Roswell yet, and Mom and Dad haven't heard anything from her." No one had to say a word. The obvious...She hasn't even called her mother? question didn't need to be said out loud. There hadn't been a doubt that Isabel had been going through her own little hell. Whether Jessie related...Pete related...or alien related, no one could know for sure. "Try not to worry, Max. I'm sure we'll be hearing from her soon. She's just somewhere healing her wounds."

"Yeah well, that sounds like Isabel…of course, it also rings of Vilondra, doesn't it?" Michael stated. "It really isn't wise to ignore her anymore, Max. You know that, right?"

Overhearing Michael's remark, John continued on his end of the phone. "Michael's probably right about that. At any rate, I'm sure we'll hear from her soon. She didn't have any money. Kal will be back in a few days, him and I will discuss it then." Max thought a very short time on that statement, knowing full well that if she wanted money, creating it would be no problem for her, and John knew it too. And if Vilondra's presence, as with the other three, had been establishing itself, there was no knowing how far she might go. But Isabel had been the one who made the choice to withdraw from the group. Cursing himself for not taking more of a part in his sister's life if only to protect the others, Max frowned. Liz spoke to his thoughts. There's nothing that you could have done, Max and you know that. None of this is anyone's fault, only Isabel's herself.

"John, let us know the minute you have any idea where she is, will you? I want you to call me, no matter what time of day or night it is."

"I will, Max. Okay, there are six flights back on Sunday night. Liz's is a one-way flight, at least for now. Hopefully her mother's condition will be improving soon. Max's arm tightened around Liz's shoulder, pulling her closer. "Maybe I can help...ya know I could try to do something to speed up the healing process while I'm out there."

"Max it's important that you know...that while all of you are home, no one will be out by themselves, not without me or Kal along. I need you all to promise me a very low profile." Max shook his head. "John, I'm really getting tired of all this. It's like we're criminals, and we're not criminals, John! Something has to be done. To not even be able to walk down the street in a town we all grew up in is...well, it's just not acceptable. It's not acceptable anymore. Things have to change. We want to be able to come home anytime we want, for a visit ...or to stay. We're not going to hide for the rest of our lives. I want normal, John and I want it pretty damn quick!"

"I know, Max, believe me. I understand. You have all handled yourselves very well through all of this shit, but it's not over yet. If we do this by the steps Kal and I have planned out, you won't ever have to worry about the special unit again...ever. A few steps are already completed, and a few more are in the works right now. Please, Max, I'm just asking for just a little more patience from you. I'm counting on you to hold your end together, while we take care of things on this end."

" John, I know that you're all doing everything you can do, but I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to let that demented little shit and his quest for fame and glory keep us from living our lives. He has nothing on us, John. He can't prove that we're his little green aliens from outer space!" his voice was yelling by the time he finished. Michael was pacing the floor.

"Yes, he can, Max, your blood. It's the only way he can prove anything." Max quieted down. "I know what you're feeling, Max and I feel the same way, believe me." Michael finally mumbled in the background, "We could just bump him the hell off. It's his life or ours." Liz looked up quickly as a chill of Rath ran through her. She walked to him grabbing his arm tenderly. "It's okay, Michael. We will do what we need to do if the time comes for it, but that time is not here...not now."

"Yes, we could just bump him off," John answered Michael from a thousand miles away. "...and they'd have somebody here to replace him the next day. If we follow the steps we'll systematically blow the need for the existence of a extraterrestrial torture facility right out of the water." Max's mind flashed back to the white room, to the fear he felt. He looked across at Liz, and felt a sick feeling rise in the pit of his stomach. Her safety was more important to him then his own. He'd cross through the very fires of hell before he allowed anyone to hurt her. "Max?" John voice rang through the silence of Max's fear. "So would I."


The conversation ended, with the reminder that the tickets would be arriving in two days. Liz knew she had to talk to Nicole soon. She'd pull her aside tomorrow afternoon when she came to the daycare to pick up Sierra and Emily. She didn't feel that she'd be getting any resistance from her.

The apartment grew quiet after the phone call, everyone thinking their own thoughts. Worry was so thick you could cut it with a knife.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The light was dim in the small room that Madison called his office. He worked feverishly, formatting and printing out the email files. There was something happening in Moab, of that he had no doubt. Could he be sure? How could he be sure? His reputation was on the line with his superiors, after the loss of all the new equipment. But seeing the aerial shots now just made him all the more anxious. They were there he knew it. Their camouflage tents sprawled out over the desert sand weren't hiding anything from him. The accompanying email memos explained the dates and times of the photos. They hadn't been there very long, but it looked like they weren't planning on leaving anytime soon. The other email was another answer to a prayer. They were copies of photos from his superior’s now inactive files. The little faces smiling up from the still wet paper were familiar. Last time he had laid eyes on the pretty little faces, they had been crying...running, and then suddenly they had disappeared right in front of their very eyes. Under each photo was written, Sierra Landau Lawson and Emily Landau Lawson. "Where's your daddy, little ones?" he asked to the last 8 x 10 glossy coming off the ink jet printer.

He looked at his watch and frowned, then began to pace. The new equipment had been requisitioned once again, but it could take weeks, maybe months. Hopefully no one would be stupid enough to throw a cog in the wheel. The last thing he did before gathering his new found information and placing it all into his briefcase, was to check on the new security system. Not just the lasers...but also the high frequency sonic audio transmitters. They had lost some time, what with the vandalism and theft, but time was on his side. This new technology still amazed him. The possibilities were endless. These demons were in no uncertain terms a threat to the security of the planet, but their technology was the very foundation that this world was now being built upon. He repeated to himself, time is on my side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two men stood in close proximity to each other in the otherwise large tent. Larek looked over into the face of his enemy, the man who had not only orchestrated the total destruction of Antar, but now was systematically tearing Adia from it's very roots. The alliance was not to be trusted. Empty promises for the safety of Trinity from Jared and his minions held no truths in Larek's mind, or in the minds of the federalists. The small band of just over two hundred men and women where high in the mountains of Trinity, waiting and planning...but mostly waiting. They were weary. The battles on Adia had temporarily drained their resources and they needed time to heal and expand their ranks. Larek was here now, on earth, in the flesh for the first time in his life. He had been elected as representative of the free people of Trinity to represent all that was left of freedom in their galaxy. Trinity long ago had entered into an accord with Eos to remain a neutral world, and though Jared's plans were obvious to some, he was not at all happy about the refugees and deserting soldiers of fortune that now called the neutral world their home.

"It's with the utmost respect that I welcome you here, Larek. It's been a very long time since we've shared company." Jared's smile may have seemed genuine to the soldiers standing guard inside the door, but the tall sandy haired man with the piercing blue eyes, knew better than to take anything from Jared at face value. Returning the smile, Larek answered the beast standing at the other end of the table. "It has been a long time since we have met face to face. It seems your friends, the federalists, have just recently evened the score on Adia. It's imperative that the truce be upheld. There's nothing to gain from destruction, Jared."

"Is it Trinity's holdings that bring you here, or are we going to banter over the wins and losses of present day Adia, my friend?" The two men shared a long steadfast stare, neither having the resolve to look away first. Nicholas stepping through the door of the tent broke the concentration in the room. "Excuse me," he bowed, slightly smiling, first to his King and then to the only man, short of Zan himself, who could one day end the suffering and the death. Nicholas always covered all his bases. "I'll be heading on back. Anything else you need from me before I go?"

"No. The Minister of Defense is in charge until I return to Adia. He knows all that is to be accomplished. You'll address all questions to him until your return here. The wormhole will close in a very short time now and I want provisions sent through upon your return there, provisions for fifty-five soldiers for two months." Then turning to face his short subject, he continued. "This unstable condition will be resolved, Nicholas, or you have my word that my next course of action will be on your shoulders...or off your shoulders...so to speak."

Larek's face cringed and then one side of his mouth slowly curled up at the picture that had formed in his mind of Nicholas's demise. "I'm sure that Nicholas will do everything in his power to assure our safe ability for return travel through the wormhole, won't you, Nick?" There had never been any love lost between the two in past years, kind of out of sight... out of mind for a while now. Nicholas gritted his teeth and reminded himself that his time spent in Larek's company would now be short.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The ringing of a phone broke into the night. Liz shot up straight in bed her heart racing. Max threw his arm over to the side table by the bed, grabbing the phone. "Yeah."

"Max, for the love of god man is that you?" Max opened both his eyes, and shaking his head to Liz that it wasn't about her mom, he rubbed his eyes trying to focus in the moonlit room. "Brody?" Liz found she was wide-awake now. "What's wrong guy?" Max squinted at the alarm clock. It was 12:07am.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking about the time difference...I just had to call you...I had to talk to you..." Max sat up. "Slow down, slow way down. What is it? What's going on?"

"It's about the dream, Max. I've been having the scariest dreams...three nights in a row now," he was breathing heavily. "Scary? What kind of scary, Brody," Max was growing anxious. "Well, not scary in the normal sense, just scary because...well because it's been the very same exact dream for three nights now Max. And it's about you. I'm being told to give you an important message. It's the same face, the same voice, and the same words...then I wake up sweating. I've written it all down, so I wouldn't forget any of it."

"Good, Brody. Hold on, okay? Don't hang up, just hold on." Max got up, crossing the room to the desk. Taking a pad and pencil, he pulled out the chair and sat down. "What is it, Max?" Liz asked pulling her robe on and switching on the light by the bed. "It's Brody. He has a message that someone is trying to send to me. It's been in Brody's dream for a few nights now. It's got to be Larek. Brody's pretty frantic," he put the phone back to his ear. "Brody? Go ahead, start at the beginning,"

"Okay, a man a tall man dressed in white, with blue... no very light blue eyes, he's talking to me, directly to me. He is saying that I need to tell you that he is here." Max looked puzzled, "Who is here?"

"He is, the man in the dream. He's kind, he's not a bad person...he's a good person I can feel it. I feel almost feel like I know him, Max. It's okay. He wants you to know that he is here, here ...on earth? Does that make any sense to you, Max?" Brody was definitely having palpitations as he spoke. "Go on," Max answered slowly, realizing that this was Brody and not Larek's incarnation that he's talking to. Liz tried leaning closer, listening at the phone. Brody took a deep breath. "I'm reading it now...word for word...

'Here representing our one free home, in the interest of the icon. Jared's camp 38-36'N 109-36'W. Totaling fifty-five. Trying to negotiate a meeting with our once merry band, need your help. Cell frequency at 49mghz and send time and co-ordinates. R can do it, as he has before. Need very much to speak with you in person. If he hasn't lost his touch, we shall see each other soon. Your liege, L'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE


Madison's window was dark, the entire bungalow was dark. No car. No Madison. Where the hell are you, you bastard? Isabel thought as she crouched just beyond the hedge in his side yard. She could barely see her watch from the clouds covering the full moon. 12:20am. It was alright, he had to come home eventually and when he did she'd be here. A nervous complicated man as he, would have alot going on in his dreams, and hopefully she'd learn some news, any news that might help her in her search to find Jared. Even Nicholas would be a welcome sight at this point. Two headlights headed up the darkened street, slowing, they pulled into the driveway. As the moon again found open sky, it lit up his face as he tiredly climbed out of the sedan to make his way inside. Vilondra smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max quietly woke Michael, letting him know of the phone call. "It's Larek. Somehow, he's here..down here," he pointed down. "Jared must be back. They must have acquired another wormhole. At any rate, what is he talking about.. here?" he showed Michael the paper in the flourescent light of the kitchen. Liz was perched on the stool at the counter. "Why would Larek risk being anywhere near Jared, Max?" Liz asked, truly not understanding. Max shrugged. "He's here as a representative for Trinity, they're apparently coming back for the granolith." Max ran his hand through his hair. "I don't like this, something must be very wrong for Larek to be here. Maybe there's a truce."

Michael shook his head, "He's giving you the longitude and latitude of the camp, Jared's camp. Fifty-five enlisted personnel. It's a scouting party." Michael interpreted Max's writing. Max shook his head, agreeing with him, and Michael went on. "..The merry band..." he laughed outloud, joined in just as suddenly by Liz. "That's us! Remember, Max?" she asked.

Zan's memory flashed back...the four musketeers. Long ago, high in the mountains of Adia. Their early teenage years. What great times they used to share. Michael's voice broke through Max's flash. "It's the frequency thing, that's what he's referring to. Remember the day I tried to hook up that shortwave radio to microwaves?" He started laughing. Several times he tried to speak, but the memory was doing him in with laughter. Every time he'd look at Liz, they would both start all over again.

"I remember, you almost set fire to the stables at Leoch!" Liz was rolling in laughter, so much so that tears filled in her eyes.

"Almost? He did!" Max exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I finally got it right though, didn't I? You all laughed at me. You didn't have faith, did you? You never thought I'd pull it off, but I did." Michael was proud with Rath's memories.

"Anyway...?" Max interrrupted, trying to bring the conversation back to some resemblance of sanity.

"Yeah, let me see. He wants me to do it again, using the 49mghz frequency. I know what he's doing...he'll follow the frequency. The guys a fuckin' genius."

Liz shook her head, "Yes that he always was, that's why he's presently leading the resistance. It would seem that Adia is not fending well."

Max stood up. "The Federalists will win. They have to. The last time he incanted Brody, he had told them that things were going well. Well I for one, will be very happy to see him. I hope this works.. this plan between you two." Michael was already dissecting the cell phone.

"What's goin on?" Maria asked from the hallway, eyes half shut. "What are you guys laughing at? What the hell's so funny?" Without looking up, Michael replied, "It's okay, babe. Go back to sleep. We're about to reach out and touch a dear friend from home." A heavy sigh came from her direction. "Gees, Michael, it's Sunday night. You finally have a chance to sleep all night and here you sit, playing games with these two." She shook her head and closed the bedroom door.

"So, let me get this straight. You rig this up so Larek can pick up a signal of some kind?" Max asked. Michael nodded, "Something like that."

"So it's high frequency microwaves..sonic stuff..so no one else is going to be able to trace the signal. Ingenius," Liz said, shaking her head. "You're not going to burn down the apartment, right?" Liz couldn't finish the sentence without breaking up.

"No, Sparrow, I'm gonna do my damnest not to," was his instant reply. "A few more minutes and we will send a code out to Larek. He wants a time and a place, Max. What's it gonna be?"

"Next Saturday?" Max replied. "John's?" He looked to Liz.

"He'll kill us," Michael answered. "I mean John will kill us. That would be the ideal place, but how about a neutral place, ya know somewhere where there's no aliens who are trying to keep a low profile."

"You're right. How about the Pine Haven Motel," Liz suggested. "We'll meet him in the parking lot at 7 on Saturday night." Max smiled, "That's why I married you, beauty and brains too," he kidded with her.

"My god, Max, if this works, we'll get to see Larek again, I mean really see him again," her eyes filled, as Ava's memories of this very special and beloved friend came flooding back. "I'm really excited about this," Liz beamed. Larek and Ava had both grown up at Castle Leoch together along with fifteen or twenty other young children. Larek had been Zan's bestman at the wedding...the wedding that never happened.

Max hugged her and started to walk her back to the bedroom. "I know, it will be so good to see him again. But I'm worried about the news he has." He looked back over his shoulder. "Carry on R." Then loudly he whispered so that Michael could hear. "Liz, you did put that new battery in the smoke detector, right?"

"Ye of little faith.." Michael waved his arm at them to leave him alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz slept soundly the following morning. When she first opened her eyes she sensed that Max had already left. He had mentioned about getting into the newspaper a little earlier than usual. She jumped out of bed, showered and changed, before Maria had finished perking the coffee. "My, you're bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning, Mrs. Evans," Maria teased.

"I feel great. Only four more days Maria! Then we get to go home. " Maria forced a smile. "Well, unfortunately Amy is away this weekend, some retreat..save the elk or something. She left a message early this morning on my voice mail." Liz frowned. "I'm sorry Maria. But we'll get to see Kyle, and John and Serena. It'll be fun, anyway. Besides what would Michael do without you?"

"Well, he spent some time on the phone trying to convince Charlie that we weren't running out on the band, and that its only for one weekend. I think Michael's worried that they might find somebody else while we're away." Liz nodded her head. "Look, it's technically just two nights. Besides the profits at Flanagan's has been pretty good since you two joined The Veil. They need you." Liz gulped down a half cup of coffee, and grabbed an apple out of the basket on the table. "Gotta run. I'll see you around 2:30. What are you up to today?" Maria shrugged. "I'll clean up and then there's wash to do over at the laundromat. Have a good day, Liz. Tell the girl's that Aunt Maria said 'hey'."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three children were out of school. Seemed that chicken pox had made it's mark on the class. Sierra was pretty as a picture in a fancy green dress. And even Emily was slightly different today than usual. She was smiling occasionally and Darlene looked at Liz a few times during the day shrugging her shoulders at the change in the young girls attitude. The bond between the two girls and Liz had grown and it was apparent to Darlene from overhearing portions of their conversations during the day, that they had all gathered for some fun over the weekend.

At two thirty, A few mothers appeared just outside the door. Nicole being one of them, she waved to Liz, who walked into the hall to join her. "Hi. Great day today. Everyone had a lot of fun. But a few are out with the chicken pox, just thought you might want to keep an eye on the girls." Nicole helped Sierra on with her sweater. "I think they'll be fine." Then lowering her head and talking softly, she explained. "They've never been sick, Liz. As in..never. Oh they've had the sniffles or mild colds, even ran a fever a few times, but nothing...nothing else." Liz wasn't surprised. "Well, let's hope that that doesn't change til they're old and gray." She smiled down at the large eyes looking up at her. "Ms. Evans, can you go to the library with us?"

"How about when we're not in the classroom, you and Emily call me Liz, okay?" Emily agreed. "That's cool."

"That's cool?" Nicole asked, trying not to smile. "That's not very polite, Emily. Where'd you hear that?" Emily scrunched up her face. "Why isn't it polite. It's not a bad word...it's just cool. It's just a word. Anyway, Michael says it all the time."

"Ahh, that explains it," Liz replied, trying to be serious. "Well, Emily, Michael says a lot of things, and they're not all good words, so you mind your p's and q's," Emily looked confused. "P's and q's? What's that?" Nicole grabbed the little shoulders and steered her toward the stairs. "I'll explain later young lady. Now it's off to the library."

Sierra stood not moving, next to Liz. "Aren't you coming too?" she asked. Liz frowned, "No sweetheart, I've got some errands to run...you know, adult type things. Maybe the next time, alright?" The tiniest redhead grinned and skipped off after her sister. "Nicole, I wanted to invite you and the girls to take a trip with us, this coming weekend. We're going back home for a few days. My mom is sick and we haven't been back there for months. The friends that we told you about, we'll all be staying with them. It won't cost you a thing and the plane tickets should arrive tomorrow. Your's and the girl's tickets are already paid for." She waited nervously for Nicole's answer, when it came it was drowned out by the squeal of the girls. "On an airplane?? Yeah! We're going flying!" Liz laughed shaking her head and shrugging at Nicole.

"I guess that's your answer. I'll call you later in the week, okay? Oh, and Liz...thank you. Thank you for everything."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Took sat in her favorite comfortable chair, bowl of popcorn in her lap, as she rewound her favorite parts of Sleepless in Seattle. "Why are you walking the floor, Charlie? It'll be fine. I can carry Maria's songs, and Chandler said he's got a drummer that can sit in on Friday and Saturday night. So what's the problem?"

Charlie stopped pacing. "I know baby...we have the weekend covered. Aren't you a little worried that maybe they'll decide to go on back home for good? Where would that leave us...back at square one again." Charlie sat down on the arm of the chair, helping himself to a handful of popcorn. "No, I'm not worried." Took turned down the volume. "Listen, I know what you're saying. They did tell us in the beginning that they were living here temporarily, but they're not going to just pick up and give us no notice, Charlie. Michael wouldn't do that, I know he wouldn't. But you have hit on an important subject. I think we should offer them more money a night, when they get back. Chandler has already upped our bucks, and I think it would be wise to spread the wealth. Not to mention, I've heard it through the grapevine that we're about to get another increase. We're packing them in, Charlie. Michael and Maria are not going to walk on us, trust me." She reached up grabbing the front of his shirt, pulling him over on top of her. "You gotta trust people, Charlie. And I trust them." The remote turned off the TV, as their apartment became quieter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next four days seemed to fly by. Michael succeeded in getting the message off to Larek by way of voodoo, as Maria put it. Max became even more familiar with the newspaper printing business, and Maria and Michael continued to draw the crowd in at Flanagans. Serena had kept her promise, calling Liz each night. She had faithfully dropped by, straight from the pod chamber, to visit with Nancy everynight. And although there still hadn't been any real improvement, everyone was sure it was just a question of time. Nicole had called on Thursday night, asking what type of clothes she should pack for the girls, seeing that she had never been farther west than her current location. Everything was coming together smoothly, and Max kept waiting for the other shoe to fall. "When things are good...they're good. Let's not even think about anything else right now," Liz had told him.

Michael had just gotten out of the shower when Maria called in to him that his phone was making a funny noise. Max and Liz flew in from their room, and the three almost collided in the hall, as Michael reached into his old jeans for the phone. One look at the LCD, and he yelled, "WOOhoo! Damn I'm good." Looking at Max, he simply stated... "the genius has sent us a text message....a fuck'n text message!"

"What is it? What's it say?" Liz exclaimed, trying to peek at the small window. She smiled at Max, feeling like a school girl, as Maria tried to join in. "Why couldn't he just pick up a payphone, don't aliens carry quarters with them?"

"Maria, he's in the middle of a desert. Those longitudes and latitudes place them right in the middle of Utah, a very desolate area of Utah. No pay phones, and this way no one can intercept anything. Not our bad guys... or his. It's an upgrade on our own personal tincan and string scenario. It's something we created when we were sixteen..."

"You mean Rath created.." Maria whispered. Michael looked from one to the other. "I see what you two meant now about Zan and Ava," he said. "I'm starting to lose the dividing line. This is so very cool." Liz smiled thinking of Emily and the obvious crush she had on their second in command. "So Michael," Maria continued. "You're remembering all this because Rath's memories are integrating with yours.. with ..Michael's." Maria had tears in her eyes as she finished. Michael looked at her with concern, handing the cell over to Max. "It should be up any time now. Just hold this button down until it appears in the window. Then push the button four times, then you can let go." He quickly went after Maria, who had exited into the kitchen.

Suddenly a huge smiley face appeared in the window. "It's up," Max called to Michael. He pushed the button four times and waited. It was so quiet in the room, they could hear the people on the first floor apartment talking. There was a series of clicking noises, and then:

HOPE YOU'RE GETTING THIS. IF NOT I SHALL BE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN R. WISH I COULD SEE THE LOOKS ON ALL YOUR FACES. HOPE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN SOON. DATE TIME AND LOCATION IS A GO. SPARROW= I HAVE BUT A WONDERFUL SURPRISE FOR YOU. Z=KEEP THE BOY IN LINE AND REMEMBER TO THANK HIM FOR BEING THE WIZARD'S APPRENTICE ON THIS LITTLE GAME OF OURS.

Zan grinned, leaning to kiss Liz on the forehead. "This is wonderful. I can't even explain what I'm feeling. I'm about to meet again an old friend that Max Evans has never met."

Liz closed her eyes. At times it was still overwhelming. Liz had never met Larek, only heard him canted through Brody, which really didn't count...not like even this, simple words on a hacked electronic device. "It is a strange feeling. I wonder what his surprise could possibly be?" Liz's heart raced at Ava's memory of him, of the wonderful times they had all shared back before worlds collided. Larek had continued the fight for all the long years, long after the ship had carried four essences to a far away galaxy.

"Let me see," Michael called as he and Maria reentered the livingroom. Maria blowing her nose. As Michael read the words with Maria looking over his shoulder, he laughed. "Well?" he asked, looking directly at Max.

Max threw a genuine smile his way. "Thank You, Michael."

A look of pride came over Michael's face, "That's why I'm your second in command."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 747 departed on time at 6:15 Friday night. The excitement was intense. Sierra and Emily giggled most of the flight out, as Nicole's knuckles grew white from her death grip on the arms of her seat. "It's okay. In another half hour, you'll be fine," Liz leaned across the aisle to her. "You get used to it. Just keep chewing the gum." Michael talked to Max through the separation in the seats. "I think I understand now why Kal hates to fly. I'm starting to feel alittle queasy myself."

"Read a book or watch the movie, get your mind off of it," Max suggested, as he squeezed Liz's hand in his. He whispered something in her ear, and she blushed and smiled at him kissing the back of his hand. "M-aaax...," he kissed her before she could go on.

The flight was a smooth one with little if any turbulence. Emily was enthralled with the little TV over her seat. At one point she climbed up looking over the seat at Michael to inform him of the mini chip that was used in building the set. He smirked, "Yeah, you know what makes it work, but could you build one? No, I think not." Emily's eyes widened, "I bet you I could." Maria rolled her eyes. "Please Emily, don't humor him by even responding."

Sierra, on the other hand sat most of the flight in Maria's lap, nappping on and off. Five hours after take off, the plane was taxiing to the terminal in Albuquerque. A huge sigh of relief came from Nicole, as she for the first time during the flight, unbuckled her seat belt. Baggage claim was a nightmare, as usual. Nicole was the only one who had to check her bags, having the girl's clothes to pack, as well as her own. The others had simply packed backpacks with the necessities they'd need for the short weekend. Liz had explained to Maria, that she still had most of her clothes at her parent's house. So she wouldn't have to lug everything out of Lovell with her.

Liz worried about her mother, but if the truth be known she worried more about not being with the group after Sunday. She didn't want to be separated from Max. But she had stayed strong when he suggested that he would just take emergency time off from work, so that he could be by her side. Afterall, she had told herself, her mom would be improving and then she'd be on the first plane back to him...maybe by the end of next week.

It wasn't difficult to spot John waiting just outside the baggage carousel. He was the tallest one in the crowd. Serena came running through to them throwing her arms around Liz, then Max and last Michael and Maria. John stared for a very long time into Liz's eyes. "I'm so relieved to see you. I've missed you all," he said as he hugged her. Suddenly a deep voice broke through the group. "First Class?? Must be nice to have people who love you so much..." Kal was there shaking Max's hand and tightly hugging Liz. Welcome homes were emotional to all.

Nicole and the girl's stood back timidly, as the group finally turned to them. Serena was the first to greet them. "Nicole, I'm Serena and I can not tell you how happy we are to meet you." Kal and John peered through the group at the two little ones, dressed so prettily. "My god, they're precious!" Serena exclaimed. "You must be Sierra ..and you're Emily, right?" she asked. The two smiled up at her. But Sierra slowly excused herself, brushing past Serena, walking straight for him. "I like your hat," Sierra stated boldly, pointing up to Kal's black leather hat. "Hey, little one. I like your hair." Kal reached down to touch her head, as she placed her arms up high around his neck. He blushed, then trying hard to recover he explained. "It's the redheads, they just love me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A van service took them from the airport to Roswell. Home. Max and Michael explained along the way about Larek and Rath's stroke of genius. "Good, good. You did good," Kal nodded his head in a very proud way. "..and do we know where exactly Jared is?" Michael answered. "Somewhere in Utah." Kal wound down the window smelling the fresh air. "Utah's a pretty big place, Michael. It's okay, you know everything that you need to find out when you see Larek again. So just where is this meeting taking place anyway?" Michael looked at Liz. "Well Liz decided not to have it at the ranch."

"Oh gees, Liz that was very smart of you," John kidded with her. "So where's the reunion? By the way, you do realize that either Kal or I will be with you, right?" Serena smiled over at Nicole, thinking what a strong woman she must be to have gone through everything that she had in the last five years. "Nicole, you and the girl's will love the ranch. It's huge, plenty of bedrooms for everyone and the horses...girl's do you two like horses?" Huge grins flashed between them. "They actually ride very well," Nicole exclaimed.

"Well now, we are going to have a wonderful time. And girl's," Kal turned to face the back rows of the van. "We have no rules on the ranch. You two don't smoke do you?" Everyone laughed, remembering one of JB's rules, that you can't smoke in the main house. No one wanted to mention his other rule, until Kal brought it up. "And just for you two, JB has announced that magic is welcome on the Brown Ranch, just for this one weekend. I'm pretty sure it's okay with your Mom too." Kal looked at Nicole over his sunglasses. She tried to smile, but both Liz and Serena sensed the fear that was evident in her bright green eyes. Kal was enough to intimidate anyone, but suspecting what Nicole did about him, only made things worse.

"Don't pay much attention right now to Kal, Nicole," Liz remarked quietly. "His bark is a whole lot worse than his bite." Sierra wiggled her fingers giving a tiny wave to Kal; he blushed and winked at her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His mind was a mess. His dreams even worse. For a second Vilondra feared she might actually get caught in the porn and never get out again. Then just as she was ready to pull out, the landscape changed. He was remembering. He was sitting in front of a monitor, with pictures of a few small children in his hands. Come on, come on Madison, let's get to the good stuff, she almost screamed out to him. I don't care about your pedifile tendencies, she thought to herself. She decided to let him see her. Hi, what's going on here? She walked to his side as the dream scene quickly switched to a blazing hot canvas of sand. I'm destroying them all, he answered her with a sick smile. Who are you destroying? she asked innocently. Them. They're aliens, all of them. When this is over, the worldwide unit will be in my command. But how will you ever know where to find them? she responded. The scene flashed again to his office..the monitor...a map. Moab, Utah it read.

Not yet, hot shot, she exclaimed as she raised her hand into his dream and changed the map and his memories at the same time. Black Hills, Wyoming. She shook her head and brought herself to consciousness.

Moab, Utah, she smiled to herself. She needed transportation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

There was no explaining the feeling that washed over them as the van passed the road sign reading, ROSWELL 35 miles. Liz couldn't keep the smile from her face, as she rested her head on Max's arm. "We'll be home soon," she whispered. He smiled and raised his free arm up, wrapping it around her. The hand of his other arm was being examined closely by Sierra, who was seated on his lap. She had placed her small hand inside his measuring the differences, and then looked at him puzzled. "What's that, Max?" she asked, inquisitively pointing to a large black smudge.

"It's printer's ink," he said, looking down at the tip of his thumb. "I work too hard," he laughed.

"Doesn't it wash off?" she fired back at him. "Sierra!" Nicole exclaimed. "I'm so sorry Max."

"No, it's okay. Hey she's honest. That's a pretty neat thing in children. They only see the truth."

Maria, hearing the conversation, leaned back to reply, "Yes, then they grow up unfortunately and learn that there's so much more than that to life, such a shame! Don't ever change, little one." She winked at her.

"But the truth is good, right?" she asked. Kal peeked around from the front passenger seat, rolling his eyes at her innocence. Nicole answered quickly, "Yes, the truth is good, Sierra. The truth is always good." The van grew quiet, while each occupant thought about necessary secrets.

Serena changed the subject. "Girls, John has hung a tire swing just for you two, right behind the stables." She smiled at him, as he tightened the grip on her hand. "We want you to feel at home at the ranch. If there's anything that you or your Mommy want or need while you're visiting us, just ask, okay?"

"That's cool," Emily stated, giving a thumbs up to Sierra. "Within reason that is," their mother had the last word.

Max leaned over the best he could to talk to John. "Are we going through town to the ranch?"

"No, the driver has directions to take the back way around. We'll all get settled in tonight, and then first thing in the morning you can all call your parents and let them know that you're here. Liz, Serena and I will go to the hospital with you after breakfast. I know you're anxious to see your Mother." Max whispered in Liz's ear, "I want to go with you."

Max, maybe John's right, at least for today Liz thought to him. Remember they don't know that we're married. They think I've been sharing a room with Maria, and that you and Michael are across the hall. She made a face. I hate this. We need to tell them soon.

"I thought the truth was good," Emily spoke up from three seats away. Liz sighed. We have to be more careful, Max, Liz thought to him. Not only is their hearing excellent, but also let's not forget their other gifts. Emily laughed, and Nicole threw her a look. "Stop it Emily. I know what you're doing, so just stop," her voice was edgy and tired.

"I don't think they can stop it," John replied. "It's hereditary, and there's no changing it. But, in the next few days, you and you," he pointed to each of the little ones, .."and I are going to work on a few things." He spoke with intentional humor in his voice. This weekend was going to be nothing if it wasn't interesting, they all thought.

Serena chuckled and smiled to herself. But, for a few seconds, she felt a twinge of regret for all these years that their lives had been void of children...their very own children. It wasn't that they hadn't talked about it. John was worried about the effect that his past life would have on a child. He didn't feel that it would have been fair to raise a child who could end up being in danger for the rest of his or her life because of it's parentage. Seeing the outcome now of such parentage in Sierra and Emily made her ache inside. Of course, it was too late now for them to even think about the possibility anymore. But just the same, it did her heart good now to see John interacting with the girl's, no matter what the reasons might be. They had two days with them, and she for one was going to make the very most of it. The granolith could wait. The look changed on her face, and turning to Liz, she said, "We only have three weeks before Pete, Coby and I have to return to Stanford."

Liz frowned. "I wasn't even considering about fall being so close now, and all of you having to go back to California. Wow, it's gonna be strange knowing that you're not here with John, Serena."

"Believe me, Liz, it's going to be difficult to drag myself away from home. But it's important that we go back. We have a crystal to return and a lot of figures, facts and information to take back with us. We'll be continuing the study," she lowered her voice some, "but from the university."

Liz stared out of the window into the darkness, realizing just how close she had become with Serena, in such a very short while. There were times that she felt like this incredibly strong woman was her older sister, and then those times that she somehow felt her as a mother figure. They had so very much in common. At any rate, she would miss her, seeing that they'd be on two different coasts. "When is your next break?" Liz asked watching John's expression. He answered for her. "Not till Christmas break, a few days before Thanksgiving." Serena's eyes locked tight with his and Liz needed to look away, feeling the strength of the emotion that crossed between them. It was difficult to think of John without Serena. But apparently this was nothing new to either of them. They had done this before, many times, so she took some comfort in knowing that it must be something that they eventually evened out with. Still, she thought, the loneliness must be pretty intense. She thought about Max, realizing that they'd need to be apart soon too. Even if for only a week, it would feel like ten times that long, she already knew it, and the time span hadn't even begun yet.

The ride from that point became quiet the girls, both falling off to sleep after an exhausting and exciting evening. It was drawing near to a new day, only a few minutes before midnight a brand new day with so many new things possible.

Maria was almost asleep as well, leaning heavily on Michael's shoulder. Max carefully laid Sierra down across their two laps. As Liz pushed back Sierra's hair softly touching her head, she worried for her. She was so young and vulnerable. The thought that there was someone...anyone out there who intended her any harm was frightening. She was so torn in her thoughts about it all. She deserved the chance, as did Emily, to grow up normally. To do all the things that a four and five year old needed to do. But more than anything they deserved the opportunity just to grow up. Could they protect them? Was that even possible? Sure, they could do their best to keep them from harm until they were old enough to handle their own lives, she answered her own question. They had to try, there was no question of that. Their father was a hybrid and they were forced to carry that burden with them, and loving them both the way she knew he did, it certainly didn't seem fair that they all couldn't share that life together, without fear. Liz felt a twinge in her heart as she listened to Max's thoughts as he looked down at Sierra. Someday we'll be holding our own little precious one in our laps, just like this. Someday soon, Liz, I promise you. Tears filled her eyes at the beautiful thoughts that filled her head...the thoughts that were also laced with fear. Don't be scared, it's all going to be fine, he answered her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She stood her ground, while Jared had been busy with his two trusted advisors. As they left the tent, she took the opportunity to be finally heard. "This is important to me, Jared. I'm not sure that you know just how important."

"I am well aware of your spurned interests Tess. However he was never yours to begin with. Your royalty was a fake, remember. His allegiance was for Ava...the real Ava, it was always Ava. You were just a dupe thrown into the mix because Kivar had this stupid little plan...the one that failed! Remember?" He was losing patience with the vengeful bitch that was pushing herself so hard on him. Then taking a deep breath, he considered again the bigger picture. "Look I am well aware of your hatred, and trust me...that's a good thing...a very good thing. That's why in fact, I rescued you from the prison you were condemned to. But I am in charge here, not you, and I have an agenda. I am the one who has decided that agenda, and you will obey my orders. Don't get in my way, or you will find yourself back picking the lice out of your hair in Cuyohoga."

Tess's jaw was clenched tightly. "I only ask that I be allowed to interrogate, when and if they are found. I don't care about the three rug rats. I want my time with Liz Parker. And I don't care what you do with the boy prince or his subjects, I only need the girl."

"I'm not sure why, but I don't doubt that you're sincere in your obsession. But your wishes mean nothing to me, presently," Jared moved even closer. "I now need you fronting the group. In your traveling years with Harding, you have come to know different sections of this land that we do not. This is your purpose, presently", again he emphasized the word. "All things come to those who wait, Tess. Now leave me." The anger was again at the surface, as she turned quickly on her heels, passing Larek who was entering the tent.

He looked questioningly at Jared. "Feisty dirty thing, isn't she?" Larek took a seat. "And just who might that be?"

"She's a pawn. She brings me nothing but trouble. I had hoped to steer her anger into something creatively evil for the cause, but she's determined to suit her own causes while here."

"And what would that be?" Larek asked.

"An intense vendetta against Zan's woman," Jared looked directly into his eyes. "Oh, but that's right, Larek, there was a time that you knew Ava well. Isn't that right? This whole ordeal must be trying on you and your past relationships." Jared stared long and hard at the cautious man across the table from him.

"I have no time for discussing past politics, Jared. I care not about people who no longer exist. I'm here now only to secure a place of joint ownership in the icon, once it is recovered and returned to Adia." His eyes held steadfast to his opponent's. "And so, you wanted to see me, to discuss your course of action. The people of Trinity are anxious for it's quick return."

"And when the royal four are brought to camp, where will your loyalties lie?" Jared pursued the subject.

"With the federalists, where they have always lied. I'm not here to tell you tales. The royal four are dead and buried, these imposters mean nothing to your cause or mine. They pose no threat, but only in the minds of a few. Kivar was insane with jealousy and his course of action did not further the cause one bit. But then sitting where you are now, you are certainly quite aware of that fact, are you not?"

Verbal sparring wasn't something that Jared enjoyed, unless he was in complete control of a gory outcome. He did however hesitate slightly on turning his back to his visitor. He wasn't an extremely intelligent man, but he wasn't stupid either. He moved to the huge map hanging on the sidewall of the tent, and the two men got down to business.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was 3:15 am, the corridors were darkened and quiet, except for the constant faint beeping of the heart monitors in the ICU unit of West Roswell General. Nancy Parker lay sleeping comfortably in cubicle B3. A form in intern scrubs moved stealthy through the doorway, and approached one of the IV bags, syringe in hand. Looking up and checking the unmanned nurse's station one last time, he carefully inserted the needle into the tubing and injected four CC's of a clear odorless liquid through the lines. There ya go, he whispered to the pale woman lying in the bed beside him. She stirred briefly, then settled back into a yet deeper sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I half expected to hear roosters this morning at the crack of dawn," Nicole remarked at the breakfast table. Everyone had gathered early, after pretty much hustling off to bed as soon as they had arrived the night before. "No, roosters were something we decided not to have anywhere near here," John laughed. Michael and Maria hadn't come down yet, and Liz had just arrived at the table fresh from a morning shower, dressed and obviously ready to go. "Morning everyone. How did you guys sleep last night?" she asked, looking at the girls and their mother.

"Like a top," Nicole answered smiling. "I've been looking around this morning and this place is a dream...it's wonderful. How many acres do you have here?"

"Too many," Kal answered quickly. Serena laughed, "There's seventy acres, give or take a few, right John?" He nodded as he gulped down his coffee and pushed his plate away. "It's taken years to get it into shape, but it's just about how we want it now. Steve, one of the ranch hands, will be coming up from the tack house to show you and Sierra and Emily around. Serena and I will be heading out to take Liz to the hospital in about an hour or so. We'll be back a little after noontime."

"Feel free to go anywhere. But try to stay in sight of the house at all times. We're pretty secluded from the road here, so you don't have to worry about anything," Serena added.

"That's the result of good planning on JB's part," Kal stated. "I saw this place right after they first moved in, and trust me, they have done a fabulous job with it all."

Max and Liz hardly heard any of the conversation. Neither had said much to each other the night before, each being overwhelmed with their own thoughts on being home again. But now this morning, Max couldn't hide his anxiety about being apart from Liz on their first day back. "Are you sure, will you be alright?....I mean, Serena and JB will be there with you, but if you need me to..."

"Max, I'll be okay. Honest, I will. Please don't worry about me. Besides it's important for you to stay here with Michael and Kal." Max didn't have to ask exactly what she meant by that. It was important that he be around for whatever Kal may have in store for the girl's. They both hoped that he would take his time and not do anything to lose their trust. "We won't be long. Dad says that for the past two days Mom sleeps most of the time. She may not even know that I'm there, but I have to try...maybe if she hears my voice..." The look in his eyes was all she needed to know that no matter what happened at the hospital, she'd be able to handle it.

Everyone was about finished with breakfast when Maria and Michael arrived in the dining room. "Sorry, I slept like a log, just couldn't get moving this morning," Michael apologized.

"It's okay, go into the kitchen and help yourselves to whatever. There's still a lot of food left on the stove," John said. Maria thanked him and disappeared into the kitchen, Emily hot on her trail.

Excusing him self from the table, John motioned to Liz, "I'll meet you and Serena outside at 9:30. Have a good morning everyone."

"Okay! Who wants go find that tire swing?" Kal asked, beaming at Sierra.

While everyone scattered in different directions, Max called his parents house. The phone rang five times and he was just about to hang up when his mother, out of breath, finally answered the phone. "Mom? It's me, Max. What are you doing? Running?"

"Oh Max! I'm so glad it's you. No, no honey, I was out front. Phillip, it's Max. They're here. It's my car, Max. It's been stolen. The sheriff is here now, taking down all the information. I looked out this morning and it was gone."

"Shit. Who the hell would steal it Mom. It's an old Buick." Max at first couldn't grasp the situation.

"I know, I know. That's what we've been saying. But it's gone just the same. Phillip! Come talk to Max. Sheriff Valenti says hello, Max," Mrs. Evans was talking to three people at the same time, all the while panicking.

"Mom, have you heard from Isabel?" Max asked, trying to stay calm.

"No, why? You don't think..."

Max reminded her, "She did have a key, right, Mom?"

"Well , yes, but why in the world would she want to take my car without coming in and telling us she was home again?" Diane Evans was totally confused.

"Yeah, why indeed," Max answered, disgust rising in his voice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

John and Serena stayed out in the corridor as Liz entered her mother's hospital room. Her Dad met her at the door with tears in his eyes, but so obviously glad to see his only child. "Liz! Oh Lizzie, it's so good to see you. We've missed you so much." He held his daughter tight, for a second she felt she couldn't breathe, sensing the fear in his voice. "How is she, Dad?"

Mr. Parker's smile faded as he took both of her hands into his. "She's not responding. It started a few nights ago, and this morning it doesn't appear to be any better. She's squeezed my hand a few times when I've asked her too, but the nurse believes that it's just coincidental. She's not responding to any stimuli. I knew you were on your way, and I didn't want to upset you anymore than I knew you already were. I thought it best to wait to tell you in person. The doctors don't have a clue what's going on."

Liz walked slowly to her mother's bedside. She looked so pale almost gray laying there. The machines at the head of the bed were blinking and beeping in a constant rythmn. As she sat on the side of the bed, she picked up her mother's hand. "Mom. Mom it's me, it's Liz. Can you hear me?" There was no response. She looked over at her Dad. "Serena and John are right outside the door, Dad. Maybe you three could go get something to eat, or maybe just coffee. When did you eat last?"

Jeff Parker smiled with pride at his daughter, realizing just how much she had grown up in the last months since being away. For weeks now whenever he had pictured her in his mind. It had been the little girl she had once been, and not the grown and beautiful woman standing before him now. "I'll go grab a bite with them, Princess. You visit with your Mom for a little while. The doctors have limited her visiting down to two hours in the morning, and two again in the late afternoon." Liz shook her head understanding and watched the defeated man, slightly bent over from fatigue, walk to the door and disappear around the corner.

Looking back into her mother's expressionless face, the tears came, as she gently caressed her hand. "M-om.., come on Mom. You can do this I know you can. You've got to fight, you've got to pull yourself together and fight. We need you, we need you better and back at home again." I'm so sorry, Mom, sorry that we never got to know each other better. Sorry that we let that unspoken something stand between us all these years. I want the chance to make that up to you, she thought. I love you, Mom. You are the only mother I've ever known, and I just can't lose you now. Dad, he needs you too, he needs you to be strong...to beat this, whatever this is. Her mind was racing with a million thoughts, but one was upper most in her mind. She glanced at her mother's neck and saw the charm hanging there, just as it always had. Liz knew that inside that charm were two pictures, one of her Dad and one of her as just an infant. She checked the monitor and read that her blood pressure was extremely low. She remembered her first aid course she had taken at the fire company when she was just thirteen. 120/80 was normal. Her mother's read 80/60. She wasn't a med student, but she knew that that wasn't good, it wasn't good at all. The hum and clip clip of the respirator continued, much like a soundtrack to the white sterile room surrounding them.

Dear God, she prayed. Alot has happened to me in the past three years of my life. And through it all, with everything I am, I have tried to keep my faith, Liz paused in thought. She's my mother, God, please help her. Please give her the strength she needs to get better. Help me to help her. I know that your will must be done, but I'm praying that you show your grace on my mother.

She stared aimlessly out the window, seeing nothing but sky. "Please Ava, please help us to make this right," she said softly. Her mind instantly cleared. Intentionally she turned her back to the doorway, and slowly with little hesitancy, she placed the palm of her hand over her mother's chest and concentrated as deeply as she could. She saw nothing happening. She then placed one hand over the other, palms down, about five inches above her mothers nightgown, and closed her eyes and prayed, to whom she wasn't sure at that moment. There was a stillness in the room that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Then suddenly she felt energy, energy coming from one hand through to the other right in front of her. She felt the heat radiating. As she opened her eyes, she then saw it as well. The surge of energy from inside of her seemed to be coming from her very toes, drawing every ounce of strength from her, but she didn't stop. It was different from the few times that she had used Ava's powers to defend herself, much different. Several long moments passed and then Nancy seemed to shiver ever so slightly. As Liz pulled back, she saw the faint glow of color coming back into her mother's cheeks. Instinctively, she looked up again at the monitor. The numbers were climbing....95/70..100/ 75..110/80. Liz was finding it hard to catch her own breath.

"Mom?," Liz asked hoarsely, her face and shoulders drenched with perspiration. "Can you hear me?" There was no response, but Liz knew that the rise in blood pressure had not been random, had not been coincidental. She sat back, trying to relax the muscles that had tensed so much in her body. She watched her, thinking. The minutes ticked by, and the nurse came in to administer her meds. There was a look of surprise on her face as her chart was read and the monitors checked. "Her blood pressure.. is so much better. I'll alert Dr. Jamison. It seems having her daughter visit has been very good medicine for her," she smiled with surprise, as she quickly left the room. "Thank you Ava," Liz said out loud. "Please keep her strong, God."

Liz? Liz, is that you?" Her eyelids fluttered. Nancy Parker opened her eyes for the first time in two days, at hearing her daughters voice. "Mom?" tears again filled Liz's eyes, as she read your mother's thoughts.

"Yes, it's me.. it's Liz. I'm here, and you're going to be just fine." A tall elderly doctor came rushing into the room with the nurse right behind. Reading the monitors and checking the chart at the bottom of the bed, he smiled down at his patient. "Nancy, it's good to have you awake again. How are you feeling? Looks like your fever has broken as well, and we've got that blood pressure improving. Is there anything I can I get for you?" The doctor removed the respirator tube, at Nancy's insistence.

"Doctor, this is my daughter, Liz. Liz, you remember Dr. Jamison, don't you? And yes, I'd love some jello." Mother and daughter stared deep into each others eyes.

Jeff Parker entered the room with two cups of vending machine coffee in his hands and stopped in his tracks, as his wife smiled up at him. Liz backed off, turned and carefully walked out into the hall and around the corner, just in time to collapse in John's arms. He helped her to a chair. Serena was over her immediately. "Liz, are you okay? What's wrong? What's happened?" Serena immediately thought the worst.

"John..John," she repeated, trying to catch her breath. "My god, I just healed my mother."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Easy on the swing Emily," Nicole shouted, as Emily pushed Sierra higher and higher on the tire. Both girls giggled and screamed. Kal sat with Michael on a picnic table, off to the side, behind the barn. "It's beautiful out here," Nicole said, giving up and coming to sit next to them.

Michael nodded. "Funny how this place has come to be home to me, so much more than any so called home that I've ever had growing up."

Kal placed his hat back onto his head, shading his eyes from the glare of the sun. "That would be, Michael, because you've never had a home...a real home, that is. Not since coming into this world anyway." Nicole still had a problem with totally accepting everything she had learned in the last week. She couldn't help looking at Michael, or Max and Liz...and now John and Kal, without thinking how absolutely normal they all appeared to be. Much the same as she had convinced herself about her own daughters for the last five years, or for that matter, even Lucas. But she couldn't hide from the truth anymore, and she knew that it would now be easier for her, she had others to share her feelings with.

"Nicole, is there anything else that you can think of about the Landau's?" Kal asked. "How about Lucas mother and father? You haven't mentioned them up to now. Did you ever meet them or hear anyone mention them?"

Nicole took in a deep breath. "Look, I know that all of this is very important to you all, but, there's not a lot more I can tell you. Whatever Angelique knew, I wasn't privy to it. It's not like she ever said, 'Nicole, you've married my grandson and he's a hybrid from another world'." Michael smirked, as Nicole continued. "His mother died in childbirth when Ava was born. His father, it was always my understanding from Lucas, up and left when he was still very young. Basically his grandmother raised all three children. The older brother, who I never met, he left home before we were married and no one really ever talked about him."

"About the girl's powers," Kal pushed. "Have they ever shown any ..forceful powers? Can they move things..objects?" It was obvious that Nicole was not comfortable with Kal's straight forward and brass character. Michael jumped in. "Nicole, Kal doesn't mean to push you into an uncomfortable conversation of the facts, but it could really help us if we knew some things. It would help us to help them. Like, how about Lucas himself, did he ever show any gifts, any at all, to your knowledge?" Kal slid off the table, leaving Michael to continue the conversation, and walked to the swing.

"No," she shook her head. "He was a normal thirty-two year old the last time I saw him and every minute up until then." She thought for a moment, then added. "For the last four months that we were together, he was having horrible headaches and frightful dreams. But we were being hunted like animals, Michael. I figured he had a reason to be stressed, we all did. You don't think that Lucas has known all this time who he...he really is, do you?" Michael looked over at Kal. not meaning to ignore Nicole's question. She caught his distraction. "What?"

Kal was talking with the girls, while the three of them gathered rocks together that had framed the flower bed by the side of the barn. They made four medium size piles from the rocks, lining them up in a row, some six feet apart from each other. Then taking the girls back a good thirty feet, he began explaining something to them that Michael couldn't hear. "What's he doing," Nicole asked. Michael answered, "Nicole, no matter what happens in the next few minutes, I need you to just sit right here, and don't move, Okay? Don't worry, everything is going to be alright." Nicole looked suspiciously back at him. "And remember, no one here is going to hurt them," he added, as he stood up.

Michael looked to his right and saw Max and Maria walking up from the main house. He motioned for them to slow down, so as not to distract the girl's attention from Kal and Powers 101. Slowly so as not to alarm the girls, Kal threw his hand up and blasted the first pile. The small redheads stood motionless for only a split second. Sierra then began jumping up and down cheering, as the dust began to settle. Nicole still sat quietly, but all color had vanished from her face. Emily also stood still, between Kal and her sister. With no expression and just as suddenly without warning, she repeated Kal's motions and the second pile blasted into the air. Nicole gasped, as Michael placed his arm around her. Emily looked his way, smiled and took a small curtsy.

"Oh my god," Nicole gasped again. Max had reached the others, who by this time were rushing to the young ones side. Nicole grabbed Emily, holding her for dear life. "How long have you been able to do ..that?" Emily suddenly looked scared. "I never tried it before," she replied. Kal didn't hesitate. "It's okay, kitten. You did good. Remember I said that your magic was allowed here. I have magic, Max has magic and Michael does too. So does John and Liz." Emily looked questioningly up at Maria, who was standing beside her. "No magic here," she tried to laugh, but was too alarmed by the scene to make it sound convincing.

Sierra was now sitting in the grass, picking buttercups, as if nothing at all unusual had happened. Kal kneeled down by her side. "How bout you, Little Red? Think you could try it?" Nicole made a move and Max placed his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Trust us, Nicole. You've got to trust us. This could save their lives one day, maybe one day soon."

Sierra smiled. Pushing herself up to her feet and brushing off her dress at the same time. She handed Kal a small bouquet of flowers, and looked at the piles that were left. Without bothering to raise a hand, she closed her eyes. Within seconds, the two piles left standing disintegrated and exploding into thin air one by one with such force it knocked her airborne backward and down hard to the ground. "Jesus," Maria whispered under her breath. Max's face changed from surprise to anger. They rushed to her side.

"It's okay, the same thing used to happen to me. No control." Michael explained.

"No, it's not okay, Michael. You weren't four," Max replied, shaking his head with grave concern.

Kal picked the little one up and brushed her off again, and before Max could say a word, he spoke "Red," he squinted his eyes, and taking off his hat he wiped his brow. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. You okay?" It was difficult to tell who was hugging who. Kal pushed her back looking into her frightened green eyes. "Listen to me. You are to never do any of this without one of us telling you too. Do you understand me? You are never to try this while you two are alone anywhere...anytime. That goes for you too, Emily." The girls shook their head in stunned agreement.

As Nicole quickly walked the girls up to the house, Max was by her side. "Go ahead, Emily. Take your sister into the kitchen. I'm sure the cook has something for you to snack on." He waited for the them to be far enough ahead, then touched her on the arm. "Nicole, we had to do that. We had to know. I'm sure that John would have had a more subtle approach, but at least now we know. I'm sorry. Kal should have told you what he intended to do. Listen to me, Nicole. This is important, it really is, for the girl's sake. It very well could save their lives, if the unit should ever find them."

She was trembling and on the verge of tears. "Max, they're only babies. Why would they be given these types of gifts?...they're only babies..."

Max felt that she had answered her own question.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone gathered back at the ranch for a late lunch. Max's parents arrived along with Kyle and his Dad. It was a wonderful homecoming. Everyone was so happy to be together finally once again. Stories flowed from every area of the livingroom and dining area. The house was full. John had decided to cook on the grill and then serve all of the food inside.

Liz had returned from the hospital, after telling her mother that she'd visit again for the three to five visiting hours, and then again the following morning. The doctors had been pleased with her progress in the morning hours, explaining how they had originally told Jeff that it might takes days before the meds would take effect and they evidently had. Of course there were three visitors there that morning who knew differently. Liz herself was just relieved to again see the woman she remembered and loved better again, even if she was still laying in a hospital bed.

Kyle sat out on the porch with Maria and Michael, rocking quietly. "It's good to be home," Maria admitted quietly.

"Well, I for one am happy to see you safe and sound," Kyle exclaimed. "I've been worried about you all. You really need to pick up a phone more, Maria."

"I know, I'm sorry, Kyle," she winced. "It's just that when I'm home and able to call, you're working. And then when you're home, we're sleeping."

"Don't hand me that bull. You're not in another country, Maria!" He looked at Michael and laughed. "She's still full of it, isn't she?"

Michael raised his hand in defense. "I'm not touch'n that one. I have to live with her now." Kyle only nodded his head with a serious look, fully understanding. Exhaling deeply, he finally asked, "And these two little girls. I take it that their special in some way," he took a barely educated guess.

"You could say that. They're the end product of a long line of hybrids...from France, no less," Michael answered matter of factly. Kyle choked on his mouthful of Corona. He began to say something, but found he could find no words to satisfactorily express his feelings at that very moment.

"Aren't they the most precious little things you have ever seen?" Maria smiled, watching the girl's running and playing tag in the yard. "You should hear the older one, Kyle. She's a prize, that one is. She keeps Michael here on his toes."

Kyle smiled slyly. "Is that right, gives you the what for, hey Guerin?"

Back inside, Max had stayed close to Liz, since she had arrived back from the hospital. He was concerned, but not totally surprised when she confessed what had happened in the ICU. "Liz, it's natural that you would have tried. And ya did it, it's wonderful news, babe!" He had walked but a few steps in hopes of retreating out onto the porch, but had finally been cornered by his Mother, as Phillip stood silently by.

"Max, why can't you stay longer than tomorrow. I don't understand why your visit has to be so short," Diane Evans asked, looking worried. "For goodness sake, we'll hardly get to see you at all. When will you be coming home to stay, Max?" She was glad to see her son, but for her nothing else mattered but the fact that she couldn't see him on a daily basis. "Your room is exactly the way you left it, honey." Phillip finally added, "She's changed the clean sheets every other day...regardless, Son. You do what you feel you need to do, we understand."

"Mom, Dad," he answered, looking from one to the other. "I can't stay any longer than a few days. We can't stay any longer than that. It's just not possible right now. I know, I'm sorry it's not fair to you or Dad, but, I have a job out there now. I have a responsibility...a few responsibilities. Especially to ....Michael. We share an apartment, I can't just leave him stuck with it. It's a beautiful place. Don't get me wrong, we do miss Roswell very much, but we all really like it there, too. It's a second home for us all, at least for now." Max wanted so much to just let the truth slip. Let the pieces fall where they may. He was over eighteen, what did he care what his parents thought about the girl he loved. Anyway, he was pretty sure they loved Liz, so there shouldn't be a problem, right? he asked himself. He wanted to scream it from the roof top. Liz and I are together...we're married, he stopped, he thought for a second that he had in fact yelled it outloud, then was relieved to see his mother staring back at him. "Okay, Max. But how about money? Do you need money?"

"No, Mom, really. I told you we're all working. I just hope that you'll understand. We're all okay, really we are."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back out on the front porch, Kyle had returned back inside to find Liz, and Serena had hopped up to sit on the rail opposite Michael. "So who all is going to this reunion of sorts, tonight?" she asked.

"Me, Max and Liz, and I suppose either John or Kal," Michael replied. "We're meeting him at the Pine Haven Motel at seven tonight. It should be pretty interesting, don't ya think? I mean I haven't seen Larek in...well technically for me, it's been fifty-seven years. But the other night with that brief whole message connection, I could actually feel his presence again. It was pretty cool."

"You were remembering, Michael, that's all. It was Rath's memories kicking in to fill in all the little gaps in what had once happened. This is exactly what is supposed to happen with you..with all of you. But I'm curious, Mr. Second in Command, how do you feel when it happens?" Serena laughed, but was truly interested in this wonderful phenomenon that was taking place all around her.

"Normal. Well, like it's not unusual at all. It all feels natural. Rath is a very big part of who I'm becoming isn't he?" he asked, his face sullen. Maria watched Serena closely as she answered him. "I believe that the most that will happen is that you'll share Michael, fifty-fifty. There might be times when you yourself feel that you're a hundred percent Rath, but in fact you will always return to at least fifty percent Michael. You are afterall a part of Grandpa Dupree, that will always remain with you."

"So you don't think that he'll suddenly flip out and be 100% alien again?" Maria was hanging on an answer from her. "He's a hybrid, Maria, a mixture of human and alien DNA. Will he ever be only alien? ...I hardly believe that that is possible. He's not going to forget what it is that Michael is about, nor at some point soon will he ever forget what Rath was about, which is what I believe is happening now. Larek is the catalyst, opening that door just a little more than before."

"It's back and forth," Michael tried to explain to her. "I feel like a ping pong ball. But it is pretty interesting to remember all these beautiful places and events of someone else's life." Serena shook her head, wondering just what it must be like.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kal was getting ready to return to the hospital with Liz. But before leaving the group, he had taken John aside and explained his intentions with what had occurred earlier with the girls. John was furious. "You were supposed to wait til this afternoon after everyone left. Why did you do this, Kal?"

"JB, you were busy at the hospital and I was here. It's as simple as that. What difference does it make? Now we know, and later after I get back we'll spend some more time with them. They have to understand what they're capable of before we send them back to god knows what, John. I know that they are very young and truthfully, I wouldn't push Sierra at this point, her powers are too strong and out of control. But Emily, she knew exactly what she was doing this morning, John. I really think this wasn't her first time. It bears looking into. She had ...I don't know...finesse. It wasn't a surprise to her, JB. No, it wasn't a surprise at all."


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Because of the two banner policy of Fanatics, I will be posting a link to the banner within the ‘chapter number heading’ whenever a special banner is being used for that particular chapter.
In this chapter there are also two small pictures that would normally be shown within the text…and again I’ve needed to link you to them instead. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I’ve been asked to help keep their bandwidth down.


CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURBanner


The atmosphere in Nancy Parker's room was festive to say the least. She was sitting up and talking, obviously feeling so much better. The nurses were joking with her calling her improvement nothing short of miraculous. Kal had been sitting off to the side not saying much of anything, but watching Liz, her Dad and her Mom, laughing and chatting. "We don't want to tire you out now, you've been through alot, Nancy," Jeff said to his smiling wife. "It's so good to know that you're feeling so much better."

"I really do feel great, Jeff. It's been a while since I've felt this good." She then looked to her daughter, who looked slightly more pale then she did at the moment. "Liz, will you be staying here in Roswell long?" Liz couldn't help but notice that her mother again had reverted back to a slightly distant catch to her voice, much as she had most of their lives together. Liz moved closer to the bedside. "Maria and the guys are flying back out tomorrow night." She looked over at Kal, who had stood and was approaching the bed as well. "Liz can stay either at John's or at my place with Janine and me, Mrs. Parker. We've already told her that she's more than welcome to stay until she has to return back to her job. We've grown very fond of your daughter."

A flash of pride passed over her face. "Liz, I don't want to interfere with your new job. It's a daycare center, isn't it?' Liz shook her head. "I had planned on staying until you were just about ready to go home, Mom. It's okay."

"Well, I'm doing fine now. I'm just a little tired is all," Nancy smiled holding tightly to Jeff's hand. Liz looked at her father and knew full well that he could use a break from the sleepless nights she was sure he had been enduring. "I'll stay until maybe later on in the week, if that's alright?" She looked at Kal, who nodded without hesitation.

"That's wonderful, Sweetheart. You're sure that you won't get in any trouble at the new job then?" Jeff asked. "No Dad. I've already made them aware and I told them I'd probably need a week or so. It's covered."

"Lizzie, why not just stay in your room at the house? It's still there for you and always will be," he laughed, looking at Kal.

Why hadn't she even considered that this question would come up, she asked herself. Taking a breath she answered with the first thing that came into her head. "Well, Mrs. Deluca is away and Maria doesn't want to stay in their house alone, so we decided...the two of us.. that we'd stay with Serena and John while we were here. And if I'm going to stay alittle longer, I might as well just hang out there." Then looking at her mom, she quickly changed the subject before anything else was said. "It's a great job, Mom. There's only ten children in my class. They're all four and five years old, lotsa fun." Her mom smiled, "I'll bet. Well, it's good experience for you. You know one day you'll meet a really nice guy at college and when you're studies are done, who knows...maybe you'll have a little family of your own." She started coughing. Jeff looked around quickly. "Listen maybe we should let you get some rest now. It's important, Nancy, we want you to continue getting better so we can take you home."

Nancy wasn't ready to break off the conversation with her daughter. She waved Jeff off, pretending to be angry. "Just a few more minutes." She turned again to Liz. "So you've made new friends out there?" she asked, concern and curiosity in her voice, needing to be reassured that she was doing alright. "And Maria's working too?"

"Yep. She's singing in a club near where we're staying. As a matter of fact, Michael's playing drums in the same band. So she's pretty happy about that." Liz began to feel slightly self conscious as she spoke.

"And what about Max? Is he working too? Are you two still seeing each other? I guess you don't have much time for dating, what with the job and Maria and all." Hearing it coming before the words actually arrived, Kal stood and excused himself, walking out into the hall.

"Yes, Mom. Max is working at a newspaper, and yes, we're still seeing each other. We see alot of each other, Mom. Please listen to me, I love Max. We're in love with each other, that's not going to change." She saw the look of frustration on her father's face.

"Lizzie, I'm sorry, I know that this isn't the time or the place, but I just think that you haven't given yourself a chance to look around out there. There must be plenty of guys where you're staying now. That's all, sweetheart, it isn't that I don't like Max, it's just that I don't want to see you end up getting hurt, ever again. I want what's best for my little girl."

Liz felt it was futile to continue the conversation, especially here in the ICU unit. It was somehow surreal, knowing that her mother had just been laying here close to being on her deathbed not six hours before, and now here stands her father with the same old hangups about Max. "Let's drop this now," her insides began to churn. "Dad, I'm an adult now, and I'm just hoping that whatever should happen in my life, that you and Mom will always be happy with the final choices that I make...whatever they may be. I need you to trust me to do what I feel is the right thing."

"We do honey. Dad's just concerned for your happiness that's all." Nancy squeezed her hand.

Out in the hallway, Kal let go with a heavy sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz was quiet on the ride back to the ranch. She didn't have to talk, Kal was aware of the anxiety that was filling her head. He turned down the radio, glancing over at her. "Well, I guess you guys will be going on this rendevous tonight," he said, changing her thought pattern. "John said he'd be there with you. You'll be fine, Liz."

"I know," she replied. "Ya know, Kal, being away from home and then learning that my mother was sick..and in the hospital..well, it had me remembering things differently. But now that we're home.. some things just never change, do they?"

"Prospective changes when you're away for a while. You remember things being better than they were. Whether it's distance or age, makes no difference. Your mother loves you, just in her own way, Liz. That's not a bad thing. We remember things the way we need to remember them. Time sometimes seems to rewrite the way things were, making some things easier for us to deal with."

She looked at him. "How bout you, Kal? Would you want to go back and do it all over again?" He barely broke a smile. " For some, the present replaces the past, but only for some." He checked the rear view mirror. "Like tonight is kind of like this," he said, pointing to the mirror. "Your present is about to meet up with your past."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The remainder of the late afternoon was filled with Monopoly and Candyland with the kids, before a quick and light dinner had been served to everyone. At one point for an hour or so before dinner, John had taken the girls for a walk around the property, using the time to try, in some way, to mend any damage that Kal might have created earlier. The one thing that John did come away with was that both girls were extremely intelligent for their young ages. Both could not only read and write as a fifth or sixth grader, but could comprehend at an amazing level. They were more open with John than either had been earlier with even Max and Liz. Emily had confessed that she had, at several times in the past, demonstrated the gift that she had performed out behind the barn. Kal had been right. John was speechless when she told him that it had been their father who had prompted her. She explained that Sierra had never been involved in any of the past displays, only her alone with her dad. She had gotten very scared when her little sister had shown them all the same gift earlier. "I never saw her do that before," she had exclaimed.

"Emily, did your Daddy show you how to do this?" He had asked her. Then tried not to look surprised by her quick nod. "I wasn't ever supposed to tell or show anyone." She was upset that she had broken her word to her Dad.

"Emily you know that you can trust us, don't you? We would never tell anyone else. It's a very special gift, but it can be very dangerous, too. We won't ever mention this again, okay?" The little girl had half heartedly smiled through tears. "Okay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At quarter to seven, John had parked Serena's car in the motel parking lot, waiting for their visitor to arrive. Maria who had convinced John to let her come along, sat in the back with Max and Liz, Michael in the front. "So that pretty much proves things, doesn't it?" Michael remarked, after John had explained about his time spent that afternoon. "I mean if Lucas showed her and guided her to use her powers, then he's got to have them too."

"Well, he knew that his girl's were special. Maybe he was just testing her, ya know to see how special?" Liz suggested from the back seat.

"There's no way to know for sure just yet. When I asked if she had ever watched her dad do anything similar, she said no that she hadn't," John answered. "I'm beginning to believe Serena's scenario on all of this. That it's possible that Lucas is just now discovering his powers, much like Liz has. We're talking generations of hybrids here, it's quite possible that only certain genes were effected in the later generation of Landau's. The same could be true for his sister, Ava."

A chill ran through Liz's body remembering how Nicole had explained to them that Ava had been in fact named for the great heroine from the old country. She had been named for her, and it was a disconcerting thought. Max sensing her reaction was quick to pull her closer. Finding the need to change the subject, she asked, "So Larek will be 'traveling' here? Is that how he's getting here?"

"I'm thinking yes, I don't know what else he may have had up his sleeve, but it would be the quickest way, to just transport himself," John answered. Liz thought back a few weeks, to the night that she had traveled to help Sierra, one of the few nights that had started all this. It had been different that night with Sierra, not like the time she had gone to help Max in New York City. That time she remembered that only her mind, along with her heart, had made the trip.

Several cars and a taxicab had pulled past them, continuing farther back into the parking lot, but there was no sign of Larek. "Maybe we should get out and look around," Max suggested. "Couldn't hurt," he said, opening the car door. At the very same time, John motioned to the left. "We've got company." He could only smile and shake his head.

Standing not thirty feet just outside the treeline behind the motel, was a tall man with sandy hair pulled back into a neat pony tail. He was dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt. A jacket slung over his shoulder.

Max stood outside the car with the door wide open. "My god." He started laughing as the man broke a huge smile and began walking quickly toward the car. There was a moment that they both just stared with disbelief at each other. Zan held his hand out as they came closer and within seconds the two men's arms were wrapped around one another, in a very long awaited embrace.

"Zan, I can't believe it. You look slightly different, but you can't fool me..." again he grabbed on and hugged his dear friend tightly. "It is wonderful to see you..to really see you again."

Michael was out of the car in one motion, quickly joining the two. "Larek, man!" They too hugged, and joked about their little plan and how well they had pulled it off. John and Maria climbed out of the car and walked to the three men showing no embarrassment for showing their excitement at seeing each other again after so long.

Ava sat trembling in the back seat, with her hands up to her face, tears welling up in her eyes. Through the car window she watched the three who had once been the three most important men in her life. As Larek caught sight of John, the excitement that shown on his face was too difficult to hide. "Kolt! For the love of the gods, man! I am speechless!"

"It's so good to see you again after all these years, Larek. You look the same, you haven't changed a bit." John exclaimed. "Nor have you, Kolt," Larek answered pounding him on the back.

"I'm John now, John Brown. Have been for a while now," he smiled. Larek nodded, "You'll always be Kolt to me, man." He looked around anxiously. "Where's Ava, she's here right?"

Ava slowly slid over and stood just outside the car door. He looked in her direction. Neither of them could say a word, they didn't have to speak. Ava started walking and broke into a run as he turned to grab her into his arms.

"Ava. My god, Ava. Look at you," Larek tried to hide his emotion, but couldn't control himself.

"Larek," she whispered as he lifted her into a hug, taking her off her feet. She pulled back and kissed him on the cheek. "God how I have missed you. You made it, you really made it."

"Just how the hell did you do it anyway," Rath asked, pulling Maria over in front of him. "By the way this is my lady, Maria." Maria blushed and nodded, as Larek turned and smiled. "Very pretty lady, too. Hello Maria, I'm very happy to make your acquaintance." Then looking down into Ava's face again, then over at Zan, he stated, "Let's get a room, shall we?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I teleported myself out of the camp to the nearest town, and if you think that was easy..you're so wrong. Then I caught a ride to the airport, then a cab here to the motel. Very human of me, yes?" he laughed. They were all sitting around in Room 110, with at least three conversations going on at once. And questions were firing in every direction. "Look," Larek explained. "In the first, I am so glad to see you all. Have I mentioned that?" He smiled again, as everyone laughed. "John, I have to thank you for making this night possible. You so obviously succeeded in everything that you and the others set out to do."

"It has been a long road, but yes, we were very fortunate," John's pride was evident in his voice.

"Why are you with Jared, Larek?" Zan asked. "We're assuming that this camp is a scouting party for the granolith. Obviously they've opened a wormhole."

"You assume right. They are here for several reasons, one being the granolith." He found himself looking at each of his old friends, almost to the point of staring. "I'm sorry, it's just so unbelievable to see you all. The last time..." he stopped as everyone in the room shared the extreme emotion he was feeling. "It's hard for me to concentrate. I just want to say how sorry I am. Sorry that everything...happened.."

"I feel it too, Larek. We all do," Ava said, sadly. She looked down at Zan, as she sat on his lap in the oversized chair. Larek watched them both closely, as she kissed Zan on the forehead. The room was small, but no one seemed to notice. Michael and Maria sat on the opposite bed from John and their visitor. "It's a memory that will always stay with us. But it's okay now, we're together again. That's the most important part. This is such a special night! Tell us, tell us what's going on."

"Yes it is a beautiful night," he continued to watch the light glowing in Ava's eyes, then quickly looked away to John. "Jared is here with fifty five of his finest soldiers. Trust me this group of renegades have nothing to lose. He has the location of the granolith. Kivar apparently told him before he died. Again let me say by the way..fine job,," he looked to Zan, who sat as did the others, in complete silence not wanting to believe what Larek had just told them.

"He knows where the granolith is?" Zan asked, sitting up straight in the chair. Ava walked over to sit on the bed next to Larek. "I don't believe this. It had to be Isabel," she exclaimed.

"Isabel?" Larek asked.

"Vilondra," John added. "There was a moment in the pod chamber, right before Ava killed Kivar when Vilondra had ..well let's just say, she had been alone with him. She must have told him the location then, there could be no other time."

Larek didn't appear to be surprised. "Jared is telepathic. He could have picked it up from her or Kivar without them knowing. Or..." He didn't have to finish the sentence, since everyone in the room was well aware of the relationship that had existed between Vilondra and Kivar back on Antar. Zan looked quickly to John. It's got to be protected, or..moved, John, and soon.

"Yes," Larek responded to the thought. "Most definitely. That's one of the reasons that I've come here to you tonight. The royal four are but a second thought to Jared at the moment. His eyes are set on the prize..the icon. But there is another threat that I fear I must mention. It is specifically aimed at you, Ava. There is a soldier at camp, she had taken charge before their king arrived. She is viciously in pursuit of you. Jared called her Tess."

The shocked look that filled the faces around him, made him quite aware that they knew of this creature. "So she did make it back," John exclaimed, glancing over at Ava. Zan went to her side, laying his arms around her shoulders, feeling her tremble under his touch. "That's just not going to happen," he said, thinking of all the heartache and disruption Tess had delivered to all of their lives.

"So you know of her. You should be aware, that it is her soul purpose. I believe that Jared released her from the Eos penal colony specifically because of her vendetta," Larek explained. "She's a rather scary harlot, but I don't doubt that she's quite capable of pulling off her wishes, should Jared give her the chance."

"She came into our lives a few years back, and caused nothing but destruction, posing as Ava. We believed her, for a short time, maybe longer than a short time," Zan added, anger rising in his thoughts. "At that time.. Liz," he tightened his arms around her, "wasn't aware of exactly who she was." He looked at John. "He'll explain all of that to you later on, I'm sure."

Ava took her question in a different direction quickly, trying to push the threat farther from her mind. "What's happening at home, Larek? How is Adia?"

"Not very well, I'm afraid. The federalists lost much ground in our last battle there. Anyway, a temporary truce was called by both sides, which was good for us. We are very weary. Not to mention the emotional strain on the troops. Destroying your own homeland in order to rid the pestilence is not an encouraging thing. Antar has been completely annihilated, and much of Adia has been destroyed beyond recognition." Ava was devastated. Rath said nothing but began walking back and forth in the small room.

"How long will you be able to stay here in Roswell?" Maria asked, curiously. Ava spoke up quickly. "Certainly you can stay for a while, right?"

"I hadn't planned that far ahead. I can only stay missing from camp for a short while before someone notices. Jared is busy with his advisors. I just met with him today about his plans. The granolith is not the first thing on his agenda. He's looking for a key. Several keys. I'm afraid that there are lives in danger in this world. He speaks of three little keys. They are children, more than that he hasn't shared with me."

John's hands went to his face immediately, as he exclaimed. "My god he knows about the girls!" Ava was on her feet, as was everyone in the room. "What does he know, Larek? Does he know who they are?" she was frantic.

The look on Larek's face changed to great concern, as he realized the thoughts coming at him. "You also know of these keys?"

"Yes," John stated. "Yes, they're hybrids. Two small girls. Their father is or was a hybrid, along with apparently his entire family. We don't know where all of the living members of the family are at the moment, but the girls right now are at my ranch, about six miles from here."

In the quiet of the room, Larek paced the floor. "What do you want me to do, Zan?"

Zan leaned against the wall. "I will leave that to you. You know more about Jared then we do at this point. But you must keep in constant contact with us. We will handle the granolith's relocation, and the girl's will be returning back to their home tomorrow night. It will put a few more miles between them and Jared. It's not safe for them here, so close to the podchamber."

"It's not safe for any of you here, knowing what we do now about Tess. She knows Roswell like the back of her hand. It's only a matter of time. And now with Isabel missing, who knows what could be around the corner," John replied.

"Vilondra is missing?" Larek's voice became even more worried. "This is not good. I will continue keeping you informed of everything I can." John stood up, saying he was going outside to get some air. Part of him was beginning to worry even more about the safety of Larek's visit here, and he needed to call Kal and Serena and alert them to all of this new disturbing news.

Standing himself, Larek smiled again at Ava. "Come take a walk with me, Sparrow. I have a surprise for you." Zan watched, as John held the door open for Ava and Larek to follow. She smiled at him, "My surprise," she repeated grinning cutely from ear to ear. Zan nodded at them both.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was growing much darker outside and the sky above shown down with thousands of wondrous lights glittering from above. John had walked to the car and watched closely as the two walked in the opposite direction. "Keep a close eye, and don't wander far," he yelled after them.

As they walked slowly to the side of the building, a spotlight barely lit the deserted end of the parking lot. Ava smiled placing her arm through his as they walked. "It's been so long, Sparrow, and you are as beautiful as the day I last saw you."

Ava's memories rushed back to that morning, the morning of her wedding. "I've missed you so," she said laying her head against his arm.

"I have something for you, something that I've carried with me for many many years in hopes that somehow one day I could give them to you. They belong with you, Ava." He looked long and hard into her eyes, as she looked up at him. "What is it that you've brought to me?" she asked her curiosity growing stronger.

He reached into his pocket, bringing out a very small and worn fold of leather. Smiling, he carefully released two small pieces of paper from the fold and handed them over to her. What she saw in her hands took her breath away. She choked on the words that tried to come, and her eyes filled with the tears of both pain and happiness at what was before her. In her hands she held two small miniature pictures. He put his arm tightly around her shoulders. "They are smaller copies of two paintings that at one time had hung at Leoch in remembrance, before Kivar took residence there." Her mind flashed back to that morning. An artist from a nearby hamlet had been asked to paint for her, memories that should have lasted a lifetime..and now were lasting two. The first miniature was of her in her wedding gown. The second one, she also remembered well, it was of the two of them.

Larek had been Zan's bestman. He was also the one who had held such deep love and devotion for her, from the very first time he had laid eyes on her as a child. It had never been a secret to Ava, but she had chosen to follow her heart. As difficult as Larek had once found her choices, he was probably the one man who knew just how deeply Ava and Zan's love was. He had loved them both for a very long time.

She thought of all the happiness she had felt that morning, thinking that it was the culmination of every dream that she had ever had. The hopes and dreams of not only the bride, but of an entire world were there in her eyes and they had all been lost in a matter of seconds. He held her tighter, as she broke down. "I love you so much, thank you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Zan watched closely as Ava, Larek and John returned. "Lan is here too? In Roswell?" Larek asked, once everyone was again in the room. "Kolt..John, I really need to see him. Can you take me to him?"

"Sure, we can go right now,” John sensed the urgency in his voice. Before coming here, Lan had been very much involved with the strategic end of the Antarian war. Not many looking at him today, could have guessed his importance in that field. Rath may have been second in command, but he was still a young man at the time. Lan had been one of a handful whose input had always been crucial to the cause. Most of what Rath had learned, giving him the right to be considered Zan's right hand man, had been learned from the Colonel's and Generals of the older armies. Of course Rath at the time also had a trump card up his sleeve, and most knew it. That card had been the engagement for an arranged marriage of the Prince's sister, Vilondra. The King, Zan's father, had been ill of health, but it had been his wish that the princess marry someone who was know to hold a high stature within the generals, in order to prove the solidity of the royal house. Of course, the royal house was anything but solid at the time. "The ranch isn't far from here. You are positive that no one followed you here, right?" John asked cautiously.

"John, I'm as sure as I am standing here right now speaking with all of you."

Ava sat down at the small table facing Maria, placing the miniatures face down. She turned to get Zan's attention. As he walked to her, she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, it seemed to glow from the inside out. "This must have been some surprise," he replied to the excited look on her face.

"Oh Zan, wait till you see what he's brought to me...to us." She slowly turned the pictures over, picking up first, the one of her in the full-length wedding gown.

Maria's mouth dropped open, "Oh dear God, it is you...I mean, it looks just like ya Liz," Maria exclaimed, looking over Zan's arm. "It's gorgeous! Oooh Liz." Maria then looked down at the second picture before passing it to Zan. She smiled over at Larek and he winked at her as he watched the small group sharing his personally delivered treasure. Maria blushed.

Zan stood silent, miniatures in his hands. He couldn't bring the words together, but mostly he couldn't find the strength to stop his hands from shaking. Finally, as she searched his eyes for a response, he whispered to her. "Ava, I saw you that morning for such a very short time, and the only memory that I want to ever recall is how beautiful you were. The happiness in your eyes that day only matched what I felt in my heart." Looking at the second picture, he smiled differently. "He has always been a strong, loyal and good friend to us. I hope that never changes."

As his words rang clear in her mind, she looked at him in surprise. "Why wouldn't he remain as he is, Zan?"

Zan visibly shook it off. "Nothing, love. I trust him with my very life. You know that."

Liz's expression slowly changed to a slight smile, as she added, "And I, mine."

He leaned down and kissed her softly and tenderly. "Yes, I very much trust him with yours too." Max broke through Zan's thoughts, kissing her once again, this time more passionately...more possessively, and he didn't want to dwell on the reasons why. As they broke from a kiss that had taken Ava's breath away, they were embarrassed to see all eyes on them.

"O-kay," John stated, "It's time to go. Larek needs to talk with Kal, before he leaves us, so we're heading back to the ranch. Everyone ready?"

John led the group out into the parking lot. "It's gonna be crowded in the car, so let's not think about comfort, shall we?" John explained.

"Shame to let the room go to waste," Maria joked to Rath.

Liz laughed and looked back over her shoulder to see Zan and Larek lagging behind, talking quietly. The two men then shook hands laughing, and joined her at the door. "I was just telling Larek, that the best man didn't win this time."

She quickly looked to Larek and was very relieved to see him smiling. "You two...grow up!" She turned quickly on her heel and left them behind.

As she smiled to herself and discreetly listened to hear the conversation coming up behind her, it was Larek who asked, "So you say that Max and Liz are actually married, right?" teasing in his voice at her apparent unavailability.

She heard the tussle happening behind her as the two began to spar in the parking lot, kidding with each other. She was instantly drawn back to a time long ago, to a place far away from the present. She sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the ranch, the girl's were getting ready for bed, as Serena knocked on their bedroom door. "Can I come in for a minute or two?"

"Sure, we're decent," Emily called through the door to her.

"Thought we'd give your Mom a little break. I had a few things I needed to talk with Sierra about, and this way Mom can go take a nice long hot bath, with no little ones to distract her. How's that?"

Serena sat down on the side of the bed with Maria's scrapbook in her lap. "Okay. Mom you can go and relax in some bubbles if ya want to." Sierra was standing up in the middle of the big double bed in a long cotton nightgown, her hair piled high on top of her head, which Serena immediately thought added a good three years to her age.

As Nicole left the room, Sierra jumped and bounced on the bed, landing right next to Serena. Emily was still pulling on her pajamas. "I've seen that book before," Sierra announced. "It belongs to Aunt Maria."

"Aunt Maria?" Serena questioned with a crooked smile.

"Yep, and Aunt Liz, and you're Aunt Serena." Serena smiled, nodding her head to the little one.

"Emily, come sit here next to me," she said, patting on the comforter on her other side. "Sierra has already seen Maria's pictures, but there's one picture that I want to point out to you both again." Opening the album to the first page, she carefully slid the picture of the granolith from its small tabs that were holding it to the page. "Now I have a feeling that Sierra had some feelings about this one when she first saw it back in Lovell. Do you know what this is, Sierra?"

Again, the little one ran her fingers over the surface of the faded picture. "I don't know," she twisted up her little face and shrugged her shoulders.

"If you touch this picture and close your eyes for me, I want you to tell me anything...any of your own pictures that come into your mind." At Serena's suggestion, Sierra shut her eyes tightly.

Emily looked at her sister. "She doesn't know anything. I can tell. I mean she doesn't know exactly what that is," she pointed to the photograph. "I do too," Sierra snapped back opening her eyes. "I know what it is, I just don't know what it does or what it's called. But I know what it is."

"Okay, both of you calm down. So what you're trying to say, Sierra, is that it looks familiar to you. Like you should know it, but you don't know it. Right?" She shook her head. Turning to Emily, Serena said, "How bout you? You wanna try?"

Emily took the photo in her hands and closed her eyes. After several minutes and a fidgeting Sierra, she opened her eyes. "It moves, Serena. It moves fast...." The door opened. It was Kal.

"Sorry, I forgot to knock. Just thought you'd want to know that the kids are back...and I'm pretty sure they've brought company. Larek's here."

"You're kidding, right?" she said in disbelief. "Are they crazy? John, not an hour ago told me about the increased danger now because of Jared and the keys," she emphasized the word. "Why would he allow this now?"

"Both he and Larek must be pretty damn sure that it's okay; otherwise they would never make a move like this."

"Okay. We'll be down in a minute or two, Kal," she turned back to the girls, as he closed the door.

"Who's Larek?" Emily asked.

"An old friend of Z...Max's," she corrected herself at the last minute. "He's got some magic too. Now, for just a second, let's get back to the photo. Em, you said that it moves. Is there anything else that you sense about it?"

"You were going to say Zan," Emily replied. "But you meant Max. Why are you thinking Zan but saying Max, Serena?"

"Does the name Zan mean anything to you...to either of you?" she asked holding her breath.

"No," they both shook their heads.

Serena sighed with relief. "I just got confused about the name, that's all. I meant to say Max. Anyway, this photo it's a picture of a machine that's called a granolith." She looked for something in their eyes, but there was no change in their expressions.

"It's very dangerous," Emily answered, but then an amazing look came across her small face. "But it's going to take us all home." Her face became serious for a second. "Not all of us...just some of us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Crashdown wasn't very busy, especially for a Saturday night. Kyle and his Dad sat at the counter, talking quietly to Jeff. "So, we're hoping that she'll be coming home in maybe even just a few days," he said with a grin. "I think Lizzie being here to see her had an enormous effect on Nancy's recovery. She's missed her so very much."

"Yeah, Jeff, you're probably right about that. But, in any case, it's wonderful news. To say that we were all very worried would be an understatement. And I hope you know that all you need to do is to give us a call should you need anything at all when she comes back home again."

Yep, Lizzie had an effect of her mother's recovery, that is a huge understatement!, Kyle thought trying hard to hide a grin and create an honest to goodness smile on his face. "Ya know Dad, we better get going if we're going to catch that movie." Sheriff Valenti looked at him. "You're right, Son. Let's get to it. We'll see you later on, Jeff. Give my very best to Nancy."

As the two approached the door, Madison, who was just entering, met them. "Hey, what's up? How's it going, Alex?" Jim asked, surprised to see him at that minute. "Good, Jim. I've been working pretty hard for the last four days, but I'm taking some time tonight for a late dinner and some of that Crashdown Millennium Meatloaf."

Jim nodded his head, as Kyle stood to the side checking out the enemy.

"How's things comin' out there on the installation? No leads yet on that robbery and break in, by the way, sorry. Probably just some local kids, ya know, trying to get a thrill. We may never find out who it was," Jim said as he moved closer to the door, hand on Kyle's shoulder. "Gotta run, maybe we can do dinner one night next week. Call me." The two disappeared out as the double doors closed behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The shift change took place smoothly on the third floor ICU unit. Paperwork was ready for Nancy Parker's transfer to a semi private room down on the second floor, first thing Sunday morning. The nightly report showed that the patient was steadily improving and that she was resting comfortably. Her doctor ordered that after the 11:15pm meds she was not to be disturbed unless she rang for assistance.

She had stayed on for two hours after her shift had officially ended, waiting for her replacement to arrive. The girl's car had broken down, but Kelly didn't mind the overtime. She waved as her replacement finally arrived and headed out, leaving the floor for the night. She tiredly smiled at the unfamiliar intern stepping off the elevator, as she herself stepped in and pushed the button for the lobby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several things came to mind as Serena descended the stairs to join the party that seemed to be taking place in her foyer, two small figures shadowed behind her. But all the arguments in her mind vanished at seeing the camaraderie downstairs.

A very attractive and tall man stood shoulder to shoulder with John, as he yelled out for Kal. "Serena, Serena come here," John called up to her spotting her on the landing. "I want you to meet a very old friend. Larek this is Serena, the love of my life." She smiled, temporarily forgetting her confusion at his being there.

"He doesn't look very old," Sierra whispered, from behind Serena.

John went on. "Larek, these two beautiful young ladies hiding behind Serena, are Emily and Sierra. They are the youngest of the Landau family. Where's Nicole?" he asked looking around, as Larek stooped down, smiling at the two in front of him. "It's my pleasure to meet you, both of you. Such pretty young women." He kissed each of the tiny hands. The girl's naturally curtsied, as if they had done it a thousand times before.

"Nicole will be down in a moment," Serena stated as Larek approached her, grabbing her hand and planting a tender kiss there as well. "..another beauty. Good to meet the woman who has stolen John's heart, my lady,” he nodded his head.

"Pay him no mind," John added. "He's a charmer...always has been." Serena's face flushed slightly, but she continued anyway. "It's also wonderful to finally meet someone who I already feel I know so well. Larek, welcome to our home." He smiled, looking around. "I'm very impressed, John. This is such a wonderful place you've got here."

Kal appeared, making an entrance as usual. "Larek, you still amaze me with your flattering words to the female persuasion. Woman must be falling at your feet still," Kal remarked, looking over in Liz's direction, just as she disappeared into the kitchen with Maria. "Always the ladies man I fear."

"He's been beating them off with a stick, Kal," Max added.

"You old goat you! Lan, you still look good, except of course, for that slight porch you have in the front of you there." Larek wasted no time retaliating with the snarky remarks. "Besides, I believe you speak more of my much younger days, isn't that right?"

Kal embraced him, "It is good to see you, regardless of how much you annoy me." They laughed.

"I need very much to talk with you, John and Zan," The slip of the name did not make it past the girls. Serena looked down and quickly covered. "Max! he means…just a nickname that Max has. You know like Em is short for Emily." Sierra smiled, as Emily sat down on the bottom step, throwing a smirk over at Michael. He quickly crossed the room, swinging her up on his shoulders and disappeared into the kitchen following Maria and Liz.

Nicole appeared at the top of the stairs, surprised to see a strange face in the crowd below. "It's okay, Nicole. Come down, this is Larek. He's from.. the old country."

Larek looked sharply at Kal, then read the thought. "Yes, from...there."

Nicole’s eyes grew wider. "Ahh. It's good to meet you. I'm there," she pointed to Sierra trailing after her sister and Michael, ".. mother."

"Yes, so I've heard," Larek smiled and his gaze hung an extra few seconds on the face at the top of the stairs. She started down the stairs, watching him nervously just as the four men began heading for John's study.

"Serena, could I have just a minute with you?" Nicole asked as she reached the landing. "Sure, what is it?" Serena sensed something in her voice.

Nicole checked quickly in the kitchen and heard that the girls were deep in conversation about their love of Smores. Then turning to Serena, she stated with a shaky voice. "It's Larek. Serena, I've had several dreams about him...his face, I remember it well. Not recently, mind you, but months ago. I saw his face in my dreams. He was just in the background, but he was there with Lucas. .. just there...," she touched Serena's arm. "I can't remember much else about the dream, but I did recognize him. How is that happening? And why is it happening?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the strategy meeting in the study continued, Liz and Maria sat at the small kitchen table. "I'm just so happy Maria, to actually get to see these two copies after all this time has passed."

"I bet you are. There are bigger paintings, did you say?" She munched on one of the last few Smores.

"Larek said that this one was hanging in the castle for many years after...that day." She had felt more of Liz returning to the forefront upon entering the ranchhouse. "Ya know, it's strange but when I first saw Larek in that parking lot, everything...I mean everything of that other life came flooding back to me. For those hours in that motel room, Liz Parker didn't quite exist. And even stranger, Maria, was that during that entire while, and even now...it didn't bother me in the least. There were so many things that I remembered. Not just the times that Ava wanted or needed me to remember, but it all came back to me like it was just yesterday."

Maria stared at her best friend. "How bout now? How do you feel now? Who am I talking too?"

"It's not like that Maria. I'm still Liz, but I'm just as much Ava, even at this very second. Kal was right about my past catching up with my present tonight. Larek and all the memories of him have made who I am all the more clear to me." She paused long enough to grab the last Smores off the plate. "Maria, I wish that I could explain to you what I'm feeling, and show you all the memories that I have of Antar and Adia...and even of Trinity. The boys and I went there when we were teenagers," she took a small bite of the delicacies sticking to her fingerstips.

"How about Larek? That's one very fine looking specimen of an alien. You two grew up together?" Maria joked, searching the refrigerator for something wet and cold to drink.

Liz hesitated ever so slightly, looking at her. "Yes. We both grew up at Leoch, at the castle back on Adia. You see, Adia and Antar were sister worlds. We were never completely free during that second half of our lives there, but we were free to travel from one place to the other. Max.." she smiled and laughed correcting herself. "Zan and Rath were both born on Antar, as of course, were Vilondra, John and Kal. Antar was ...well, like the big city of the system. A lot of commerce, hustle and bustle." She tried to paint a picture so Maria could see what she was seeing in her memories. "Adia was more of a ..vacation, laid back.. natural wonders kind of place," she explained.

Maria was captivated by the conversation. "What about Trinity?" she asked "I heard Michael say that he remembers how unspoiled and untamed it used to be. He said it was beautiful."

Liz smiled at the memory. "Oh, Maria...luscious forests and huge mountain ranges and some of the highest and most spectacular falls of water..." Liz stopped, laughed and continued. "Waterfalls, I mean. Oh Maria everything is coming together in my mind. It's so amazing. So much information." She could only shake her head.

"You didn't answer me, Liz," Maria repeated. "What about Larek...I mean what about him? Even I caught those vibes. But then I'm good at that kinda thing. I thought Rath caught it too, although he wouldn't spill anything to me. Trust me, I tried. Larek could have lit up the entire room with the glow that was coming off of him when he talked to you, or even when he mentioned your name."

"It's nothing Maria, really. Like I've already said, we grew very fond of each other over all those years together." Liz could feel her face beginning to blush.

"No, Lizzie, there's more here...spill girl...remember we have a sworn allegiance to tell each other the absolute truth...and you've just realized a whole lot more of your truths tonight."

Liz gave in to Maria's insistence. First because she needed to finally have a girlfriend that she could share her past with, and partly because she knew she'd never hear the end of the questions if she didn't. "There was a time, when we all used to, ya know, joke around about who would marry..the princess." She tried to make a joke about referring to herself as the princess, but her friend saw through it. "Go on."

"I always loved Zan. From the beginning, I was hooked. From as far back as I can remember. I loved him. My heart only thought of him and how the two of us someday would live happily ever after. However," her voice became tense, "in later years there was a brief period when the heads of state from Antar and Adia, were disagreeing about certain procedures that needed to be completed in order to protect both worlds. And for the very first time there was grave unrest between Antarians and Adians. Whispers and threats of war with our sister world were everywhere. The people of both these worlds have never wanted war, but factions out of their control had taken over. Zan and I were prohibited from even seeing or talking to each other. Rath and Larek would help us, together, to sneak meetings when ever and wherever we could. That's where the term four musketeers came into play, and the the merry band," she explained smiling. "Then one night we were caught together, after my father and Zan's mother had strictly forbidden any contact whatsoever. My father along with the council then forbade me to leave Adia."

"I remember that I cried every night and virtually dropped out of sight during the day. It was Larek who pulled me up out of such a severe depression. He refused to see me putting myself through any of it. And then one night, when I was a real mess, he told me that he had always loved me... and that no matter what I did, he always would. And that no matter what happened on Antar, he would protect me with his own life. He kissed me, a most tender and loving kiss, and he told me that he knew that my heart would always belong to Zan, but that he would always take care of me."

She stopped long enough to try to smile at Maria whose eyes were misting. "Don't cry, Maria, or you'll have me crying too." Liz stopped and took a deep breath before going on. "It wasn't that much of a secret. I think I always felt it while we were growing up. Zan wasn't oblivious to any of it either. But he and Larek and Rath were best of friends, we all were. Not long after the disagreement between our worlds was finally settled, Zan asked me to marry him. There was nothing else in the heavens that I wanted more. I asked Zan to let me be the one to tell the wonderful news to Larek. And he agreed. So he went to find Rath, while I went to seek out the man who had managed to keep all of my once fragile pieces together. It was an emotionally trying scene. But he knew me as well as I knew myself. So Larek respected my heart." Liz put her head down as visions of the morning of her wedding flashed through her mind and heart. She still held the two pictures in her hands. "He knew how important that morning was to me, maybe even more than Zan knew at that point."

Maria wiped her eyes and took Liz's hand. "Sweetie, you and Max have been through waaaay too much. Your love for each other never ceases to amaze me. It's important that you never forget that you have very loyal friends. And I think Larek knows that he's a very lucky man to have loved you at all."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Lyrics belong to Peter Cetera and phrases belong to Tolkien.

As the meeting in the study came to a close, Liz met up with Max in the living room, as John and Kal walked to the porch, joined by Larek. "Is everything alright?" she asked hugging him tightly. "We've learned a lot tonight, Max."

Looking into her eyes he replied, "Yes we have. No, everything is fine, it's better than fine," but there was so much more spoken than just his words. I love you Liz, as Zan loves Ava, and I always will. He held her tightly. "Seeing Larek tonight has brought everything home to me again," he said, as she raised her chin to kiss her; a kiss that prompted a myriad of flashes from them both, spanning so many years of love and devotion.

Kal interrupted, having come back inside without their noticing. "Miss Ava, to keep you informed. Our first order of business is the granolith. It has to be moved. We can't delay on that. Secondly, I'm worried about Tess suddenly arriving here, looking for you. Larek has assured me that Jared will not let her out of camp, except for his own agenda, which is the search for the girls. She is never alone, at any rate. But it still worries me. They also have no idea where to search for the keys; and there is no idea that the royal four are together with the girls, or that they even have any knowledge of them at all. But the team is breaking up into pairs and is being sent to specific locations. What Jared does know about the girl's is the Landau name, not much else. He's looking for three. So that might help us. We've informed Larek of what happened in Maine and about Sean's death," Kal said, nodding at Liz.

"The question has come up as to whether the girl's have any conscious memory of the granolith. Serena says that that doesn't appear to be so. It seems familiar to them, but more than that they can't seem to help with. The good news is that Larek actually has given us a lead, interpreting something that Jared had discussed with his advisors upon arriving here. It's possible that the key is in the genetic code of the children a code that has been past down from generations before, after centuries of minute variations. Serena will be following up on that. I think that's about all of it for now, Liz." Kal finally took a breath. "Where's everyone at?" he asked, looking around.

"The girls are asleep and Maria and Michael just went up too. Nicole's in the kitchen making tea with Serena. Is Larek staying?" Liz asked him.

"No, he's leaving in a few minutes. He wants to get back to keep a sharper eye on Jared, but especially on Tess. Oh, he asked me to send you two outside; he's on the porch with John. It's going to be a busy day before you six leave tomorrow night. Coby and Pete will be back here on Monday morning. They'll be helping to figure out a plan for the granolith. Larek's sure that he won't make a move for it until after he's secured the keys. Meanwhile, John's going to spend some time again with the girl's tomorrow morning." He yawned as he turned and left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz found Larek right where Kal had left him. John was shaking his hand and saying how important it was for him to keep himself alive. Max said goodnight to John who passed him when he turned, coming in from outside.

"You're leaving? Now? But it's three in the morning..." Liz asked, concerned.

"The time doesn't matter. What does matter now is that I return and keep on top of things back at camp. Kolt's arranged for one of his hands to drive me to the airport. Poor fellow, I'm sure he got him out of a comfortable bed." Larek held his hand out to Max, the disappointment of leaving obvious on both their faces. "This has been one of the best nights that I can remember for a very long while. I'll be in touch." Max nodded in agreement, as he explained the plan. "I've already spoken to Rath and we've worked out the details. So don't worry." He embraced his friend as they both fell quiet. Larek then looked at Liz and smiled as she walked into his arms. "Sparrow, keep a good eye out, now." A flash brightly crossed Liz's mind. It frightened her, a hot white light and then nothing. She did her best to overcome the feeling. She didn't want to leave go. "Larek please, please be careful. It's important that we be able to do this again," she tried to smile.

He looked from one to the other. "Take care of each other, and I will be sure to take care too." An old station wagon pulled up beside the steps, cutting the goodbye even shorter. "We will stay in close contact and we will meet again." He walked ever so slowly off the porch and opened the car door. Liz quickly called after him. "Thank you".

He smiled through the darkness around him. "Sparrow, they are now where they should have been all along,” he answered referring to the miniatures. And the last thing he saw as the car pulled away, was his prince and his best girl standing side by side, exactly where they had always belonged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well here we are again, I guess it must be fate
We've tried it on our own, but deep inside we've known
We'd be back to set things straight.
I still remember when, your kiss was so brand new
Every memory repeats, every step I take retreats
Every journey always brings me back to you.
After all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
And after all that we've been through, it all comes down to me and you
I guess it's meant to be, forever you and me. After all.


Once back in their bedroom, Liz realized just how exhausted she was. "It's been quite the day," she said. Max agreed. "Well it's been packed full, anyway." Liz reached up to touch his face. "There's no need for that," she said softly.

"For what?" was his reply.

"Those thoughts wandering in and out of your mind. Everyone knows the final truths and believes in it deeply, except the one person who it effects the most."

He knew what she was referring to, but couldn't help himself. "I'm sorry. It's just so many things came rushing back to me. I wasn't quick enough to make the decisions that the people needed me to make back then, Liz. And now after seeing Larek again, I've gotten a taste of the battle. I feel even more helpless here, not being able to help them there . Being able to do nothing myself to make things up to them. He's actively fighting for their freedom, Liz. He's a hero, a soldier...a man with so much to offer a woman. All that competing when we were younger. The sparring, the games, all our little fake sword duels..." He thought for a second. "…and the not so fake sword squirmishs …Anything to show our courageous side. But not to each other, no it was never about our friendship, as much as it was silently about you. It was always about you, Liz. And sometimes I can't help but think now that if that day had never happened, if I had never asked you to marry me, I can't help but think how different things might have been for all of us. He was always the stronger one, Liz, so much quicker on his feet than I was."

"Stop, right now," she shook her head, insisting. "Max, I made all my choices a very long time ago and that day in the chapel in Sayersville, three months ago. We finalized what we couldn't complete so many years before. Yes, you are my prince...that will always be true. But more than that, Max, you are my love and my friend. You are the love of my life; anyone else would only be second best. It's always been you. Always and forever." Max blushed knowing how foolish he had been to let any doubt enter into his mind. But seeing his best friend again in the flesh, brought back a few of those young jealous memories from his years as Zan. "...and nothing will ever change this love between us?" he asked, his voice trying to be strong, but trembling ever so slightly.

"Nothing," she replied before he could fully complete the question.

"Forgive me. I'm the luckiest man in the world..." he held her tightly and finally found peace with himself and her choices.

"Forgive you? For what Max? There's nothing to forgive. We both know the truth, we always have. And Larek being back doesn't change any of that, anymore than it changed my love for you all those years ago. He's my dear friend...your dear friend. And he knows that, too."

Max was silent for a moment then nodding his head, "I know... I'm silly. I know he knows that. He told me as much tonight. I just, for whatever stupid jealous reason, needed so much right now to hear it from you. To hear that you have no regrets, that even with everything that's happened to us, that you're not sorry." He leaned his forehead down to touch hers. "If I lost you now, I would die."

"That's not going to happen, Max. Long years have passed from then to now, none of us are exactly who we once were and as far as being a hero, you will always be a hero in my eyes. What we do here will have a great affect on what happens there," she pointed her finger up. "Everything we do is important, especially now with Jared so close to acquiring the granolith. He just cannot be allowed to control this machine, it would be devastating for all of us, including the people here." She stopped, hearing the anxiety building in her voice. "Please, look at me," she hesitated until he gazed down into her bright eyes. "I would rather spend just one lifetime with you, then face all the eternities, of all the worlds, alone."

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As the sun began to creep over the horizon, Alex Madison was already busy at work. Another aerial reconnaissance mission had been requested and Okayed by his superiors. A team was flying out from Brandenburg Military Base, two hundred miles south of the area in question. Area maps concerned him. The entire camp looked to be situated in the center of a good 150 square mile patch of desert. He wanted to be there, right now...yesterday, if he could have arranged it. Lately it seemed he was eating, sleeping and virtually breathing the fear of an alien invasion. His superiors had to understand that this was a matter that called for a preempted strike. They couldn't allow these demons to use their power to gain control of anything nearby. What were they doing anyway? he asked himself for the tenth time that morning. It didn't appear that there was any movement...no activity at all. But they were there, and he reminded himself that that's all he cared about. Someone had to know something, and he would find out.

Mrs. Parker was his bait, and so far there had been no bites. Where the hell was her daughter? Where was Max Evans? Well after last night's visit, he was sure, beyond any doubts that the young woman would be showing her face...yes, showing her face very soon, indeed.

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"Where the hell is Larek?" the voice boomed. A timid young man with a nasty case of acne stood motionless in the doorway. "He's in his quarters, Sir. Shall I get him? What's the problem?"

"No, I don't want to see his face just yet today. Someone better check the rations that were attained from Adia. The beef is moldy!" he yelled with disgust. "When you see him, tell him that I'd like to discuss the matter with him at his earliest convenience. I suppose the federalists think this is quite funny." The soldier bowed and slowly backed out of Jared's tent. Even Jared was made more irritable by the intense heat of the early morning sun. "There has to be a better way," he said to himself. Just then a large ruckus was heard from inside the camp. Pulling back the flap, he peered outside. "What's happening?" he spoke to the guard. "Whatever it is...go and bring them to me. This daily fighting amongst yourselves will stop as of today!" A bundle wrapped in canvas came stumbling toward him after being shoved with great force from behind. Landing at his feet, he kicked it sharply. "What have we got here?"

"Found this one mumbling and wandering about three miles off the perimeter, Jared. The sun has about done this one in. I only kept her alive because she was constantly repeating your name over and over again. We couldn't understand how...this one...would know you. She's most certainly human." The soldier's voice was suddenly drowned out, as Jared leaned down to pull back the dirty and dusty tarp. Her lips were while with chap and her face red and swollen from the sun, but it didn't stop her from yelling out. "I am not fuck'n human, you fool! I am Vilondra, and I must see Jared!" She collapsed in a heap in the desert sand.

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As Max drained the last cup of coffee from the carafe, John motioned to the cook. "Could ya give us a refill on that?" As the young woman smiled and took the carafe from Max, the phone in the hall rang. "I'll get that," Serena announced, as she pushed back her chair from the breakfast table, surrounded by all of her weekend guests. Idle chitchat and a hardy laugh or two accompanied the conversations.

"Sierra and Em, John is taking you both for a horseback ride this morning. You two are going to have so much fun, I wish I could come along, but maybe we can take a quick ride when I get back from the hospital," Liz suggested. "Sure," John replied. "Didn't know you rode, Liz. See even I don't know everything about her," he joked to the two small faces with their mouths slightly dusted with powdered sugar from the waffles that had been piled in front of them earlier.

"Don't ya just love waffles?" Michael asked from the other end of the table. "These are made from scratch too, I can tell. Not like the ones I usually have. Ours are the quick, pop 'em in the toaster and hope Maria doesn't burn them type." Liz laughed. "Ya know, Michael, I'm pretty sure that I saw an old waffle iron in the cabinet over the fridge last week back home. I think the last occupants of the place left it behind. We should try it out when we get home again."

"Can't do that, Liz," he quickly added as he stuffed another forkful into his mouth. Chewing fast and swallowing before he was ready, he explained. "I kind of used a few parts ...wires mostly from it for the cell phone I rigged up." Liz ever so slowly nodded her head in full understanding. "Well they're not that expensive. I'll pick one up when I get home next Friday."

"What's wrong with the easy to eat ones? They're fast, neat and it's very easy to clean up after cooking," Maria asked.

Michael waved his fork across the table. "Cooking? That's not cooking. We all need to start eating healthier. This fast food is killing off millions, and they don't even know it."

"You do make a good point, Michael," Kal had to agree. "But I think the real problem is that most people are willing to trade off a few years of their lives in order to save time and money. Sad, but true."

"You've cooked for us, Maria," Max added, trying to be positive. "And it's been really good too, Liz, you too. I love it when you cook."

"Keep your personal alone time out of this, Maxwell," Michael broke a grin as he looked up at Max.

"Boys, boys. Little pitchers have big ..." Maria nodded her head ever so slightly to the other end of the table where the girls where devouring what was left on their plates.

"John." A voice barely audible came from the direction of the hall. He excused himself to answer the call. As he rounded the corner, he stopped abruptly, watching the color draining from Serena's face. "My god, John. It's Liz's mom. A nurse found her this morning. She passed away sometime during the night," she could hardly speak, as she handed the phone over to him. "It's Jeff. He's asked to speak to Liz."

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