Roswell Fanatics

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

October 31, 2006
Northwestern University
Chicago, IL

It was Halloween night and instead of being at some party, I was at the library contemplating eating the sugar frosted donut that sat on the pages of my open textbook. Reluctantly, I turned away from the tempting confection and brought my attention back to James Joyce which I'd had very little luck understanding. I briefly considered walking over to Michael's place, but Maria had just gotten into town and I didn't want to interrupt their quality time. Maybe tomorrow at lunch.

After a few moments I sighed and closed my book surrendering to the call of my donut.

"Giant polar bear."

I looked up in confusion to see a guy grinning at me. "Excuse me, what?"

He shrugged. "It broke the ice."

I suppressed the urge to giggle and started gathering up my things. "Right."

"I must be lost," he continued.

"You thought paradise was further south." I finished for him as I stood up, throwing my bookbag over my shoulder. "I've heard that one before too."

He reached over the table offering his hand. "I'm Dean."

"I'm leaving," I said as I made my way to the exit. "Happy Halloween."

"I don't even get to see your costume?" he called after me. "Or are you an angel in plain clothes?"

I shook my head and laughed as I pushed open the double doors. My roommate was waiting for me by my car.

"Parker, you party pooper," she scolded me. "You should be out dancing in that sexy little nurse outfit I loaned you, not studying in some dusty old library."

"I look like a skank in that dress, Serena."

"Halloween is a girl's free pass to dress slutty without consequence," she assured me. "Now get your ass in the car and let's go party."

If there was one thing I had learned about my roommate of four years, it was that she didn't take no for an answer. I was going to that party whether I liked it or not.

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly, "but if you try to set me up with anyone, the deal's off."

"Looks like you're going to that party alone, Rena," a voice said from behind me.

I turned around. It was that Dean guy who had hit on me in the library. I suddenly had the sneaking suspicion that this had been a setup. I turned back to Serena. "You didn't."

She held up her hands in defense. "Sorry."

"I'm going home," I told her as I opened the car door and threw my books inside.

She frowned, as if she had made a miscalculation on a mathematical formula. "Maybe Sam would have been a better choice."

Dean rolled his eyes, planting himself between Serena and me. "Come on, Parker, she meant well."

I leaned past Dean and glared at Serena accusingly. "Who is this guy anyway, another one of your social experiments?"

"My cousin," she replied. "I told you that Sam and Dean were stopping by for a few days."

"Don't tell me you've tried to set her up with total strangers before," Dean said to her.

A guilty look crossed her face. "Well . . ."

He turned to me. "I'm sorry about my cousin. It's what happens when a Winchester goes to the dark side."

I half-smiled. "I'm used to it."

"So how about you overlook the fact that she broke the rules and come out with us tonight," he suggested. "I promise I won't hit on you for the rest of the night."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what about tomorrow?"

"At midnight you're fair game," he told me with a grin.

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting. Information on Ahuizotle can be found here: http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/ahuizotle.html

October 31, 2006
Serena and Liz's Apartment
Chicago, IL

We were in Rena's living room waiting for Parker to get ready. Sam was on his laptop and Rena sat beside me on the couch, casting me questioning looks while she fiddled with her nail file.

I glared at her. "Something on your mind?"

She sighed. "You know me too well, Dean."

"Spit it out," I said. "I'm not gonna have you staring at me all night."

"Where's Uncle John?" she asked.

"Doing some leg-work for our next job," I replied. "He sent us here to hang out until he's done."

"Just like old times," she quipped, then turned serious. "Big job, I take it."

I nodded.

"Need any help?" she offered.

"It'd be better if you stayed out of this one," Sam piped up from his corner of the room.

She perked up with interest. "More vampires, another skinwalker, maybe even a Wendigo?"

I had to remind myself that with the exception of the werewolf incident when we were kids, Serena had never hunted with us. Even with that in mind, I still couldn't understand why she was interested in this stuff.

"Nope," I answered. "just some demons hell bent on taking over the world."

"I'll pass this time," she said casually, "but next time you guys go to Florida, I'm all in."

Sam looked up from the screen. "Florida, huh?"

Serena nodded. "Liz and I went last spring break. So fantastic."

"I take you on vacation with me one time and you don't shut up about it," Parker chided as she emerged from her bedroom.

She was wearing a long trench coat that cut off mid-calf with red heels and fishnet stockings. No way this girl could be as vanilla as Rena had made her out to be.

I grinned. "Flasher?"

Parker checked her watch and gave me a scolding look. "Not midnight yet, Mr. Winchester."

Rena stood up and put on her coat over her cat suit. "Alright, let's get this show on the road."

Sam reluctantly closed his laptop and followed us out the door.

Parker looked at Sam and me over her shoulder as we walked down the hallway. "Where are your costumes?"

I pulled a set of horns out of my pocket with a smirk, and positioned them on my head.

Unphased, she turned to my brother. "What about you, Sam?"

Rena pushed the button for the elevator. "Sammy doesn't celebrate Halloween."

"See, I was gonna guess Emo kid without the eyeliner," Parker joked.

I laughed as Sam's neutral expression changed to a disconcerted frown.

Parker put her hand on his shoulder consolingly. "This isn't my favorite holiday either, but your cousin doesn't take no for an answer."

"Tell me about it," he said. "If her mother hadn't threatened to disown her if she didn't go to college, she'd probably be on the road with us."

Parker's eyes went wide and she stared at Serena.

I glared at my cousin. "Did you tell her?"

"Yeah." She shrugged. "She's cool with it."

"Does the word secret mean anything to you?" I demanded as we stepped onto the elevator.

"She knows stuff about Native American folklore," Serena pointed out to me. "Who do you think gave me the info on that Ahuizotle you were hunting last year?"

"I thought you were an English major," Sam said to Parker.

"My grandma was an anthropologist who specialized in Native American culture," she responded.

Sam's eyebrows quirked in interest. "Oh, cool."

"Looks like someone just scored brownie points with Sam." I noted.

"And anyway, Dean, didn't you tell that Cassie girl your big family secret a while back?" Serena said, glaring back at me.

I grimaced. I hated it when she was right.

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

October 31, 2006
House of Blues
Chicago, IL

"Hello, nurse!"

I blushed at Serena's cat-calling as I shrugged out of my coat once we got into the club.

She tossed our coats to Dean and grabbed my hand. "Come on, let's dance."

"Have fun," Dean called after us with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes as Serena dragged me to the dance floor.

"So, what do you think?" she asked me.

"About what?"

"Dean," she prompted me.

"I'm not sleeping with your cousin," I told her.

She shook her head. "You're such a prude."

"He's not my type," I said firmly.

"Then what about Sam?" she asked. "You two seemed to hit it off."

I sighed in exasperation. "Serena . . ."

"You can't live like a nun your whole life," she told me. "The only guy I've ever seen you with is your best friend's boyfriend."

"I know," I said. "I just- this is really embarrassing."

"Just spit it out Parker."

"I'm a virgin," I confessed.

As if realizing where she had gone wrong in her calculations she nodded. "Definitely should have set you up with Sam."

"I'm going to get a drink," I announced as I left the dance floor thoroughly irritated with my roommate.

"Rum and coke?" Dean offered as I sat down on the bar stool next to him.

"Your cousin's a jerk," I muttered as I accepted the drink.

"That's part of her charm," he said dryly as he sipped his beer.

I tugged my skirt down. "She's been hell bent on getting me laid for the past six months and I'm sick of it."

He gave me a sidelong glance and turned back to his beer. "Six months is a long time to go without."

"I've lasted twenty-three years so far," I said. "I can go a few more."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh."

"You can stop looking at me like I'm a sideshow freak at a carnival anytime now," I grumbled.

Dean glanced over at the dance floor where Serena was, no doubt, trying to talk Sam into seducing me. Judging from Sam's reaction, things were not going the way she had planned.

He turned back to me. "Wanna get out of here?"

I nodded. "Yeah, before she starts sending strangers over here."

Dean paid the tab while I retrieved my coat and then we snuck out the side door.

"Thanks," I said.

"Don't mention it," he responded. "Music was kinda getting to me anyway."

"I remember Serena mentioning something about one of you being a Metallica fan," I said. "Guess it was you."

"You guessed right," he said with a lopsided grin. "What about you? I could tell you weren't into the crap they were playing any more than I was."

"I listen to a little of everything," I replied. "Even Metallica when the mood strikes me."

He threw his arm around my shoulder as we walked down the street. "My kind of girl."

I quirked an eyebrow. "You're into prudish virgins?"

"Nah, I dig chicks who have decent taste in music," he said with a wink. "And just for the record, I don't think you're a prude."

"Oh?"

"You'd have never taken your coat off if you were," he stated matter-of-factly. "That and when I put my arm around you, you didn't check your watch."

I laughed. Maybe this night wasn't a complete disaster after all.

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

November 1, 2006
Serena and Liz's Apartment
Chicago, IL

"Now this is more like it," Liz said as she emerged from her room in a t-shirt and pajama pants.

I smiled and turned back to the TV.

She flopped down beside me and snagged some of the popcorn from the bowl between us. "What did you decide on?"

"Shaun of the Dead is on Comedy Central," I replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you would like that movie."

"Have you even seen it?" I asked.

"Two years ago," she answered. "Michael made me go with him."

"Fine," I grumbled changing the channel. "What about Army of Darkness?"

"Groovy," she quipped.

I chuckled a bit. "You are something else, Parker."

She shrugged. "I like Bruce Campbell. Used to watch Brisco County Jr. on Saturday mornings."

"Sweet," I said. "I loved that show."

"You know, you're not at all what I was expecting," she told me.

I turned toward her. "What do you mean?"

"The way Serena described you doesn't really match up with what I've seen so far tonight," she replied.

"In case you haven't noticed, my cousin likes to exaggerate," I said.

"She talks about you like you're a comic book hero, only more sleazy."

"She actually called me sleazy?"

Liz nodded. "Which is why I was so offended that she tried to set me up with you, in case you were wondering."

"Rena and I are gonna have a nice long talk later," I decided.

She checked her watch, grinned at me, and turned back to the movie.

"What?"

She shook her head laughing a little. "Nothing."

"Yeah, right," I said. "Out with it, Parker."

"It's past midnight," she answered.

"So you want me to hit on you?" I asked.

"It was just an observation," she insisted. "I'm not asking you to hit on me."

"But all this could be yours for one low, low price," I joked, opening my arms to her.

She rolled her eyes. "Smooth."

"I promise I won't hog the bed," I said teasingly.

"You won't get a chance to," she shot back reaching for the popcorn.

"Fine," I said, snatching the bowl away from her. "No more popcorn for you."

She pouted. "You're seriously going to withhold the popcorn?"

"I'm immune to that puppy-faced bullshit," I informed her as I turned back to the television.

She took the opportunity to hit me square in the face with a throw pillow. I wrenched the weapon out of her hand and smacked her on the arm with it. Parker grabbed another pillow and tried shoving it in my face as I mercilessly wailed on her with the one I'd stolen from her.

"Jerk!" she shrieked between hits. "You don't fight fair!"

"You started this," I reminded her as I disarmed her of her pillow once again.

In a desperate move, she dove across the couch on top of me, reaching for her weapon. "Gimmie!"

"Hell no," I responded keeping both pillows out of reach, "I won fair and square."

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips between panting breaths and I was suddenly very aware of the girl on top of me.

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue. The poem "Montage of a Dream Deferred" is by Langston Hughes.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

November 1, 2006
Serena and Liz's Apartment
Chicago, IL

I woke up to the sound of the front door unlocking and Serena giggling as she and Sam entered the apartment. Dean reflexively tightened his arm around me as I closed my eyes and burrowed further into his shoulder.

"So cute," Serena whispered.

"Shh," Sam scolded her.

"Those two could sleep through a hurricane," she told Sam. "Come on, you can crash on my pull-out."

Once I heard her bedroom door close, I let out a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to answer any questions right now.

"They gone?" Dean murmured into my ear.

I tilted my head up to meet his gaze. "Yeah."

"What time is it?" he asked.

I glanced at my watch. "Almost noon."

"Wanna go out for brunch?"

"Sure," I replied. "Just let me change real quick."

"Does 'real quick' mean ten minutes or a half hour?" he teased.

I stood up and walked to my room. "If I'm more than ten minutes, I'll pay."

"I'll hold you to that," he said with a wink.

Once in my room, I quickly changed into jeans and a sweater and fixed my hair. I grabbed my purse and on an impulse, my journal and went back out into the living room.

We decided to walk to the diner down the street seeing as someone had decided to let the air out of my tires and Sam had the keys to the Impala.

"Need help with your car later?" Dean offered.

I shook my head. "It happens every year. I invested in an air compressor a while back."

"Should have known you'd be the independent type," he commented.

"Living here does that to you," I said. "When I lived in Roswell, I didn't even know how to change a flat tire."

"Roswell, huh?"

"It's not as interesting as people make it out to be," I assured him. "I was so happy to get out of there . . ."

"I know what you mean," he said. "I'm from Lawrence, Kansas."

"Langston Hughes grew up there," I noted remembering the paper I had to write about him last term.

"What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore. And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?" Dean recited.

I looked at him surprised.

He shrugged. "There's just certain things you never forget."

It then occurred to me that Serena didn't know as much about her cousin as she thought.

We walked the rest of the way to the diner in comfortable silence.

Dean held the door for me as we entered the restaurant and the waitress led us to a booth in the back.

"Drinks?" she asked tapping her order pad with her pen.

"Coffee and water," I ordered.

"Same," Dean said with a smile.

She dropped two menus on the table and walked off to get our coffee.

"Friendly," he snarked.

"College kids don't tip well," I offered in explanation.

"I always tip my waitress," he said. "Sometimes they're the most human contact you get on the road."

I smiled. I'd never thought of it like that.

The waitress returned with her urn of coffee, filled our cups and dropped a handful of creamers on the table. "You ready to order?"

"Pancakes, side of bacon and hash browns," I said.

She scribbled down the order and looked to Dean.

"Breakfast special, extra bacon," he ordered.

"Coming right up," she said as she wrote down his order and walked to the kitchen.

"Have you ever thought about what your life might be like if you hadn't started hunting?" I asked.

"That's Sam's gig," he said dryly. "He even succeeded for four years and went to college."

I nodded. I already knew the other half of the story. Sam's girlfriend died in a fire last year the same way their mother had twenty-three years ago. When Serena told me what had happened, she'd been crying for hours and all I could think was that it was like looking at myself three years earlier.

"But you don't think about that." It wasn't a question. He was so much like Michael, it wasn't even funny.

"Can't miss what you never had," he said with a shrug as he opened up the newspaper someone had left in the booth, effectively ending the conversation.

I opened my journal and stared at the pages. The last time I'd written was four weeks ago when Alex had called me last, asking me if I'd be coming home for Christmas.

The words 'YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME AGAIN' were etched into the page so deep that the ink bled through the other side. I had always hated that phrase until I understood it. I turned to a fresh page and began to write.

November 1, 2006

I'm starting to think that maybe I've been going about this all wrong; that I shouldn't still be punishing myself for all the shit that happened six years ago. Isabel and Michael never blamed me, but they also didn't know what I'd done. Kyle knows, but he still thinks I did the right thing. Needs of the many and all that jazz. I saved the world, but I still feel like I should have done something different.

I can't keep dwelling on the past. It'll catch up to me like it's caught up with Serena's family. Sam won't let himself be happy and sooner or later it'll tear him apart. I know. I almost let it happen to me.

I think that last night with Dean saved me. Being with him makes me think that maybe I don't need to feel guilty anymore. That maybe I can be happy. Not necessarily with him, because let's face it, he's not the type to stay in one place too long, but with someone, someday.

Waking up next to someone is really nice. Maria should have mentioned that to me. I might have tried it a lot sooner.

I'm in for an interrogation from my roommate when I get home. Yes, I fooled around with your cousin. We had fun. No regrets.

Maybe I will go home for Christmas.

I smiled and closed my journal as the food arrived. Dean glanced at the book and gave me a questioning look.

"Journal," I told him as I poured a generous amount of syrup over my pancakes.

He nodded as he dug into his own breakfast.

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

November 1, 2006
Serena and Liz's Apartment
Chicago, IL

The call from Dad came in around five that evening as the four of us were sharing pizza in the living room and watching TV. Sam and I were meeting him in Salvation, Iowa in two days. Caleb had called him this morning. Pastor Jim was dead and they had found sulfur around the body.

Sam and Serena were loading up the car while Liz and I sat out on the balcony.

I turned to her and put my arm around her shoulders. "You're gonna be okay, right?"

"I wasn't expecting a marriage proposal, Winchester," she said wryly.

"Alright, I'm sorry," I apologized. "I just don't want to leave on bad terms."

"Afraid Serena would kick your ass?" she teased.

"Hell no," I scoffed, "but she's got a rifle and she's a damn good shot."

Liz giggled.

"So I'll call you," I told her.

She gave me a 'yeah right' look. "I'll bet you say that to all the girls."

"You'd be surprised," I said.

"Probably," she responded.

The horn honked twice.

"Dean, come on!" Sam called from the parking lot.

"That's my cue," I said as I rose to my feet, pulling Liz up with me.

"Be careful," she told me, putting her hand on my shoulder.

I smirked. "Careful's my middle name, Parker."

She stood up on the tips of her toes and captured my lips in a brief but passionate kiss.

Reluctantly, I pulled away and opened the sliding glass door. "I'd better get out of here before Sam's bitch-face becomes a permanent fixture."

She grinned and followed me downstairs stopping me every flight to make out for a few minutes. Damned if I wasn't going to need a cold shower when we stopped for the night.

I got in the car and rifled through my tape collection until I found what I was looking for. Liz looked at me quizzically as I handed her a cassette tape.

"Metallica," I said. "In case the mood strikes you."

She leaned through the window and kissed me. "Thank you, Dean."

We said our goodbyes and I pulled out of the parking lot, turning in the direction of the freeway.

I caught Sam grinning out of the corner of my eye and socked him in the arm. "Shut up, dude."

Sam snickered. "Dude, you so like her."

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

Hours later after Sam had fallen asleep, I flipped open my cellphone and called Liz.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered.

"Told you I'd call," I said teasingly.

"What time is it?" she asked huskily.

"Two in the morning," I replied.

"You couldn't have waited a few more hours," she grumbled.

I smiled. "Sorry, but I needed something to keep me awake until we get to the hotel and Sammy's unconscious."

She yawned into the earpiece. "Okay."

"So what are you wearing?"

"No phone sex. You're driving," she scolded me.

"A guy can dream right?" I joked.

"I've had waking nightmares about car accidents for the past week," she said. "It's not funny."

"You're serious?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "I've been walking everywhere since they started."

I shifted nervously. "Have you had dreams like this before?"

"Yeah, since my junior year of high school," Liz replied.

I let out a sigh of relief. She'd had them too long to be like Sam and the other kids. Their powers had only kicked in a year ago.

"Dean, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, uh, could you describe the dream?"

"Sure," she answered hesitantly. "It's on a highway somewhere, really late at night and this semi truck comes out of nowhere and just plows this car."

I pulled over and elbowed Sam awake gesturing for a pen and paper.

He handed over the items and I started scribbling notes. "Uh huh, what type of car?"

"I don't know," she answered. "In the dream, I'm the driver."

"Anyone with you?" I asked.

"Two other people," she told me, "but I can't tell who they are."

"Shit," I muttered.

"You sure you're okay?" Liz sounded worried.

"Anything else you can remember?" I asked, brushing off her concern.

"'Bad Moon Rising' was playing," she murmured then laughed a little. "I've probably just watched a few too many horror flicks or something."

I forced a laugh. "Yeah, probably, but don't listen to CCR while you're driving at night, just in case, okay?"

"Sure," she said with a laugh.

"Well, Sammy's up and we're just about to the hotel so I'm gonna let you get back to sleep, but I'll call you in a few days," I told her.

"Goodnight, Dean."

"Night, Liz." I hung up the phone, stuffed it back in my pocket and tossed the notepad back to Sam.

"What's up?" he asked as I pulled back onto the road.

"Fucking figures," I muttered. "Meet a nice girl and she's a psychic."

Sam's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You mean Liz?"

"Yeah," I answered. "but don't worry she's not part of your crew. She got her gift five years ago."

"A car accident at night involving a semi and "Bad Moon Rising,"" Sam read off the paper. "Not much to go on."

"I'll call her later in case she remembers more," I decided. "Right now, I just wanna find a motel and crash."

"Want me to drive?" Sam offered.

"Nah," I said. "We're only about a half hour out."

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Dead Man's Blood (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

November 2, 2006
Serena and Liz's Apartment
Chicago, IL

Serena hopped off the step-ladder and surveyed her work with a satisfied smile.

I tilted my head to the side to examine the large symbol that now covered our living room ceiling. "That's a Key of Solomon, huh?"

"Yep," she replied. "Uncle John would be proud."

"I salted all the windows," I told her.

She nodded. "Good."

"You got holy water, right?" I asked.

"Ran down to the church this morning," she confirmed as she started cleaning up the paint and brushes. "It's on the kitchen counter."

"Do we really have anything to worry about?" I asked.

"Bad shit always happens on this day," Serena muttered. "Better to not take stupid chances."

"Yeah," I agreed.

"So what's going on with you and Dean?" she inquired as she rinsed the paint brushes in the sink. "I saw you two on the couch yesterday when we got in."

I blushed a little and smiled. "Nothing."

"My ass," she scoffed. "You guys were up to something."

"We might have fooled around a little," I admitted reluctantly.

Serena grinned. "That's my girl!"

"We didn't have sex," I insisted.

She shrugged. "At least you took a step in the right direction."

The phone rang and both of us jumped.

I picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"You are in so much trouble, chica."

"Hey, Maria." I greeted her, cringing at her tone.

"You stood me up, yesterday," she said irately, "and you never picked up your phone."

I bit my lip. "I'm sorry, but I got sidetracked and my phone died."

"You're Liz Parker. You don't get sidetracked," Maria stated. "What's up?"

"Come over this afternoon and I'll tell you everything," I promised.

"Fine," she relented. "I'll be there in twenty."

"And bring ice cream," I added.

"This better be good," she said.

"It is," I assured her. "See you soon."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone. "Maria's coming over in twenty minutes."

Serena's eyes flicked to the ceiling and back to me. "How are we going to explain the giant pagan symbol above our living room?"

"She probably won't notice," I told her.

"And if she does?"

I shrugged. "I'll make something up. She thinks you're weird anyway."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically.

"If I didn't know half of what I do, I'd think you were weird too," I told her.

She considered this. "Yeah, you probably would."

Twenty minutes later, Maria entered the apartment and immediately noticed the ceiling.

"Seal of Solomon," she commented. "Nice."

I gave her a dumbfounded look.

"Hello? Religious studies," she reminded me.

"Right," I said.

"So are you trapping demons or talking to animals?" she asked.

"Demons," Serena answered as she emerged from her room. "They're running rampant all over Chicago these days."

"It's her boyfriend screening process," I joked. "Works pretty well."

"I'll bet," Maria said.

"Well, I'm off to class," Serena announced. "You girls enjoy your ice cream."

My roommate exited the apartment and I went to the kitchen to retrieve spoons.

"Seriously, Liz, what's that thing doing on your ceiling?" Maria asked.

I shook my head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"You'd be surprised what I believe this day and age," she told me. "Saw a lot of weird shit in Sedona."

"Ghosts and demons are real," I said. "Serena's family hunts them."

"I told you she was weird," Maria said.

I moved to sit next to her and handed her a spoon. "She's got good reason to be."

"So is this what caused you to not show yesterday?" she asked as she opened the ice cream.

"No," I replied. "I kinda met someone."

She perked up in interest. "All is forgiven. Tell me everything about him."

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Everybody Loves a Clown (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue. “The past is a stale meal” Quote by Shimi from the story “Choke.”
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

December 16, 2006
Northwestern University
Chicago, IL

It was mid afternoon and I was finishing up my research paper so I could enjoy my vacation without work looming over me. Serena sat across from me pouring over equations and proof reading her essay. Things had been quiet for us for the past month and I had hoped that it would be the same for Sam and Dean, but it wasn't. The dream of the car accident had been about them. Dean had nearly died and John had traded his life to get Dean back. Serena cried for two days straight and I went a little numb after that. I had spoken to Sam a few times since then, but Dean was always too busy with the car to come to the phone. I knew it was an excuse, but I couldn't bring myself to get angry with him. It was safer this way, right?

Serena gathered her papers and stuffed them in a folder. "I'm finished. You ready?"

I nodded and closed my laptop. "Yeah, let's roll."

"Thanks again for letting me spend Christmas with you and your family," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome," I returned. "My parents love you like you're another daughter."

We walked out of the library to the car, which was already packed up and put our bookbags in the trunk.

"So I have an idea," Serena announced as she started the car.

I raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"

"Funny," she said sarcastically.

I grinned.

"Anyway," she continued. "I think we should take a little detour to South Dakota before we drive to your parents."

"I don't know, Serena."

"You wanna see them, don't you?" she prodded.

"He won't talk to me," I murmured. "He's not going to want to see me either."

"You think he's mad cause you couldn't tell what that vision was about until it was too late." Serena said. "Dean's not like that. He's just hurting because of his dad and probably thinks he's doing you a favor by avoiding you."

"It's just . . ." I trailed off. "I should have listened to Ava when she said I was different. Maybe I could have . . ."

"Liz, stop," Serena told me. "It's not your fault."

I breathed deeply and exhaled slowly. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she assured me. "Just remember that the past is a stale meal."

"So I shouldn't choke on it," I finished for her. "Thank you."

"No problem," she told me. "Now, are we going to see the boys or not?"

"Yes," I decided. "Let's go."

December 19, 2006
Singer Salvage Yard
South Dakota

I shielded my eyes against the sun as I stepped out of the car and followed Serena up to the house.

"Hey, Bobby!" Serena called.

An older man poked his head out the front door. "That you Rena?"

She grinned widely. "Sure is. How you been?"

"Who's your friend?" he asked gesturing to me.

I held out my hand. "I'm Liz, her roommate."

He shook my hand. "Pleasure."

"So, Bobby, where are the boys?" Serena asked. "We've come to abduct them for the holidays."

"Good luck with that," he said with a doubtful look. "They're out back."

We made our way to the back of the property where the salvage yard was. A pang of guilt shot through me when I saw the Impala. I ran my hand over the trunk examining the damage that wasn't the result of a semi truck, but a biproduct of rage. The sledgehammer lay on the ground as evidence. Feeling that someone was watching me, I looked up to see Dean standing on the back steps of the house, staring at me almost warily.

I looked down and mumbled. "I'm gonna go wait in the car, Serena."

"Okay," she murmured.

Tears were streaming down my face as I collapsed against the side of the house.

"You shouldn't have come," I heard Dean tell Serena.

"Well, sorry if the idea of being with my family for Christmas was such a bad idea," she retorted scathingly.

"Rena . . ." he sighed in frustration.

"I'm gonna go find Sam," she told him. "At least he'll be happy to see me."

I heard footsteps approaching and I hurried to dry my eyes, acting like I was tying my shoe. "I'm fine, Serena. I just caught my shoelace on something."

A clean handkerchief was handed to me by a decidedly more masculine hand. "Here," said Dean.

"Thanks," I mumbled as I finshed blotting the tears away.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm a jerk."

I shook my head. "No, you're right. We shouldn't have come."

"I'm glad you came," he told me.

"So that's why you looked at me like I was diseased," I muttered sarcastically as I started toward the car.

"It's been a rough couple of weeks and you took me by surprise more than anything," he explained, following me.

I hit the trunk release on my car and pulled a brightly wrapped package out. "I got you something."

He took the package. "Thanks."

"And this one's for Sam," I said, pulling out another present. "It's a new hoodie."

"What's mine?" he asked.

"Open it and find out," I replied.

He tore into the wraping paper and opened the box to reveal a leather jacket. "Oh, wow."

"It was either that or ammunition," I joked.

"Thank you," he said. "Best present I've gotten in a long time."

I smiled. "You're welcome."

"So Christmas in Roswell, huh?"

"Serena thought you guys could use a break," I said.

"I don't know . . ." he trailed off looking back at the Impala.

"It'll still be here when you get back," I told him. "I'll even help you prime it if you want me to."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me skeptically.

"Grandpa owned a body shop," I supplied. "I used to help out when I was little. He said I was a natural with a paint gun."

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Everybody Loves a Clown (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

December 21, 2006
Breckenridge Brewery
Denver, CO

"I've never seen you work a day in your life," Serena said. "Where the hell do you get all your money, Parker?"

Liz took a swig of her beer. "I work during the summer."

"But that's not enough to pay rent during the year," Serena pointed out.

"You're going to think this is lame but I'll tell you anyway.," Liz said, "I saved my tips from when I worked at my parents' diner."

"Must have been a good waitress," I said appreciatively.

"I scammed a lot of my tips during tourist season," she admitted as she pulled a photograph out of her wallet and slid it across the table. "Here, take a look."

"Is that a melted baby doll?" Sam asked, examining the picture.

She nodded. "Yeah, but for the tourists, it was a picture of an alien that my great grandma took just before the government cleaned up the crash site."

"Why, Liz, I never knew you had it in you," Serena teased.

"There's a lot you don't know," she said putting her photo away.

Fifteen minutes later we paid our tab and drove to the hotel we were staying for the night.

"I'm sharing the double with Sam," Serena announced, tossing me the room key. "You two have fun in the single."

Before Sam could protest she grabbed him by the collar and dragged him into their room.

I turned to Liz. "Looks like it's just you and me, Parker."

"I'd rather share a bed with you anyway," she said. "Serena hogs the blankets and you're a better cuddle."

I grinned as I unlocked the door and let us into the room.

"I'm really glad you decided to come with us," Liz told me as she put her bags down on the chair by the door.

"Me too," I admitted as I set my bag down on the desk and pulled my gun out of the back of my pants.

"Could you put that away?" Liz asked nervously.

"Sure," I answered as I stashed the pistol in my bag. "Any particular reason?"

"Serena hasn't told you much about me, has she?"

"She told me that you're a whole hell of a lot more complicated than she's willing to explain." I replied. "Wanna enlighten me?"

She took a deep breath and sat on the bed. "I was shot seven years ago, and it turned my whole life upside down."

"I never noticed a scar," I said.

"There isn't one," she murmured. "At least not on the outside."

"You ever consider facing your fear?" I suggested.

She gave me doubtful look. "No thanks, I'll pass."

"I'll even help you, if you want," I offered.

"A trade," she said. "My fear for your fear."

"Yeah, sure," I said with a chuckle.

Liz nodded her head in affirmation.

I swallowed hard.

"What is your fear, by the way?" she asked.

"Flying," I replied.

She frowned. "Don't know any pilots . . ."

"Guess the deal's off then," I said with a shrug.

"You're the one who wanted to do this," she pointed out. "What about heights in general?"

"Yeah," I said. "Not a big fan of those either."

Her eyes lit up. "Great."

What the hell had I just gotten myself into?

Title: Changeover
Author: Christina Buchanan
Email: SixPacsChic@hotmail.com
Rating: M so far
Category: Liz/ Dean
Summary: "Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed." Chuck Palahniuk "Fight Club"
Spoilers: Wipe Out!/Everybody Loves a Clown (Spoilers for SN will change)
Disclaimer: I don't own either show or the characters. I'm just borrowing them. Don't sue.
Author's Notes: "It's called a changeover. The movie goes on and nobody in the audience has any idea." "Fight Club" Before you ask, I'm fully aware of my obsession with the movie. The timeline in SN will be largely unchanged. I just kinda threw in a relative and Liz to make things interesting.

December 23, 2006
Roswell, NM

"How am I doing?" Dean asked nervously.

"Any slower and you'd be going backwards," Serena teased as she started to repel down the cliff side past him.

"You're doing fine," I reassured him. "Just remember, three points of contact at all times."

Sam glanced at me as he helped Serena out of her harness. "It's amazing you got him to do this."

"Part of the deal," I told him. "I face my fear and he faces his."

"What are you afraid of?" Serena asked.

"Guns," I replied turning my attention back to Dean. "Good job. Just a little further."

"Silly thing to be afraid of if you ask me," Serena scoffed as she helped Sam into the harness.

"I was shot when I was fifteen," I reminded her.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

I nodded. "Wrong place, wrong time type of deal."

"Do I have to repel down?" Dean called from the top of the wall.

"Well, I'm not climbing up to get you," I answered.

"If I break my leg, it's your ass ," he warned me as he slowly started to descend.

"Impressive bitch face," Sam commented as Dean passed him.

"Shut up, asshole," Dean grumbled in response.

"Fight nice, you two," Serena chided.

"See, this is why I didn't have them spot each other," I said.

"You started without us?" Alex asked with mock indignation as he and Isabel began to set up their own climbing rig.

I cocked an eyebrow. "You're late."

"Sorry," Isabel apologized. "Breakfast with mom ran a little long."

"So that's what the kids are calling it these days," Serena quipped.

"Don't worry about it," I said. "I've been giving a crash course to the novices."

"A little help here?" Dean gestured to his harness once he was on the ground.

I turned back to Dean and helped him out of his gear. "You did pretty well for your first time. Wanna go again?"

"Hell no," he replied. "I think one time up the wall was enough to fulfill my end of the bargain."

"Fair enough," I agreed.

"Who's your friend?" Alex asked.

"These are Serena's cousins, Sam and Dean," I answered gesturing to each brother respectively. "We kidnapped them from South Dakota for the holidays."

"What's in South Dakota?" Isabel asked.

"Dean's wife," Serena deadpanned.

Alex shot me a questioning look. "But I thought Maria said--"

"She's referring to Dean's car," I clarified. "It's his baby."

Serena smirked. "Good news travels fast, huh, Liz?"

"Guess so," I ground out between clenched teeth. "Remind me to thank Maria later."

I ignored Alex's apologetic look as I secured my harness and began scaling the cliff wall. What he said made me wonder about what else Maria could have told him, and in turn what he could have told Isabel. Climbing usually cleared my head, but the further I got, the darker my thoughts became.

November 30, 2000
Roswell, NM

I stared down at the fresh earth and crisp marble headstone in front of me. "I killed him."

"There was nothing you could have done," Maria murmured her reassurance.

"But Ava said--"

She cut me off. "Ava was one of them and god only knows if she actually knew what she was talking about."

"I should have tried," I said as tears flowed freely down my face. "I mean he came back from the future to change things so that we wouldn't die, and now he's gone."

"There's no way either of you could have known," Maria told me. "Future Max never mentioned you developing any powers, did he?"

I shook my head. "No, and you'd think that he'd mention something like that."

"Exactly," Maria said. "So Ava was obviously either totally misinformed by her protector or lying to you."

"What if they got Tess to give up the Granolith's location?" I wondered out loud.

Maria shrugged. "They go home and never bother us again."

I considered this. "We shouldn't feel responsible for the fate of another planet, should we?"

"Not when everyone who ever came from said planet has screwed with us in one way or another," Maria muttered. "Good riddance to them."

"You're probably right."

"But you still feel guilty," she added.

I nodded. "I just keep thinking that I could have done something different."

"You'll drive yourself crazy," Maria scolded lightly.

"Yeah." I dried my eyes and looked at Maria. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything," Maria answered.

"Please don't tell the others about future-Max or what Ava said about me being different," I requested.

"They won't hear it from my lips," Maria assured me.

I hugged her. "Thanks."