Roswell Fanatics

*Max*

Liz finally answers me and I'm relieved to find that she sounds pleased. "Thank you," I tell her. I pull her close for a deep kiss because I just can't help it. She looks absolutely amazing and I love her so much. Just having her nearby makes all of this a lot easier to handle.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" I ask her, my eyes sparkling with pleasure.

"I think I have a notion," she says, smiling wickedly as her fingers slide up my chest to my collar.

"The boys are on the way here so we can all go downstairs," I tell her, reluctantly pulling her hand away. She gives a playful pout as we leave the bathroom together. "Love your hair, by-the-way," I tell her quietly.

As we step out into the sitting room, I see that Alexander and Justin are already inside and talking to Sarah. The dressmaker is moving towards the door. "Thank you," I call to her and she nods her head before leaving the room. As I move closer, I see the finished dress on Sarah and her hair all done up in a very adult style. I must admit it looks wonderful. The dress is also rather old for her, but I think it will pass.

Or at least that's what I think before she takes a step towards me, a big grin on her face. That's when I see that there's a slit up the front of her skirt.

"No," I say moving close to her. "The dress looks great but you're not wearing it like that." I run my hand down the front of her dress, creating a seam where the slit was so her skirt is more of a sheathe.

"Daddy!" she complains.

I shake my head. "I know we're on a new world and the dressmaker may have told you it was wonderful, but you're still my daughter and I'm not letting out of this room like that."

Sarah continues to pout so, I relent, slightly. I return the slit as high as her knees only. "You can wear it like that," I tell her, hoping her mother will agree.

~*~Liz~*~

I heard Xan coment and I really do like it. it make me feel all grown up, and feeling like cindrella. I heard my parents behind me and turn around. I see my father and smile at him, But then he disagree with my dress. But I really like it.

"No,The dress looks great but you're not wearing it like that." He state very firm, but I don't agree.I think looks fine. But her made a steam and made the cut lower just with wave of his hand.

"Daddy" I was mad now."You can wear it like that," he tell me.

"I dont care what you think! I know were on your stupid planet, and spent time with your long lost daughter! just leave me out of it! I'm sick of being lgnore. The dress fine so if you want to go play daddy go to the daughter you never knew about." I turn back the cut to where it was with the wave of my hand.

occ: Sarah has some problem issue, but has nothing to do with dress, I just thought be fun if they had a fight. Call me evil BIC:

OOC: I'll format tomorrow as neccessary, for tonight it's earlier than usual, but I'm tired and need to get to bed

~Liz~

I smile as Max tells me he likes my hair, but only wish we could have a little time alone. It seems like no sooner we’re together here that someone else turns up… The only real time we had was last night, and I for one was far to tired to do anything except sleep…

I sigh reluctantly as Max says that Xan and Justin are coming over, and walk out with him into the bedroom to find all three of the teenagers gathered.

My attention is immediately drawn by Sarah’s dress, and I’m sorry to say not in a good way… There are a number of things I don’t like about it, number one being that dirty great big slit up the front! My daughter isn’t yet sixteen, and she’s certainly not going out like that…

Apparently Max has the same thought, and before I have a chance to do anything, he’s first removed the slit completely, then after continued pouting and objections from Sarah replaced it at a reduced length…

That’s just about acceptable…although I still don’t like the neckline… It’s rather too low for my liking…

I’m sorry to say that Sarah’s reaction to this is to throw something of a tandrum, yelling about Max playing daddy to Xada and about her being ignored. As much as I’m worried about how she’s dealing with everything that’s happened, and the things that we’ve learnt, I’m afraid not even in these circumstances does she get away with that, and as she replaces the full slit that’s the final straw. She’s going to wish she was being ignored if she’s not careful… I walk over. “You will NOT talk to your father like that, and he is perfectly right about that dress…” I wave my hand over much in the same fashion as Max did, completely removing the slit once more. “Return it once more and you won’t be going to the party…” I warn her, my tone leaving no room for misunderstanding. I don’t like being like this, but sometimes I don’t think there’s any other option…it’s part of being a parent…

I can’t say that I approve of the neckline either, but given that she’s still developing it doesn’t really show anything so I think it’ll pass…

Having dealt with the dress, I now turn my attention back to what she was saying, hoping that Max will be able to help here too. I try to speak to her, my voice now softening. “Honey no one was ignoring you…and just because we know about Xada doesn’t mean we love you any less… You’re still our daughter, and you’re still Xan’s sister…” I look at her carefully. “We love you sweetheart, and that’s never going to change…”

*Max*

Ignored? I think as Sarah starts her tantrum. I spent time with Xadalyn this morning, true, but we did invite Sarah to join us and she never came to the library.

Liz jumps in immediately, saving me the need to respond. She also removes the slit from Sarah's dress entirely, forbidding her to replace it. I am glad and not really surprised to hear her agreeing with me so strongly.

Liz's tone softens then, trying to address what Sarah said about being ignored. She tries to tell her that we still love her, but I don't know if it's getting through.

Mentally, I shake my head, knowing that her fit is probably directly related to her complaint about being ignored. The more she acts up the more we have to talk to her... *She's supposed to be 15, she dresses like she's 25 and acts like she's five...* But none of that changes how much I love her.

My voice reflects none of this as I also look at Sarah, hoping she can get a hint of how much I do love her, how serious I am about that. "Sarah. I love you more than you can ever know. You are one of the best things in my life and you always will be. Nothing will ever change that."

I catch Sarah's hand in mine and then raise the other to her face. I'd love to smooth her hair but I don't want to spoil her hairdo. Instead, I run the back of my finger up her cheek. "Sarah, nobody out there will know it but us, but you are a princess. I know you're going to make me proud tonight."

~*~Sarah~*~

“You will NOT talk to your father like that, and he is perfectly right about that dress…” my mother yelled at me about yelling at my father. The truth is I didn’t know I was yelling at him. I didn’t know I was this angry, I know its stupid yell at the stupid dress, but I guess taking out on the dress seem logic. And I don’t know why I would do that. I never yell at my father, I love him. I really do. But, there some unsolved issues that we never discuss.

“Return it once more and you won’t be going to the party…” Oh mom, I don’t even want to go. I just want to sit back on my own bed. Back at home on Earth listen to my switch foot CD like the way things were.

“Honey no one was ignoring you…and just because we know about Xada doesn’t mean we loves you any less… You’re still our daughter, and you’re still Xan’s sister…We love you sweetheart, and that’s never going to change…” But mom things have change, and all I want to do go to the way things were.

"Sarah. I love you more than you can ever know. You are one of the best things in my life and you always will be. Nothing will ever change that." my father joins and I looked at him, and tears fall on my face. I know my makeup is already rude, but I don’t care. My father reaches for my hand and held it in his. He put his other hand on my cheeks and I looked back at him.” Sarah, nobody out there will know it but us, but you are a princess. I know you're going to make me proud tonight."

"I don’t feel like a princess. I don't mean to yell at you daddy, it just I have all these emotions inside of me that are building up. And I know you and mom love me and that won't change! So tell me! When, things are going back to the way they were. Were I was Xan full blooded sister and not his half? Or that I am your only daughter and not just one of your daughters. I try to accepted, I really try but it too hard, too hard to bare." New tears ran down my face. "I just want the old way..... how it use to be....."

*Max*

I hear Sarah's complaints about Xan not being her full-brother and I wince. Not for her, but for Alexander. He's the one who's really been rocked here. He's the one who found out that his mother wasn't his birth-mother -- that his birth mother was a murderer. If anyone has a right to be freaking out, it would be him. He's less than two years older than Sarah, but he's handling it so well. At least, he seems to. There may be a meltdown in the future but at the moment, I don't really think so.

I cast a glance at Xan, giving him my sympathies before turning my attention back to Sarah. My words to her are also for him. My tone is even and firm because this is not something I will allow to continue. "Sarah. He is NOT your half-brother. Your mother adopted Alexander when he was a baby and she is his real mother both legally and emotionally. Just like she is yours. There are no half-blooded relationships here. We are a family. Xan is your brother. Xadalyn is your sister. Do you understand?"

Sarah's lip trembles a little, but she doesn't answer right away. I continue a little more gently. "As for Xadalyn, I know it's hard to have a new family member, but we can't go back. Families change and that's not bad. When your mom and I were just married, we only had Xan. After that, you came along. That changed things, but we wouldn't ever want them to go back to before, because we love you. And imagine if we'd had another baby when you were small. Maybe you'd have been glad, maybe sad, but you would have learned to love a new sister or brother just like Xan loves you."

I wipe my hand over her face, drying her tears although I know I may have to do it again. "Finding a new sister who's all grown up is harder, but you just need to have some time to get used to it. We'll all learn together how our family is going to be from now on, and we're going to make it work. I do understand how you feel, Sarah. I wasn't much older than you when I first found out about this world and everything it means to us. I wanted things to go back to before that, too. But some things can't be undone. We can learn to accept them and we can help each other when it gets too hard. Whether we're here or home on Earth, we're a family and we're going to help each other because that's what families do. And that includes helping your sister Xadalyn. This isn't easy for her, either, I'm sure. She has TWO new grown-up siblings now, plus me and your mom."

Alexander

I held my breath when Sarah and our parents started raising their voices. Well, Mom and Dad had a point about Sarah's dress- but I had a feeling that this fretting was not over that entirely, and Sarah proved me right.

I thought I had gone through the issue with Sarah earlier, that there was no reason for her to feel left out. I must have been mistaken when she'd left looking slightly happier.

"I just want the old way..... how it use to be....."

Didn't we all want to go back a day in time, to a place where life was much simpler? Didn't I? Perhaps more so even.

"Sarah. He is NOT your half-brother. Your mother adopted Alexander when he was a baby and she is his real mother both legally and emotionally. Just like she is yours. There are no half-blooded relationships here. We are a family. Xan is your brother. Xadalyn is your sister. Do you understand?" my father said firmly after shooting me a glance. I was grateful that he voiced that. It actually made me feel secure in the family.

Gently, he wiped my sister's tears away and continued. I stood aside, listening quietly, leaving Dad to say all he had to.

"Whether we're here or home on Earth, we're a family and we're going to help each other because that's what families do. And that includes helping your sister Xadalyn. This isn't easy for her, either, I'm sure. She has TWO new grown-up siblings now, plus me and your mom."

At the mention of Xadalyn, I looked up again. Whether we're here or on Earth . . . What was going to happen after tonight? Would it be time to go home? Then, what about Xadalyn- we were family, right? We couldn't leave her here alone.

And yet we couldn't stay on Antar forever. Could we?

"Sarah, I know it's going to be hard to adjust," I said, stepping up. "And you're right- things just aren't the same anymore. But then look on the bright side . . . Things might just be better than they were before, if we can accept and embrace the changes."

~*~Sarah~*~

"Sarah. He is NOT your half-brother. Your mother adopted Alexander when he was a baby and she is his real mother both legally and emotionally, just like she is yours. There are no half-blooded relationships here. We are a family. Xan is your brother. Xadalyn is your sister. Do you understand?" I don’t resend Xan I love him to death, but finding out that he didn’t come from the same is just a little hard. I nodded at my father. I do understand. And my lip trembles.

"As for Xadalyn, I know it's hard to have a new family member, but we can't go back. Families change and that's not bad. When your mom and I were just married, we only had Xan. After that, you came along. That changed things, but we wouldn't ever want them to go back to before, because we love you. And imagine if we'd had another baby when you were small. Maybe you'd have been glad, maybe sad, but you would have learned to love a new sister or brother just like Xan loves you." I listen to my father, how things change and that we can't really stop it. Maybe I was wrong about trying to and not accepting it. I really don’t mean to my father upset, and I know now after me yelling and solve this issue before the part will make a better understand of Xada, and with her and my brother and father relationship.

My father wipe away my tears and he continue. "Finding a new sister who's all grown up is harder, but you just need to have some time to get used to it. We'll all learn together how our family is going to be from now on, and we're going to make it work. I do understand how you feel, Sarah. I wasn't much older than you when I first found out about this world and everything it means to us. I wanted things to go back to before that, too. But some things can't be undone. We can learn to accept them and we can help each other when it gets too hard. Whether we're here or home on Earth, we're a family and we're going to help each other because that's what families do. And that includes helping your sister Xadalyn. This isn't easy for her, either, I'm sure. She has TWO new grown-up siblings now, plus me and your mom."

I nodded in understanding, I really did understand now. I feel a lot better now then when I first found out about Xada. I guess he right it must be harder on her. But I haven’t even talk to her, or meant with her, well not in a conversation way.

"Sarah, I know it's going to be hard to adjust," I look up see my big brother Xan stepping toward us. “And you're right- things just aren't the same anymore. But then look on the bright side . . . Things might just be better than they were before, if we can accept and embrace the changes."

"I guess your right, all of you. I know I been acting selfish and even childish and I have'nt act like that seen I was five. But it going take for me to adjust as a adult. But I know you all love me and that there for me if need you." I sigh after pulling away from father's hand and wipe my own tears. "If you don’t want me going to party I'll understand. And if you do then I try making you proud even I'm not acting like your favorite person right now, dad"

*Max*

"Oh, honey," I say, pulling Sarah close for a hug. "You're always one of my favorite people!" Once, I would have told her she was my favorite daughter, but now I have two daughters. Even 'though I know Sarah far better than Xadalyn, I still don't want to be comparing the two. The last thing we need to do is make this a competition between the two girls.

"Of course I want you to come to the party. You're going to make me proud." Looking up, I extend an arm to Alexander, inviting him to be included in my hug. "You both will. I know that. Justin, too. I think you could all have a really fun time, too."

Alexander

I returned the hug, but only briefly; I'd been hugged too many times in the past 24 hours. It was nice to know that I was loved and all, but it was still weird. And pretty awkward.

"Yeah, but we won't be if we don't show," I reminded them, pointing at my wrist - though I wasn't wearing a watch - to indicate that the party was going to start soon. "Come on, hurry up, guys- I don't want to miss a thing."