Love Lessons (UC, AU, Mi/L, Mature) Chapter 7 10/27 [WIP]

[Ashita]

Title: Love Lessons
Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and 20th Century Fox. No infringement is intended. I own nothing, although I'd like to borrow Michael for a few days...ok...make that weeks to months, years? Oh, who am I kidding? I'd like to keep him forever.
Pairings: Michael/Liz, Max/Tess, Maria/Billy, Alex/Serena and Kyle/Ava
Rating: Adult (Seriously, what other rating do I do?)
Summary: Very AU; Eight years after leaving Roswell behind, Liz comes back from Harvard to mend a broken heart and teach school. Unfortunately, as it's mid year, there aren't any positions available except one as a private tutor for a former classmate's, Michael Guerin, children. Desperate to move on with her life, she takes the position, but her students aren't the only ones with lessons to learn.

A/N: Okay, so this is very AU. Basically, take everything you know about Roswell and throw it out the door. It doesn't apply. Here are the important facts to know: All four aliens emerged from their pods at the same time and were taken to social services. Max and Isabel are brother and sister and were adopted by the Evans'. Michael and Tess are brother and sister and were adopted by the Guerin's. Liz was never shot and thus the humans never knew the aliens outside brief contact with them in school. And obviously, they have no idea that aliens really exist. The aliens stayed to themselves, with Max and Tess dating and Michael and Isabel pairing up. Michael and Isabel married young, turning to each other because they didn't want to bring strangers into their secret. It was a amicable marriage until Isabel died. The Sheriff and Amy married while the kids were in high school, making Maria and Kyle siblings. The rest will be explained in the story.

A/N2: I originally didn't plan to start posting this story yet, but every time I went to write the next chapter of Last Stand, my muse balked because she was obsessed with this story idea. So I grudgingly gave in and started it, despite that meaning I have one more story to write. She's a demanding wench, but one does what one must to keep her happy.



March 2010

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Thanks to the talented Whimsy for my banner!

You can't come home?

Opening the door to her blue Sentra hesitantly, Liz Parker climbed out, her feet kicking up red dust as she scuffed the desert floor she hadn’t seen since graduation when she and Kyle had hopped on a plane to Boston, their hearts filled with dreams. Most of those dreams had come true, some were shelved and one – one was dashed altogether. She should have known better than to believe it was possible to meet the love of your life in high school.

Running a weary hand through her tangled, molasses hair, she sighed, scrunching her nose in disgust as she took in her rumpled appearance, having decided to drive straight through the night instead of stopping to sleep; a decision she greatly regrets now that she was standing on the outskirts over her hometown. She didn’t really need to announce to the world that she was returning home in defeat.

Taking in a deep breath of arid air, she stood under the faded UFO billboard, smirking slightly as her chocolate eyes drifted over the small town she’d tried so hard to leave behind for bigger and better things. It’s funny how the one place she thought she’d never miss was now her sanctuary, a place to lick her wounds. A place that didn’t remind her of Kyle and his new found love with Ava.

Even now the thought of them setting up house back in Boston, her Boston, made her heart pinch. Not because she was overly jealous of Ava, or angry at Kyle for finding someone else, but because it reminded her of how long she held onto a tarnished dream. She had known for a long time that the love she and Kyle shared had changed into some more akin a very good friendship, but she had been content.

It had been an easy relationship, one that didn’t require much thought or effort on her part. It allowed her to focus on her studies and furthering her career. Kyle had always been so affable and easy going. It’s what attracted her to him during their senior year in high school. He was sweet, loyal and dependable. He made her feel safe and she never had to second guess herself with him.

Groaning, she smiled ruefully at her thoughts and realized that Maria had been right all those years ago when she and Kyle started dating. She did sound like she was describing a poodle. Shaking her head at herself, she reluctantly climbed back into her car and started the motor, pulling out onto the road to town. Her best friend always told her that she could do better than Kyle; that love should be more than just chaste kisses and holding hands at the movies.

And while Kyle’s and her relationship did develop beyond that, her friend hadn’t been too far off the mark. Their love had always been more sweet, quiet and companionable than the passionate, dramatic trysts her friend embroiled herself in. It was the way love was supposed to be. Or so she thought.

For years, Kyle had been happy with their relationship as well. They had a level of comfort and companionship that many marriages failed to achieve. He was her best friend and she was his, they spent all their time together. Until a few months ago when he was invited to an event by one of his co-workers. She had been unable to attend because of a mandatory lab for one of her advanced biology courses.

That’s when he had met Ava and as cheesy as it sounds, it truly was love at first sight. He told her it was like being struck by lightening, their eyes had met and he just knew that she was the one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. He’d never felt this passionate draw to anyone before. Liz winced as she remembered his confession, still a blow to her ego despite knowing that it was better she found out before they made the mistake of getting married.

So, she did the only thing she could do – she stepped aside, concentrated on her last semester of study, graduating early with her master in biology, packed her bags and came home. It was the least she could do, she thought as she pulled up to her parents restaurant. Parking her car in front of the Crashdown, she sat in her car quietly, staring at the cheesy décor that hadn’t changed since she was a kid and smiled ruefully. At least some things never change.

Climbing out of her car, she made her way to the diner and pushed open the door, taking in the greasy smell of fries cooking in the fryer and burgers sizzling on the grill while the Top 40s station played in the background. Still a favorite hang out, she watched high school students flit from booth to booth as they chatted about the latest gossip, who was seeing who and of course, the upcoming dance.

Liz smiled nostalgically, remembering the days she and her friends would do the same, although often, she was their waitress, wearing the same pale green uniforms and bobbing antenna that the current girls were running around in. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she walked through the diner, pushing through the back door, intent on finding Maria, the current manager of the diner.

“Can I help you?” a voice called behind her. She turned and smiled at the pretty blond who was too busy straightening out the counter to look up, a pen sticking out of her mouth as she looked at what seemed to be a supply order. Her friend was a sight for sore eyes.

“Well, I don’t know, could you tell me where to find Miss Deluca?” she smirked, giggling as her friend’s head shot up in surprise, her pen clattering to the floor as her mouth gaped open. She was glad she didn’t tell her she was coming home. Her reaction was worth it. “Well, are you just going to stand there and stare at me?”

“Lizzie! Oh my God, what are you doing here!” she screeched, running from around the table and grabbed Liz in a hug and nearly squeezed the air from her lungs. Liz laughed and wrapped her arms around her exuberant friend, both girls jumping up and down in excitement at their reunion. Maria pulled back and gave Liz a once over, clucking her tongue. “Look at you girl, you are too skinny. We need to fatten you up. You hear that Jose, get my girl a cheeseburger and some fries pronto.”

“Maria, calm down,” Liz laughed, disentangling herself from her friend’s clutches. Maria grabbed her hand and tugged her into the dining room, shoving her onto a stool by the counter and sat across from her, squeezing her hands in hers.

“You are so in trouble! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Maria asked, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her best friend playfully. “I would have gotten the gang together and we’d have made a party of it.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” the brunette answered, her smile faltering as she stared at her hands uncomfortably, avoiding Maria’s all too knowing gaze. Flicking her eyes up at her friend, she smiled sadly, her eyes skittering away to focus over her shoulder and finished weakly. “Besides, I wanted to get settled and recover from the trip before seeing the gang.

“I see,” Maria replied quietly, taking in the other girl’s tired, sad countenance. Damn her brother for hurting her like this. If she didn’t think it’d upset Liz further, she would have flown to Boston and kicked his ass personally. “Tell, Maria all about it.”

“Not right now, okay,” she whispered, voice hitching subtly as she tried to keep her tears at bay. While she did understand her break up was for the best, it still hurt as eight years was a long time to be with someone. “Maybe later tonight?”

“Definitely! You have a date,” Maria replied, patting her hand softly. She moved to the order window and grabbed Liz’s order, setting the food in front of her before moving off to get her a soda. “Tonight, it’s just you and me and our favorite men, Ben and Jerry. Now eat, while I go watch over the minions.”

“Sounds like a plan,” she grinned, taking a bite of her burger, realizing, for the first time since she left Boston, just how hungry she was. Setting down her burger, she watched the scene around her and took a deep breath as she finally admitted to herself – it was good to be home.

~*~

“Miri! Zan! Stop running around and sit down now!” Michael Guerin cried in exasperation, trying to be heard over the commotion his precocious six-year-old twins were making as they chased each other through the ‘school’ room excitedly. Rubbing a weary hand over his face, he had to wonder what stroke of madness prompted him to agree to home school the little hellions.

True, Tess and Max had a valid point when they said the twins lacked neither control over their powers nor the metal maturity to know when it was appropriate to use them, but something had to give. He was exhausted.

When they first agreed to this arrangement, his brother-in-law and sister agreed to share the burden and it was supposed to be a group effort, but as time went on, he got stuck with it more often than not. Not that he’s complaining since he loves his kids – they were the best thing that came out of his and Isabel’s marriage.

But how he got here, he had no idea. He had always hated school and barely passed high school. What the hell did he know about teaching two rambunctious kids?

“But daaaaaaaad,” Miri whined, turning pleading caramel eyes on her father, her dark-blond ponytail flying as she collided with her cohort in crime, giggling as her brother toppled over and fell to the floor. Grinning unrepentantly at her father’s exasperated sigh when Zan started to complain loudly, she ran over to give him a hug. “We’re just playing! It’s recess!”

Smothering a smile, Michael shook his head and hugged the blond imp to him, wishing Max had kept his mouth shut about that particular school ritual since the twins cried recess every time they didn’t want to do their school work. Placing a kiss on her head, he set her down on the chair across from him and sent her a warning glance. “Stay put.”

Miri pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, her little pink bottom lip jutting out in protest as she watched her dad attend to her still whimpering brother. Zan was such a wimp. She didn’t even push him that hard.

“Miri’s mean!” Zan whined, rubbing his knee, glaring at his twin with irritation, vowing to get even when his dad wasn’t watching. Looking over his dad’s shoulder as he inspected the damage, he caught his sister’s eye and stuck his tongue out at her, prompting her to return the favor.

“Stop provoking your sister, Azzan,” Michael said without looking up, rolling down Zan’s pants as he found he was fine and helped the tyke up. “That goes for you too, Elliava. Don’t think I didn’t see that.”

“Sorry daddy,” Miri muttered, sobering at the use of her true name, awed that her dad always seemed to know exactly what she and Zan were doing at any minute and couldn’t help but wonder if it was one of his secret powers they weren’t supposed to mention to strangers. Her brow puckered in thought as she cocked her brow very like her father would and pondered that thought seriously, her mouth gaping at her father’s next words.

“And stop quirking your brow at me,” Michael smirked without looking at his daughter, knowing his child well enough to predict her actions. He should as she was the one that was most like him, whereas Zan tended to act more like his mother. Sitting down in front of the pouting tykes, he fixed them with a firm smile. “Now let’s get on with this. The sooner you finish your lessons, the sooner you can go outside and play. No more calling recess! Pull out your notebooks; we’re going to work on spelling and definitions.”

Grumbling, Miri pulled out her blue notebook grudgingly, already thoroughly bored with lessons this morning, but wisely kept silent as she knew how far she could push her father before she really got into trouble. Zan complied eagerly, loving school and learning new things unlike his twin. It was his favorite part of the day.

Michael moved to the white board he had placed on the wall and wrote down several words in both English and Antarian. One of the things they had all agreed on was that the twins should know their former language, even though it was likely that they’d never need it. They didn’t want them to be clueless of their heritage as he, Isabel, Tess and Max had been when they first emerged from their pods.

“The words on the right are in English with the Antarian match on the left,” Michael instructed his kids. Thankfully, due to their otherworldly abilities they were a bit more advanced in their studies than most kids their age. “Copy them down ten times each and look each of the English words up in the dictionary. Once you’re done with that, we’ll go over the words and how they should be used in a sentence. Then you’re free for the day.”

The twins cheered at that announcement and got to work on their assignment without further complaint, leaving Michael to get some sketching in since he had a show coming up in three months and his agent was clamoring for something new. Lately, between the sole care of his children and every day hum drum chores of life, he had been lacking inspiration and worried that he might have tapped out.

For the most part, he had stuck to landscapes of the beautiful New Mexico desert, but he wanted to branch out and get away from his staple. He just didn’t know what yet. In the mean time, doing a few landscapes wouldn’t hurt and always brought in enough money, along with his private classes, to keep the kids and him living in comfort.

Turning back to his kids, he watched them until they indicated they were done with their work and went over to check it, praising them on a job well done when they had gotten it right. Finishing the lesson with a discussion on how to use the words properly and making them write the words in sentences; Michael finally let them loose with a reminder.

“Don’t forget Uncle Max will be over later for powers practice, so don’t go too far,” he called as they shoved their books into their desks and scrambled out the door, headed for some new adventure in their backyard.

Michael walked over to the window, watching as the two blond heads bobbed along, running through the fields in the back of the house, intent on some mystery game that only kids understand. Sighing, he pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose in frustration. He had manage to keep up with the kids studies for the past couple years, but lately he was feeling out of his depth and realized he needed some help.

Walking into his office, he sat down at the desk and pulled a card out of his rolodex, staring at it for a moment before dialing the number. “Hi, this is Michael Guerin; can I speak to Mrs. Fairland? Thank you.”

Michael tapped his fingers on his desk nervously as he was put on hold, hoping he was doing the right thing. After a couple of minutes, a bright cheery voice greeted him. “Mr. Guerin, what a surprise, what can I do for you today?”

“Mrs. Fairland, thanks for speaking to me,” he replied, shifting to look out his window and keep an eye on the twins as he was talking. “When I first talked to you about home schooling the twins, you gave me a lot of excellent advice and I want to thank you for that.”

“Not a problem, Mr. Guerin. It was my pleasure. How are the twins?”

“They’re great,” he replied, hating the step he was about to take but knowing it was the best move for his children. “Look, when we talked, you mentioned that you might be able to help me find a private tutor if there came a time that I felt overwhelmed. I think that time has come.”

“All right, Mr. Guerin, let me get a few names ready for you and I’ll get back to you in a few days.”

“It’s Michael and that would be great,” he sighed, running a hand through his tawny waves, jaw setting at the idea of letting a stranger into his household, especially given his and the kids status, but he had no choice. The kids were growing beyond him and needed someone with formal training. “And thanks again for your help, Mrs. Fairland.”

“Anytime, Michael. And please, call me Janet; I’m not your principal anymore.”

“Okay, Mrs. – Janet,” he stumbled over the words, years of training hard to overcome in one conversation. “I’ll call you later with the details of the position once I have them worked out.”

“I’ll talk to you then. Goodbye, Michael.”

“Bye,” he said, hanging up the phone and staring off in the distance, wondering if he should have waited to talk to Tess and Max about the decision. Bringing someone into the household, especially since they didn’t know their secret, was risky. They had survived this long because no one but the five of them and their respective parents knew they were aliens. An outsider could cause a lot of potential problems if they weren’t careful.

~*~

[Ashita]

Kris - I'm glad you liked the start of this story!

Carrie - Yes another story! What can I say? Anything to keep the muse happy! Glad you like the concept and the first chapter. As for Janet, actually, Jan was the reason it popped in my head. I had just finished reading something by her and it crept into the story. Funny how that works.

A/N: Two things: One, the aliens react to alcohol like any normal person in this universe. So no giddy weirdness. And two, Maria's proposal is an honest to God true story and how my fiance proposed to me. The man never can do things the typical way. It was too funny of a story not to share.
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Best Friends

“Oh, God,” Liz groaned, an empty Ben and Jerry’s container in one hand and the other rubbing her stomach ruefully as she crawled off her bed. Setting the empty container in the trash, she flopped back down on her bed next to Maria and sighed heavily. “How did we ever manage to eat an entire pint of ice cream when we were younger? I feel sick.”

“I have no idea,” Maria groaned, setting her empty container down on the bedside table and rolled over to face her friend, moaning quietly when her stomach protested. Shaking her head ruefully, she snuggled up to Liz, entwining their hands. “Next time we share a container, deal?”

“Deal,” the brunette agreed, turning to face her friend and smiling half-heartedly, dreading the coming conversation now that their ritual ice cream fest was over. Staring at her wall, she let the silence draw out as she tried to figure out what she was feeling. It would be easy if she was angry at the two of them or hurt, but mostly she just felt resigned and like she had lost her best friend.

“Come on, talk to me,” Maria said softly, watching her friend with serious jade eyes, lifting her hand to tuck a mahogany strand behind her ear. Kyle was in for a serious ass kicking when she saw him, brother or not. “Rant, rage, tell me my brother is a complete idiot and needs his ass kicked.”

“Maria, be serious,” Liz snorted softly at the image of the little blond tackling her brother and beating him up. She knew her friend would do it too if she’d just give her the go ahead, but it wouldn't solve anything or make her feel better. Okay, well maybe it might make her giggle a little, but she’d rather just let things be.

“I am serious!” Maria exclaimed, eyes twinkling with mischief, a smile sliding over her face as her friend grinned at that comment. “You and I have been friends far longer than Kyle has been my brother, so you take precedent. Kyle can fend for himself.”

“I can’t let you do that as funny as it would be,” Liz laughed, smiling at Maria, her mood greatly improving at her childhood friend’s antics. She could always rely on her to make her smile. “Besides, I’m really not angry at him.”

Maria cocked her brow doubtfully at the brunette, knowing her tendency to shove her problems and feelings aside in favor of keeping everyone else happy. She searched her face to see if this was yet another case of her shutting away her feelings for the good of her friends.

“I’m not!” Liz cried indignantly, seeing the blond’s doubtful look. She looked at her ceiling quietly, pulling her jumbled thoughts together to explain what she was feeling. “I want to be angry at him. I want to be angry at them both. But when I see how happy they are together, I just…can’t. I can’t even really feel hurt. I mean, I am, but not as hurt as I should be. It’s just…I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Okay, okay,” the other girl said, holding her hands up in mock surrender, smiling as the brunette rolled her eyes at her. Yeah, her Lizzie would be just fine. “But the offer remains. I’ll even let you hold him down when the time comes.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Deluca,” Liz grinned, shaking her head softly and continued to lay there in companionable silence with her oldest friend.

“You know what we need?” Maria piped up after a couple of minutes, turning back to Liz with a smile, toying with a strand of her hair.

“What’s that?” Liz asked, turning to the other girl with a questioning look.

“Movie night and Alex!” the blond exclaimed exuberantly, sitting up and clapping her hands excitedly as she reached for her cell phone to call the other member of their long standing trio. “We can force him to watch chick flicks and mess with his hair just like we did in high school.”

“Yeah, I could go for that,” Liz smiled, realizing it had been at least a year since she’d seen her friend. “If you can detach his hip from Serena or was that his lips? God only knows with those two. They are so sickeningly cute together.”

“Watch the master,” Maria preened as she dialed Alex’s number, effectively cajoling their friend into compliance. Although, it hadn’t taken much more than saying Liz was in town and they were having movie night now before he was hanging up the phone and running out the door. “See, not hard at all. You just have to know what to say.”

“I see that,” Liz laughed at the girl’s playful boasting, watching her friend prance around the room in a fake victory dance. Waiting until her friend sat on the foot of her bed cross-legged, she sat up fixed her friend with a knowing look. “So, how’s Billy?”

“He’s great,” Maria said, her face lighting up at the mention of her boyfriend of two years and shrugged her shoulders slightly, looking down as she toyed with the edge of Liz’s comforter. “The shop is going really well and he’s been teaching guitar part-time at the middle school. He’s really happy.”

“That’s not what I meant, you know it,” Liz teased her friend, wagging her finger at the blond playfully. “I want the dirt. Spill it, Deluca! I know you’re keeping something from me!”

“Well,” she drawled, slipping her hands into her pockets as her eyes danced around the room, her next words rushing together. “HesortaaskedmetomarryhimandIsaidyes.”

“What! You want to say that slower, so I can actually understand you,” the brunette teased, grinning as sparkling green eyes met hers, her friends cheeks flushed with excitement.

“He asked me to marry him,” Maria squealed, pulling her hand from her pocket, proudly displaying a sparkling solitaire on her left hand, bouncing on the bed exuberantly. “And I said yes! I’m getting married!”

“Oh my God! Oh my God!” Liz screamed elatedly, yanking her friend to her feet and squeezing her as they jumped up and down on the bed in excitement. Stopping, she gave her friend a reproving look. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Well after everything with Kyle…” Maria trailed off, shrugging her shoulders.

“Oh, don’t be silly!” Liz admonished, shaking her head at her friend, enveloping the other girl in her arms, ecstatic for her happiness. “My best friend getting married is important news and trumps that. And I can’t believe you’re getting married!”

“I am!” the blond squealed, letting the excitement overwhelm her once more and resuming her bouncing, dragging the brunette with her. “I’m getting married!”

“You know what this means, right?” Liz said as both girls toppled to the bed, cocking a brow at the bride-to-be.

“Dress shopping!” both girl cried.

“You know you’re going to be my maid of honor, right?” Maria stated no question in her tone as she stared at Liz. “Refusals are unacceptable because there is no way I’m going to celebrate the most important day of my life without you by my side.”

“Well, duh,” Liz smirked, waving off her friend’s words. “Like I’d let you ask anyone else. I’d have to kick your ass if you even thought about it. So how’d he propose?”

“You’re going to laugh at this,” Maria snorted, rolling her eyes in amusement, a soft smile spreading across her face as she recalled the proposal. “Well one night, I went in to take a shower because we were going to go out to dinner, or so I thought. So I went in, took a shower and got out, realizing I had left my clothes in the bedroom.”

“So I dried off,” the blond continued, chuckling under her breath. “And I wrapped myself into my towel, walking out to the room decorated in candles, music playing and Billy standing there with two glasses of champagne. He looked at me quizzically, but I guess he wasn’t going to let a little thing like partial nudity stop him, so he proposed to me right then and there. And me, in only a towel and dripping hair.”

“Oh, my God, he didn’t!” Liz giggled, her eyes tearing with amusement at the picture Maria presented. “That’s so…that’s so…Billy.”

“Yeah, I know!” she squealed. “It was perfect!”

The girls hugged each other once more, squealing and bouncing up and down as girls are wont to do when they are faced with such exciting news. Which is the scene Alex walked into and he shook his head at their silliness.

“You two get weirder every year,” he commented, grinning as his two friends squealed again and turned to him. Setting down his things, he held his arms out in anticipation as he watched the little brunette scramble up and launch herself at him.

“Alex!” Liz cried, launching herself off the bed and into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, planting a loud smacking kiss on his mouth.

“Well damn, Parker,” he smirked, hugging the small girl to him, happy that she was home. It’d been too long since the three of them had been together like this. Leering at the pretty brunette playfully, he teased. “If I had known I was going to get this kind of reception, I wouldn’t have stayed away so long.”

“Yeah, well don’t expect anything more than that, buster,” she grinned, clambering out of the pouting man’s arms and dragging him to the bed to lie between her and Maria. “Your girlfriend scares me.”

“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” he asked the two girls, wrapping them in each of his arms, looking at them suspiciously. “Please tell me you aren’t going to torture me with chick flicks tonight.”

Alex sighed when faced with two bright grins and rolled his eyes, pretending to be put out by their choice of movie genres, although he secretly loved them as much as the girls did.

“Fine, but no Titanic!” he grumbled playfully, remembering how the girls would watch it over and over, crying buckets each time they saw it. “Please, anything but that.”

“No Titanic,” they chorused, giggling as they remembered that he used to cry just as hard as they did when they watched the movie. Not that they’d ever say anything. “We’re watching ‘He’s Just Not That Into You.”

“The things I do for you two,” he muttered, smiling at his girls, wrapping them up in his arms, sighing contentedly when they rested their heads on his chest and started the movie.

“Oh, shut up,” Maria smirked, jabbing him the ribs softly. “You know you love us.”

“That I do,” he whispered, kissing them both on the top of their heads and turned back to the movie, settling in for one of his favorite rituals.

~*~

“They’re getting so big,” Max said softly, as he stood on the deck with Michael, watching his niece and nephew run around the grass, shaking his head at their energy. He smiled when Zan pointed at Miri and ordered her to stop prompting her to toss a smirk over her shoulder, rolling her eyes at him. They were so much like Michael and Isabel, it was scary. “I can’t believe it’s been six years.”

“Tell me about it,” Michael smirked, shaking his head at the kids antics and shot his brother a wistful look. “I remember when they were so small I was terrified I was going to crush one of them if I picked them up. And now they’re running, talking terrors. I can’t get over how fast they’ve grown.”

The two brothers leaned against the railing in companionable silence, sipping on a beer as they waited for the coals in the barbecue to burn down a little before starting dinner. Watching as the sun sunk under the horizon, Michael turned and rested his back against the fence, scuffing his boots against the deck and sighed, knowing now was as good a time as any to tell Max his decision.

“I called Mrs. Fairland today,” he stated quietly, not needing to elaborate on the comment as this was a discussion they’d been having often lately. Both knew that eventually they’d have to turn to outside help for the twin’s education. “She said she’d pull together a few names and send them over in a day or two.”

“So you finally gave in?” Max asked, knowing this had been a difficult decision for his brother. Not that he blamed him. Given the sensitive nature of their secret, inviting a stranger into their lives would complicate things a lot. But they had hidden in plain sight for years and he knew they could continue to do so if they were careful. “Why now?”

“It’s getting harder to get the kids to sit down and actually focus,” Michael replied, shifting uncomfortably and crossing his arms over his chest as he stared off into the distance. “Let’s face it, as their father, they know they can push me. It will be good for them to have someone trained for this kind of thing, who can keep them motivated. Besides, we all know how much I loved school.”

Max smirked at his brother’s last comment, remembering how often he used to ride his ass about going to school. It wasn’t that his brother was stupid. On the contrary, Michael was probably the smartest one of the four of them. That was part of the problem, regular school was boring, tedious and offered him no challenge.

“I’m still amazed you passed high school with as often as you cut,” Max laughed, shaking his head. “I can still remember all the times the teacher would look at me hopefully, wondering where you were and would be disappointed when I said you hadn’t shown that day. Even with your blatant disregard for education, you had them wrapped around your finger.”

“Yeah, you and me both,” he snorted, running a hand through his tawny waves and smirked at the memories of instructors mourning his potential. He had thought it all so pointless back then. Still did to a degree. Why did he need a piece of paper to prove how intelligent he was? It was stupid. “But that’s a good reason for getting a private tutor. Miri’s already picking up my bad habits.”

“You’re worried,” Max commented, watching the taller man steadily as he scratched his brow thoughtfully, a sure sign that something was bugging him. He sighed when his brother a shot him an are-you-serious look. Yeah, he was worried too, but the wheels had been set in motion.

“Of course I’m worried, Maxwell,” he said pensively, his brow puckering with it as he turned back around and slumped against the railing, taking a swig of his beer. Watching the lights of his life tumble over each other on the lawn, he smiled softly before growing pensive once more at the risk he was taking with their lives. “This will be the first time we've allowed someone who doesn’t know our secret so close to the family. What if something happens and they find out?”

“Then we’ll deal with it, if that ever happens,” Max reassured firmly, clasping his brothers shoulder, trying to ease his tension. “But we should be fine. We’ve been able to keep our secret all these years so far and we’ll just make sure that the twins understand the seriousness of not using their powers openly.”

“Deal with it,” Michael muttered, shaking his head, knowing exactly that meant. “You mean have Tess erase their memory of what happened.”

“If we have to,” Max shrugged, not exactly happy with the solution himself but willing to do whatever was necessary to keep his family safe. “Hopefully it won’t come to that. After all, look at how our parents dealt with it. Who knows what will happen.”

“Right,” was his brother’s clipped reply as he turned and headed over to the barbecue to toss their steaks onto the grill. “Can you watch the steaks while I corral the monsters and get them, into bed? It’s past their bedtime.”

“Of course,” Max replied, watching his brother trot down and snag a twin under each arm, swinging them around as they giggled and carted them off to the house. Smiling at the obvious love that his brother held for the moppets, he couldn’t help wishing once again that Isabel had lived to take some of the burden of his best friend’s shoulders. Hopefully this private tutor would work out and give the man some respite.

Meanwhile, Michael trudged upstairs with his awkward, giggling load. There would come a day when he couldn’t do this, but in the meantime, he enjoyed this time with his kids. Setting them down, he grabbed out a pair of pajamas for each of them and watched as they jumped up and down on their beds, shaking his head.

“What did I say about jumping on the bed?” he growled at them playfully, smirking when Zan stopped immediately and Miri continued on as if he hadn’t said a word. Crouching on his knees he looked at his son challenging, smiling when he squealed and scrambled off his bed, running around the room.

“Can’t catch me! Can’t catch me!” Zan chortled as his dad stalked him across the room on all fours, squealing as Michael lunged at him.

“Oh yeah? We’ll see about that!” he smirked, grabbing his son’s ankle lightly and dragging the giggling boy over to him. He tackled a squirming, giggling Zan, tickling him lightly as he dressed him in his pajamas and then tossed him on his bed.

“Me too! Me too, daddy!” Miri giggled as he tackled her next, squirming as his fingers danced over her ribs lightly. Slipping the nightgown over her head, Michael growled playfully, sending the little girl in shrieks of joy as grabbed her in his arms.

“What do you say?” he growled, holding her upside down, tickling her stomach, chuckling at her mock shrieks of terror. “Say it!”

“My daddy is the best daddy ever!” Miri shrieked, laughing when her father pulled her up, kissing her soundly and dumped her unceremoniously on her bed.

“All right you two,” Michael said breathlessly, sitting on the floor trying to regain his energy. What he wouldn’t give to have half the energy they had. “Prayer time and then bed.”

“But daddy,” Miri whined, pouting on her bed.

“No buts, prayers and then bed. It’s past your bedtime as it is,” he commanded, sending her a firm look. “I already let you stay up later because Uncle Max was over.”

“Yes, daddy,” she murmured, kneeling by her bed with her brother and began her prayers, asking God to bless her daddy, Uncle Max, Aunt Tess, her grandparents and her mother.

“Amen,” the twins chorused together and scrambled into their respective beds, burrowing under the covers, waiting for their dad to begin the ritual of tucking them in and kissing them good night as they fought heavy lids, unwilling to admit how tired they really were.

Michael leaned over his daughter, already fast asleep and tucked the blankets around her, kissing her on the forehead gently, pushing her silky blond hair back. Walking over to his son, he was surprised to see wide chocolate eyes on him, expecting him to be sleeping like his sister.

“Daddy?” Zan asked quietly, picking at the edge of his blanket, staring at his father with a worried gaze. Michael sat on his bed, watching him questioningly, waiting for him to continue. “Do you think mommy really is in Heaven even though we’re different?”

“Yes, baby,” he said, voice hitching with sadness and swallowed thickly, running a reassuring hand over his son’s head, trying to erase his unease. “I know she is. She told me herself what a beautiful place it is.”

“Really?” he asked, a hopeful smile spreading across his face.

“Really,” Michael said firmly, kissing his son on the forehead and tucked him in just as he had with his sister. “Now stop worrying and get some sleep.”

“Okay,” Zan said sleepily, yawning as he snuggled down into his blanket. “Night daddy.”

“Night, babies,” he said softly, walking to the door and shutting off their light, their nightlight immediately turning on. Standing in the doorway, watching his two sleeping angels, Michael sighed heavily and once again prayed he was making the right move before shutting the door and walking back downstairs to finish dinner.

[Ashita]

Kris - Thanks! I'm glad you like Alex. Both of my other fics have him dead and I just needed a story that had Alex in it. I was so heartbroken when the killed him off.

Jan - Well, I do have several stories in here and it's easy for them to get lost. :)And yes, I have a feeling our Liz will be good for him and vice versa.

Whims - I have to admit, I teared up a bit as I was writing the Zan/Michael Heaven scene. It tugged my heart strings too. I'm glad that it had it's intended impact. Thanks on the characterizations. I was always interested in exploring how things would be different if the aliens were able to keep their secret until they were adults and not have to deal with all the teen drama. The Tess/Ava thing will be addressed later as Liz won't see her again until after she's working for Michael. That's all I'm saying. To say anymore will give too much away. And I know you saw this next chapter already but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I'm in the middle of looking for a job and everyone decided they wanted to do all the interviews last week. Hope you enjoy it! BTW if you can't tell, this will be one of the rare Maria/Tess/Max friendly polar ensemble stories.

Thanks to the awesome Whimsy for being my sounding board and beta! And for my banner!


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Limbo

“So how are you doing this morning?” Maria teased, taking in her friend’s tired, pained countenance as she trudged sluggishly over to the Crashdown’s coffee pot to help herself to a cup of God’s nectar. Or at least it was this morning. After Maria and Alex had left last night, Liz had been up into the wee hours of the morning wondering how her life had gotten to this point and where to go from there.

For as long as she could remember, she had had her life planned out meticulously. There were never any doubts; she never allowed herself any doubts. It was simple and straightforward, predictable. And she liked it that way. She had worked hard to get into the college of her dreams, where she excelled, got her degree and then was supposed to marry her high school sweetheart and live out the American Dream.

It was the perfect formula really. Catalyst A plus catalyst B leads to Result C. You just had to add the right ingredients – a great education, a prosperous job, the perfect boyfriend who would become the loving husband, a home and beautiful, successful children – and voila, the perfect life. Who could ask for anything more?

Kyle, apparently. Not that she blamed him. Even she had enough awareness to realize that their relationship was lacking something essential, some vital spark.

And last night, sleep slipping away from her elusively as she lay in her childhood bed staring at mementos of that so-called perfect life, a sliver of doubt crept in and took over, leaving her wondering if maybe she had gone about everything the wrong way. Everything had gone exactly as it should have and yet here she was, back in Roswell, lying in her cold bed alone while Ava, who never planned beyond the next day, was snuggled down with the man of her dreams.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

She was supposed to be happy, fulfilled. She’d done everything that she was supposed to do, made all the right decisions – and yet she was left wanting.

She shuffled around the counter in a daze, oblivious to her friend’s teasing question and concerned glance when she didn’t answer. Sitting down heavily on one of the stools, she stirred her coffee idly, brow pinched as she remembered when Kyle came home that night glowing. He’d never acted that way around her.

“Hey, how was the party?” she asked absently, glancing up quickly as he rushed through the door, smiling as she noted his grin and then looked back down at the notes she was transcribing from her class. She always liked to rewrite her notes first thing when she got home, while the information was still fresh in her head. She found that she forgot less when she did it this way.

“It was great! Fantastic!” Kyle exclaimed, striding into the room, his body almost trembling in palpable excitement as he launched himself on the couch, an amazed smile sliding over his face as he laid back and stared at the ceiling distractedly. Humming under his breath, he couldn’t believe that what should have been yet another boring work party had turned out so phenomenal.

“I thought you hated those things,” Liz grinned, wondering what had him in such a great mood. Usually she had to drag him to these work functions, him complaining the whole way and then listen to him gripe for the rest of the night about how pointless these meet and greets were. “You usually find any excuse to avoid them.”

“I did,” he said dreamily, smiling softly to himself as he continued to mull the night over in his head, so wrapped up in his thoughts that he forgot that Liz, best friend or not, was the last person he should be having this conversation with given their relationship. Shaking his head to clear it, he sat up and started to pace the room agitatedly. “I do, but….”

“But?” she inquired, her brow furrowing in confusion as he continued to act out of character, her heart pounding as she watched him move back and forth with a goofy smile on his face. She hadn’t seen that smile since…since she first agreed to date him. Drawing a sharp breath, she studied him carefully, finally seeing the beginnings of infatuation.

“There was this girl,” he whispered in awe, unwittingly confessing to what she had already suspected. Completely caught up in himself, he never saw the other girl blanch as he continued to babble. “She was unbelievable. Funny, smart…beautiful. It was like…being struck by lightening.”

“Coup de foudre…” she whispered thickly, her lungs burning and heart pounding as she rested her head in shaky hands. Pinching the bridge of her nose to quell the tears prickling behind her eyes, pain lanced her heart as she continued to watch his absorption, wondering if he ever reacted this way about her.

He looked up; face falling as awareness finally returned and he realized what he said to the woman that was practically his wife, and gave a heartfelt groan at the pain that flashed through her eyes at his words. Damn him and his big mouth. When would he ever learn to think before he spoke?

“Liz…” he choked, his words sticking in his throat and he swallowed thickly as he watched her dark chocolate eyes well with tears. He started to walk towards her, but stopped when she held up a hand to ward him off, unable to face him at the moment. Watching helplessly as she fled the room, he cursed his stupidity and wondered where they would go from there.

Shaking her head slightly to clear the lingering cobwebs, she startled when she found Maria in front of her watching her with concerned exasperation, making her realize the blond had been trying to get her attention for some time.

“Hello, Liz, Earth to Liz, you there, chica?” Maria drawled, a slight smile crossing her face when her friend rolled her eyes at her words. Leaning on the counter, she met her friends tired eyes and quirked her brow. “Where’d you go? You were off in the atmosphere for a while there.”

“No where,” she replied, giving her friend a tight smile as she sipped her coffee, tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear as she looked around the diner. It was too early for the usual crowd and she was glad for the silence while she pulled herself out of the funk that took over last night. “No where important, anyway.”

“Right,” her friend snorted in disbelief, shaking her head as she realized the brunette was going to try holding it all in again. She just hoped that Liz wouldn’t bottle it for too long, because she knew better than to believe her false, ‘I’m not angry’ act. They hadn’t been friends since kindergarten for nothing.

Liz rolled her eyes again at her meddling friend’s snort and had to grin. She knew it was pointless to pretend with Maria because despite her reputation as being flighty and oblivious, she knew her friend was far more observant than their friends credited her. She just wasn’t ready for her to poke at this particular wound; not until she had gotten her feet back under her.

“So, what are your plans for today?” Maria probed as she poured herself a cup of coffee, turning her back to her friend in order to hide her devious smile. She knew that her friend was planning to hide herself away from everyone and wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Liz shrugged, staring at the pale mocha liquid swirling in her cup, studiously avoiding the blonde’s all too knowing gaze. Still raw from the night before, she had no intention of stepping foot outside the apartment today. “I figured I’d spend the day getting settled in and then maybe call the school to see if they have any openings.”

“You could always work here,” Maria teased, turning back around and grinning evilly at the sheer horror that slid over her the brunette’s face. “I do need another waitress.”

“Uh uh, no way, Deluca,” Liz shook her head firmly, glaring at the giggling woman and gave a mock shudder of terror at the idea. “I did my time. Find some other sucker.”

“Just saying,” Maria grinned, laughing as her friend discreetly flipped her off. “Now, Miss Parker, what kind of example are you setting for these fine, impressionable young ladies working today?”

“Fine, impressionable young ladies,” Liz snorted, tossing her friend a rueful smile, her eyes dancing with suppressed laughter. “Obviously, someone has forgotten in her advancing years what we were like at their age.

“Are you calling me old, woman?” her friend laughed, happy to see the tired lines around her companion’s eyes lifting. “Because I know I don’t need to remind you that you’re three months older than I am.”

“Whatever,” she smirked, taking another sip of the brew in front of her as she watched Maria setting out some supplies behind the counter.

“So tonight,” Maria started again, wanting to get back to her earlier purpose before the weekend rush distracted her. “Don’t make any plans. We’re going out tonight.”

“Maria…” Liz whined, pursing her lips when she saw the stubborn set of her friend’s jaw and knew there was no use arguing with her once her mind was made up. She would just grab Alex and they’d gang up on her until she gave in anyway.

“Liz…,” Maria mimicked, crossing her arms over her chest, not about to accept any excuses of why she couldn’t make it. She was not going to let her stay home and mope over her idiot brother. “The gang heard you were back and want to get together. No excuses. You haven’t seen anyone in over a year.”

“Fine,” the brunette muttered, watching her peaceful night of movies and ice cream slipping through her fingers. Besides, what good would it do her to wallow at home; she had already wasted one night tossing and turning over a situation she couldn’t repair. “What’s the plan?”

“Dinner at Senior Chows followed by drinks and pool at Rookie’s,” she replied, laughing when Liz scrunched her nose and sighed. “No worries, it will just be you, me, Billy, Alex and Serena. We’ll ease you into it slowly.”

“Why don’t we just play at Chow’s?” Liz asked, grabbing the pot of coffee out of Maria’s hand and refreshed her cup before handing it back and adding a generous dollop of cream and sugar.

“Because we can’t get drinks,” she replied, smiling at her friend’s capitulation despite her obvious reluctance. She knew she’d win. “And you and I are going to get ripped. Now I better get back to work before my boss fires me. She’s a hard ass.”

“You know, I should fire you anyway for being a smart ass,” Liz called as Maria walked out to freshen the few early bird customers’ coffee.

“But you won’t,” Maria retorted, smirking over her shoulder as she headed towards the booths, reminding her. “If you did, you’d have to take my place.”

~*~

“Hey you guys, where are you?” Tess called down the hall as she let herself into her brother’s house, setting her bags down and smiled when the scampering of small feet echoed along the hardwood floors. Turning around, she kneeled and braced herself, waiting for her niece and nephew with open arms.

“Aunt Tess!” they squealed together, throwing themselves into her waiting arms, nearly knocking the petite, blond over in their enthusiasm. “We missed you!”

“Missed me?” she laughed, kissing the tops of their heads before cuddling them in her arms again and setting them away to reached into one of her bags for the presents she brought back with her. She knows she’s spoiling them, but that’s her job as aunt and Godmother. “I was only gone for two days.”

“But it took forever,” Zan complained, clinging to Tess once more, having missed his favorite aunt, even if she was his only aunt and Tess wrapped her arm around the small boy.

The more sensitive of the two, Zan often worried every time she or Max left to speak with Larek and the other members of the summit to make sure everything was running smoothly back in the Kuragano Federation. Just because they no longer had a planet to rule, didn’t mean they weren’t interested in making sure the few former citizens were settling in on the remaining four planets.

“I’m here now,” the small woman reassured, ruffling her nephew’s dark-blond hair affectionately, needing to put his fears to rest. He always feared that they would disappear like Isabel no matter how many times they tried to assuage his apprehension. How do you explain to a six-year-old child, otherworldly or not, that his mother’s death was due to unusual circumstances? “And I have surprises.”

Miri, impatiently waiting for her aunt and brother to finish, perked up and grinned at the mention of a surprise. She loved when her aunt visited because she usually brought them some sort of treat or present and let them stay up late while daddy and Uncle Max were off doing boy things. Although she didn’t really understand what boy things meant; probably something disgusting like collecting bugs or equally as dumb.

“Whatcha bring me? Whatcha bring me?” She exclaimed, crowding around her aunt, prancing excitedly when she pulled out a couple of boxes from her overnight bag. Snagging the proffered box from her aunt’s hand, she squealed in delight, ripping into the wrapping paper gleefully, while Zan sat down and carefully peeled the paper from the box.

“Miri! What have I told you about that?” Michael warned in a low voice as he entered the room and saw his daughter’s actions. Sending his sister an apologetic look, he smiled when she waved him off and stood, crossing the corridor, enveloping him in her arms. Squeezing him lightly, she let him go and focused her gaze back onto the twins.

“That it’s rude to grab things,” Miri pouted, scuffing her toe against the floor and squirming uncomfortably under her dad’s pointed stare, staring at the box longingly, itching to know what was in it but not wanting to aggravate her father further.

“And?” he prompted, crossing his arms over his chest, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning at his daughter’s petulant moue and spoil the lesson.

“And I shouldn’t expect to get something every time Aunt Tess comes over,” she parroted as if repeating something she had heard numerous times, which she had. Bouncing from foot to foot in anticipation, she watched her dad imploringly as Zan squealed at his discovery.

“Michael…” Tess softly said, trailing off when he sent her a quelling glance before turning back to Miri. Shaking her head, she quieted down and let him continue. She knows that it’s important that the children learn proper behavior, but she didn’t really mind, as she loved spoiling her Godchildren.

“What do you say?” he prompted again, looking over at Tess pointedly, winking at her subtly as she rolled her eyes and crossed her own arms over her chest. Tess was always a softy when it came to his kids and would let them run rough shed all over her if he didn’t establish rules from the beginning.

“Sorry, Aunt Tess,” she murmured, flashing her aunt an apologetic look, realizing that she had seemed ungrateful. Walking over to the blond woman, she wrapped her arms around her as she knelt down. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, angel,” Tess replied, smiling when Michael snorted in disbelief at her words. Looking over her shoulder, she shot her brother a quelling look and a wry grin. Turning back to her niece, she pulled her into her lap and petted her hair. “Well, go on and open it.”

Miri grinned and continued ripping into her present while Zan crawled over and sat next to Tess, laying his head in her lap and held out his small hand, revealing a small knife inlaid with periwinkle crystal stones that seemed to burn with an underlying cyan fire and several symbols on the handle.

“What are these, Aunt Tess? What do they mean?” He asked fingering the end of his knife, as Miri squealed and pulled out a necklace of a delicately woven white gold-like metal with the same stones, interlaced with charms that had similar symbols

“It’s from our old planet,” she replied, stroking the handle delicately, a sad smile crossing her face as she stared at the artifacts. “Larek sent them to us. They belonged to your mom and dad when we lived there and your dad and I thought it was only right that they come to you. The jewels are a rare precious stone from Antar called Bixti and the symbols are your parents royal seals.”

Both twins looked up at their aunt with wide-eyed wonder, their small mouths rounded with amazement as they held their gifts reverently. Even at the age of six, they knew that these were an important part of their history and laid them back in their boxes carefully as Michael knelt down in front of them.

“They’re not toys and you need to take care of them,” he said softly, watching them seriously, feeling a faint twinge of memory as he touched the handle of the knife reverently. Artifacts from their former world were a rare gift. “I’ll hold them until you’re older and have a safe place to store them.”

“Okay, daddy,” they said in unison as they handed their precious gifts over to him, staring glumly as he took them to place in his safe later.

“That’s not the only surprise,” Tess smiled, knowing that they were going to feel let down by not being able to keep their gifts this time. Reaching into her bag again, she pulled out bag of candy and the new game they had wanted, laughing as the jumped up happily and ran into the living room to play, calling after them. “The candy is for after dinner!”

“You’re too soft on them,” Michael chided gently, shaking his head at her, before picking up the knife and necklace and gesturing for her to follow him into his room so he could put them in his safe. “You’re going to spoil them.”

“ I can’t help it,” she replied softly, her brow pinched as she glanced back at the two, her heart going out to them for never knowing their mother. Although she and Michael were orphans, they had been lucky enough to be adopted by the Guerins and had the benefit of both a mother and father’s influence. She couldn’t love them more if they had been their real parents. “With Isabel gone….”

Tess trailed off as she watched her brother stiffen at the mention of his wife’s name and bit her lip unhappily, wishing that talking about her didn’t hurt him so much after all these years. Michael had remained stoic and closed off for months after her death, his only comfort being that of his children. He had insisted that he didn’t have time to break down with two infants to care for, pushing his own grief aside until it was buried so deep that she wondered if he’d ever let it go.

“Michael…” she prodded gently, sighing when he appeared to ignore her and opened the safe, placing the artifacts inside and closed it quietly before turning around, his face inscrutable, only the smallest hint of pain reflected in his dark bourbon eyes. She started to walk over, but stopped when he walked to his closet in an obvious ploy to hold off what he’d see as pity.

“So how did the summit go?” he asked huskily, clearing his throat subtly as he grabbed a slate blue, long-sleeve button down and threw it on over his white t-shirt, buttoning it up slowly to keep his mind occupied. Leaving it untucked, he ran his fingers through his hair quickly before turning back to Tess, watching the uncertainty play across her face and wondered what it meant.

“It went…well,” she said hesitantly, fidgeting under his sharpening gaze as he took in her discomfit and knew that there was something she wasn’t telling him. No one could read her like her brother, but she wasn’t really in the mood to discuss the summit and the new developments. “The refugees seem to be settling on the remaining planets as best as they can.”

“That doesn’t sound very reassuring,” he quipped dryly, cocking his brow at her as he leaned against the wall, waiting for her to continue. While they maintained their lives on Earth, they still met with Larek and the other world leaders once a year to hear how things were progressing now that Khivar had been defeated and imprisoned. “What happened? What are you not telling me?”

“Later,” she sighed, her back tensing as she knew that he wasn’t going to be happy with her report and that it would send his already overprotective nature on high alert. Turning she walked out the door and headed back into the living room. “I’d rather tell both you and Max at the same time so I don’t have to give two reports.”

“Max is on his way over now,” Michael said as he followed her, growing concerned at her hedging and his gut twisted with unease as she continued to avoid his gaze studiously. Whatever it was, he knew without a doubt it was going to make him unhappy. “We don’t have to go out tonight.”

“No, you guys go out and have a good time,” she replied, glancing over at the front door as it opened and closed, emitting a smiling Max, his eyes lighting up when they landed on her. “It can wait until tomorrow.”

She couldn’t help but smile softly, her heart jumping slightly when he wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. They had dated on and off over the years and while they were currently in an off stage, she knew he was trying to get her back. If only she could be sure it was because he really loved her and not the fact that she had once been his queen.

“What can wait until tomorrow?” Max asked, his eyes still caressing her face softly, happy that she hadn’t pulled away from his attentions. She’d been avoiding this kind of contact since their last break up, but maybe, just maybe, she finally realized he loved her not their supposed destiny.

“The summit report,” she replied, getting lost in those deep amber eyes for a moment before shaking her head and looking away, smirking as she caught Michael rolling his eyes at them. “Michael asked about it, but I’d rather tell you both about it at the same time. Dinner, my place tomorrow?”

“Sounds good, babe,” Max replied, cocking a brow as he picked up some tension between the siblings and couldn’t help but wonder why. He made a mental to ask Michael once they were out. “What time?”

“Let’s make it about seven,” she replied, turning back to Max, her breath hitching as she saw that he was still watching her intently, his eyes smoldering quietly. Damn him for making her feel this way. Why couldn’t life ever be simple for them? Her eyes skittered away nervously, landing back on Michael. “This way we can have dinner and then put the twins to bed in the spare room before we talk. I’ll keep them overnight.”

“Works for me.” Max replied, smiling a little smugly that he had managed to rattle her just the slightest with his attention. He couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Maybe after Michael left, he might be able to spend a little alone time with her and give her something more to think about. “Michael?”

“Fine,” he muttered impatiently, fixing his sister with a pointed look as he went to the hall closet and grabbed his jacket. “But we talk tomorrow and you tell us everything. No hedging.”

“Fine,” she replied, rolling her eyes slightly at his posturing. “Now get out of here before I get testosterone poisoning and leave me to my babies.”

“We’ll see you later tonight,” Max whispered, leaning down and placing a soft kiss against her lips, smiling as he felt her breath stutter slightly. Pulling back, he captured her eyes for a moment before dipping down and firmly pressed his lips to hers once more.

“Come on Max,” Michael groaned impatiently as he walked out the door. “Stop mooning over my sister and lets get this show on the road.”

Max rolled his eyes and then smiled down at Tess before he disentangled himself and strode to the door, winking at the petite blond as he walked out. “Keep your pants on, Guerin, I’m coming.”

[Ashita]

Whimsy - I'm glad you like the role reversal with destiny. It's kind of funny to see Max chase Tess for a change and at his wits end as he tries to figure out how to get her to believe him. Michael is going to have loads of fun teasing his twin. And I'm glad you like the family dynamic with Tess, Michael and the twins as well as the kids personalities. We get to see a little more back story in this chapter as well as yes, a brief Michael/Liz meeting as well as more Max/Tess. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter as well.

Jan - *grins* Am I evil or what? Not to worry, Max will prove his point and in this chapter he lays his cards on the line with the stubborn blond alien. Glad you liked the relationship with Tess and the twins. Kyle was insensitive and thoughtless and I agree, if it were me, I'd punch him. Don't worry, Liz will get her moment. A woman can only have so much patience.

AN: A big thanks to Whimsy for my banner!
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Revelations

“Jeez, it’s like being back in high school all over again,” Maria groaned, shaking her head, her chartreuse eyes dancing with amusement as she leaned against her pool cue and stared at something across the smoky bar. Chuckling under her breath, she watched a tall man pretend not to watch her brunette friend, draped over the pool table, although it was painfully obvious his gaze was firmly planted on her ass. “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

“What?” Liz asked absently, still concentrating on her shot, carefully lining it up before tapping the cue ball lightly, standing up and smiling broadly when her ball sank into the corner pocket without scratching. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about tall, dark and mysterious over there, doing a great impression of our high school days by pretending not to stare at you,” she smirked, discreetly nodding towards the end of the bar where two of their former classmates were drinking a beer and watching the hockey game.

“Who?” the brunette asked, her brow pinching in confusion as she looked over her shoulder across the bar, soft waves swinging over her shoulder as she turned. Glancing around, she slipped her free hand in the back pocket of her indigo jeans and didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Tugging on the strap of her black, slinky tank, she shrugged her shoulders dismissively and turned back to her friend, cocking a brow.

“She’s talking about our resident bad ass,” Alex snorted as Maria rolled her eyes at their friend’s obliviousness. Walking over to the girls, he wrapped an arm around Liz, pulling her into a half hug and kissed her on the cheek, whispering sotto voce near her ear. “You know the one you used to drool over in English?”

Liz flushed, glaring at her friend, smacking him lightly on the chest and smirked when she caught Serena cocking a brow at their display of affection, knowing that she tended to be a little territorial. It was just too tempting to tease her sometimes. Leaning against him companionably, she linked their hands and looked over his shoulder, focusing on Michael Guerin and his brother-in-law.

“He is not,” she replied, turning back with a roll of her eyes, squeezing Alex subtly before releasing him and moving around the table to line up her next shot. Her cheeks flushed with pleasure however, her tongue flitting over her lips nervously as her eyes skittered back to the bar. It was a nice thought that someone might find her attractive after everything that happened. Kyle’s actions had bruised her ego tremendously.

“Well of course you wouldn’t see it,” Maria snorted, laughing at her friend’s obvious discomfort. It’s about time the woman woke up and realized there was life beyond Kyle. She loved her brother, but Liz’s single-minded fixation had left her blind to other possibilities. “He has a sixth sense when it comes to you and looks away before you can catch him. Not to mention you’ve been blindly focused on my idiot brother forever.”

“Shut up,” she muttered, hating that her friend was right and made a pretense of studying the table, all the while studying the topic of fascination through her lashes. Shaking her head, she leaned over and decided her friends were nuts. Studying the table for real this time, she called her shot. “Eight ball, side pocket.”

“Oh, now you’re just showing off,” Billy complained, placing his hands on his hips and snorting. There was no way even she could make that shot. Wrapping an arm around Maria, he brushed his lips against her temple and studying the table with a shake of his head, smirked at the pretty brunette. “No way. It’s impossible.”

“Oh really, want to place a wager on that?” Liz smirked back, standing back up as she cocked her brow in challenge and settled a hand on one hip.

“If you make that shot, I will get down on my knees and bow down to you here and now,” he chuckled, confident there was no way the petite brunette could make such a complicated shot. Alex snorted, covering his amused, knowing laugh with a feigned cough and ducked his head. Shifting nervously, Billy watched him with growing trepidation. “What?”

“Done,” Liz smiled smugly, leaning back over the table, studying the it thoughtfully, and quickly calculated the angles necessary to achieve her shot. Concentrating on her task, she steadied her hands, unaware of her tank gaping enough to give a tantalizing tease of swelled skin.

“You’re doomed, man,” Alex chortled, shaking his head at Maria’s fiancé as he went to stand behind Serena, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning his chin on the top of her head, stroking her auburn tresses absently. Billy hadn’t been in the group long enough to know that if there was any game Liz was deadly serious about it was pool. She managed to best just about everyone she came up against. “You better get those knee pads out. You’re going to need them.”

“You can’t be serious,” the other man snorted, still not believing that she could do it. He looked down at his woman for conformation to his thoughts and swallowed hard at the amusement dancing in her bright green eyes. “Is he?”

“Deadly,” she snickered, stroking his arm sympathetically when he groaned, muttering under his breath of how he really needed to keep his mouth shut. She grinned at him mischievously and sent her friends into peals of laughter with her next comment. “Don’t worry babe, you should be used to those knee pads by now considering how often you’ve needed them.”

“Quiet woman,” he muttered, settling back silently to watch Liz, as she got ready to make her shot, worry finally crossing his face as he saw the fierce determination etched in hers. He was doomed, no doubt about it.

Liz let the cue fly neatly sinking the eight ball in her desired pocket, snapping up and smiling at her gaping friend smugly. Rubbing her nails against her chest in mock arrogance, she glanced over at the bar, meeting approving caramel eyes as he toasted her shot with a subtle lift of his bottle and looked away, blushing.

“So you were saying,” she snickered, turning back to her grumbling friend, tapping her foot impatiently. “I do believe you owe me something.”

“Liz, “ he pleaded, running a hand through his short, brown spikes and huffed with exasperation when she gestured for him to get on with it. God, this was so humiliating. He really needed to learn how to think before he spoke. Dropping to his knees reluctantly, he bowed down at her feet, as Liz raised her arms eliciting cheers from the crowd and he cringed as riotous laughter reached his burning ears. “I hate you.”

“Suck it up, big boy,” she laughed, holding out her hand to help him to his feet, eyes dancing with amusement as she noted the deep red hue of his skin. “That will learn you and I’m sure Maria will make it up to you later.”

“This round’s on me!” Maria chortled, watching her day-glow boyfriend slump dejectedly on a stool, propping his back against the wall sullenly. Walking over to him, she whispered in his ear softly, grinning when he perked up, a wicked smile sliding over his face and turned back to her friends, calling as she walked away. “Same thing all around? Oh, wait! I forgot, no more for you Serena!”

“Bite me,” the redhead retorted, rolling her cornflower blue eyes in exasperation before glaring at the giggling blonde’s retreating back as her cheeks flushed. “You make one tiny mistake and you never live it down. Ok, it was a bit more than a little mistake, but still, get over it.”

“Mistake?” Liz asked, perking up at the pink staining her friend’s creamy complexion, rubbing her hands in anticipation. “Story time!”

“Oh God, not you too,” she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest petulantly, squirming under Liz’s curious gaze. “Oh well, might as well get it over with because God knows you won’t rest until you have all the details. I’m surprised Alex hasn’t already regaled you with my little, drunken slip up.”

“I think you flashing the entire bar is a bit more than a little, drunken slip up, honey” Alex replied dryly, his eyes flashing with laughter.

“I didn’t flash the entire bar,” she cried, eyes flashing with indignation, cringing when her friends burst out in laughter and tried to recover some of her dignity. Tipping her head haughtily, she fixed her love with a rueful smile and shook her head in embarrassment. “I flashed you! It’s not my fault I forgot we were in public. Someone shouldn’t have been teasing me.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining that night,” the tall man smirked, leering at his girlfriend as he wiggled his eyebrows, snagging her around the waist and placing a loud kiss on her upturned mouth. “In fact, it sounded more like ‘Oh Alex….more….’”

“Oh God, TMI!” Liz gagged, wincing as she clapped her hands over her ears and shuddered dramatically, eliciting more laughs from her circle. Backing away from her table of friends, she shot her pseudo brother a look of disgust as she headed towards the bathroom. “I’m leaving before this gets too gross. I’ll be right back.”

~

Staring at her image in the mirror, Liz washed her hands and dried them before she reached up to fluff the waves tumbling down her back. Despite honestly having a good time with her friends, it was difficult to keep a happy face and she hoped the evening would end soon. She was exhausted.

Sighing she rummaged through her purse, looking for her sheer mocha lip gloss, applying a light coating onto her lips and gave herself a much needed pep talk. Only another hour and she could bow out gracefully, heading home to warm flannel pajamas and the sweet oblivion sleep allowed, with a minimum of fuss from her friends. They really meant well, but sometimes she just needed to deal with things in her own time.

Throwing her gloss into her purse, she closed it and slung it over her shoulder, taking a deep breath and squared her shoulders, pasting a determined smile on her face. “You can do this,” she told her reflection softly, nodding her head in confirmation as she strode towards the door and slipped out.

Gathering her bearings as she re-entered the lounge area, she move to join her friends when she was stopped by a blue-eyed, blonde dressed in the tawdry, snug black t-shirt and tiny shorts that made up the barmaids uniform. Focusing on her smirking school day nemesis, she cocked a brow as she passed a cool glance over one Pam Troy.

“Liz,” the blonde smirked, her cool blue eyes taking in the brunette’s less than typical attire. Maria must have chosen the outfit because there was no way Perfect Parker would show that much skin if it was left to her. Raising her brows mockingly, Pam lifted her condescending gaze to meet fiery brown eyes. Maybe she was wrong. “Surprised to see you here.”

“Pam,” Liz greeted coolly, cocking her own brow mockingly, no longer threatened by her former childhood bully. Boston had been good for her on many levels, including helping her acquire a steel backbone. Smiling sweetly, she let her eyes linger on her nemesis’ costume and the tray in her hand. “Funny, wish I could say the same of you.”

“Aren’t you cute,” Pam retorted acidly, blood boiling at the veiled implication that Liz had always assumed that she’d never amount to much more than a barmaid. Narrowing her eyes, she sneered at the shorter girl, leaning in closer so that her boss wouldn’t overhear her comments. “Heard about you and Kyle. I always knew that Perfect Parker couldn’t keep him satisfied.”

“Well, you would know something about that, wouldn’t you?” Liz smirked, her own blood heating up, carefully blocking the flash of pain that the other woman’s barb brought. Cocking her head, she smiled at the blonde derisively, her heart pounding as anger coursed through her veins and continued silkily. “After all, it was what; husband number four that just dumped…I mean separated from you?”

“Bitch!” Pam seethed, clenching her hands to keep from smacking the smug brunette since she was working and couldn’t afford to lose this job. Pivoting abruptly, she cast a furious glance over her shoulder, flouncing off to help the customers that had just entered.

“Takes one to know one,” Liz called after the other woman, keeping her smirk in place until Pam was out of sight and earshot. Slumping her shoulders, she gave an exhausted sigh, pressing her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose, fighting the throbbing building behind her eyes. Maybe she’d leave now and damn the concerned looks from her all too helpful friends.

Looking around the bar, she was wondering if she could make it to the door without them seeing her when she felt a hand pressing lightly against the small of her back, and shivered slightly as a warm, damp breath brushed over her ear as someone leaned over to whisper in it.

“Nicely done, Parker,” Michael smirked, meeting confused chocolate eyes with his own amused dark brandy gaze, smiling at her with awed approval. The Liz Parker he knew from high school would have cowered at Pam’s vicious words, but this woman stood up to her undaunted and he couldn’t help the rush of appreciation for her new strength.

“Thanks,” she whispered breathlessly, surprised that the standoffish man said anything to her at all and quelled the little tremor of desire that his hand elicited. Moving from the doorway to let him pass, her breath hitched slightly when his body brushed against hers and flushed when he cast a knowing glance her way.

“No problem,” he grinned, walking away from the tiny brunette, feeling slightly smug that he managed to finally register on radar. It did his ego good considering how often he’d tried and failed to get a reaction from her. Glancing back over his shoulder, he gave her a quick once over and smirked once again. “Kyle’s a fool.”

Liz smiled, her eyes lighting up with pleasure at his words before she ducked her head, watching him retreat through her lashes. In a decidedly much better mood, she walked back to join her friends at their table, eyes still trained on the tall blond man as he and his friend exited the bar.

“So what was that all about?” Maria asked curiously, having arrived back from the bar in time to witness the brief exchange. Handing a beer to her friend, Maria watched as quiet contemplation crossed Liz’s face and smiled.

“I don’t know,” Liz admitted, wondering herself what exactly had just happened. Shrugging her shoulders, she looked back at her friends and smiled, shelving the mystery for later. Whatever had happened, it gave her the boost she needed and she just wanted to enjoy the rest of the night with her friends.

~*~

Standing in front of his sister’s fireplace the next night, Michael was still mulling his brief exchange with Liz in his head and he couldn’t help a smile as he recalled her spirited exchange with Bimbo Barbie. Seemed that if nothing else, Boston was good to her in respect to her backbone.

Parker was one of the few humans that intrigued him as he grew up. She acted like the quintessential good girl, getting perfect grades, making valedictorian effortlessly with early acceptance into one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Yet he always sensed there was more behind those all too good to be true qualities, as evidenced by her wicked streak of humor when she conned conventioneers with her “secret” alien photo.

While he loved Isabel and he would never have done anything to hurt her, he couldn’t deny that he’d been infatuated and fascinated by the Parker girl. If his life had been different and he had been free to love where he willed, he would have definitely delved deeper beyond her carefully crafted good-girl persona and tore away all her pretenses .

But he hadn’t been so lucky. He had a destiny and a secret he had to hide from the world to ensure the survival of his family. He couldn’t drag her into the web of lies and danger that permeated his life back then. And he had found happiness in Isabel, brief as it had been and he didn’t regret their marriage as it led to Miri and Zan, the lights of his life.

Shaking off the past, he looked at the various family photos that graced the mantle, a half-smile on his face at the memories each one conjured, from family vacations with the Guerins to the four of them at different stages in their life. All four of them had been lucky when it came to the families that adopted them. He had heard the horror stories most kids suffered in the system.

Every day he was thankful that the Evans stumbled onto the four of them that cold night, leading them to adopt Isabel and Max and also recommending the people that would become his adoptive parents, despite the fact that couldn’t communicate. Most people would have seen the four of them as a burden, but the four adults in his life had been nothing but supportive, especially after learning of their otherworldly origins.

He snickered as he recalled the night they revealed their secret. Their poor parents had been certain the four of them were hopped up on drugs when they told them they were the aliens that had arrived in the 1947 crash and had been incubated in pods until they were found on the side of the road in 1989. It took several hours of talking, showing them the artifacts they’d found, displaying their ‘talents’ and finally a teleconference with Larek before they believed them.

To say they were surprised was an understatement, but they quickly got over the shock and embraced their heritage, actively working with them to end both the alien and human threat to their children. They had even gone to Antar with them to end Khivar’s rein of tyranny, fighting right by their sides. It was everything Isabel had dreamed of all her life – total acceptance and love. He had to admit, she was right when she told them over and over that their parents would accept them unconditionally.

Staring at his wedding picture, Michael’s heart lurched, aching as he took in Isabel’s brilliant smile and his own content, if somewhat solemn, expression. They sat side by side on a bench in the royal gardens, fragrant flowering vines wrapping around columns on either side. Garbed in traditional, ivory and red Antarian ceremony robes, his arms looped around her waist as she snuggled back into his chest.

Swallowing thickly, he picked up the photo, staring at the two of them, the world seemingly at their feet, not realizing that a short year later he’d be wearing the robe once more, this time standing over an open grave trying to figure out how he was going to raise the twins alone. Breath hitching, his eyes misted as he lightly stroked her face, cursing the fates for taking her far too early.

He missed her dreadfully – her laughter, her ice queen tendencies when she was scared, the pranks they played on Max and Tess, her zest for life. Hell, he even missed her Christmas Nazi act. They may not have been soulmates, but she was the closest thing to love he ever found. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he wiped the moisture from his eyes and made a note to tell Tess she desperately needed to dust.

“She was beautiful,” a soft voice murmured at his side, making him jump and he quickly placed the photo back on the mantle, shoving his hands in his pockets and averted his eyes until he had his mask firmly in place. Looking over at Tess, he nodded silently, waiting for the inevitable. “You made her so happy.”

“Did I?” he asked quietly, walking over to the bay window and staring out at the night as they waited for Max to come back down from reading to the twins. His shoulders tensed slightly as she placed a hand on one, squeezing it gently and he relaxed his stance, allowing himself this small measure of comfort.

“You know you did,” Tess replied, cautiously wrapping an arm around his waist, waiting to see if he’d pull away and smiled in relief when he accepted her actions. Michael was always so hard to read, readily accepting affection some days and acting distant the next.

“Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder if I loved her enough,” he whispered huskily, gaze trained sightlessly in the yard, feeling slightly guilty that he couldn’t love her as she deserved. He shook his morose thoughts off when he heard heavy footfalls rapidly approaching the living room and smiled at the small blond at his side, squeezing her in a half hug before returning to his typical stoic stance. Turning to his approaching brother, he cocked his brow inquisitively. “The kids asleep?”

“Yeah, they’re down for the count,” Max replied, flopping onto the loveseat, sensing the somber mood between the siblings but not wanting to call attention to it, knowing that Michael would feel uncomfortable and likely get defensive. “So shall we get to it? What’s new in the federation?”

Michael exchanged a rueful glance with Tess, rolling his eyes at his king’s impatience – Max had badgered them both for the summit report most of the night. Shaking his head, he joined his brother and sat in the empty armchair, forcing Tess to sit next to Max.

Smirking at her annoyed glance, he leaned over, clasping his hands as his sister shifted from foot to foot trying to decide if she was going to join Max or not, a fruitless action if you asked him. He knew she’d cave and it was time she stopped fighting the inevitable in his opinion. He knew Tess was desperately in love with the other man, but held off on some silly notion.

Grumbling under her breath, she sat next to Max stiffly, secretly plotting to get even with her brother and took a deep breath as she pulled her thoughts together. She was stalling and they all knew it, but she didn’t really know how to break the news. Sighing, she figured that she’d start small and work up to the bigger announcement.

“Well, as we figured, the remaining Antarians are settling well on Lada, Jonliis, Gryll and Savo for the most part,” she reported. “There have been a few small uprisings from Khivar’s remaining supporters, but they were dealt with expediently and most citizens are happy with the new arrangements. The federation is working double-time to reunite families and see them peacefully settled on the planets similar to their natural habitat.”

“In other news, they finally tracked down Khivar’s second in command, Jaris, on Savo and he was stripped of his powers and slated for imprisonment on Antar,” she trailed off, shifting under her brother’s suspicious gaze as he picked up her unease through their twin sense. She looked down and fiddled with an object in her hand. Jaris’s capture should have been good news as they’d searched for him for two years, but something always went awry.

“But?” Michael prompted, sensing there was more to the situation than Tess was imparting and the apprehension he felt yesterday grew exponentially when he saw her brow pinch with worry. “What happened?”

“He escaped during transport,” she admitted, sighing as she ran a hand through blonde waves and met both men’s gaze, a trace of fear emerging in her cerulean orbs. “He somehow managed to over come the prison colony guards and took off with the ship.”

“Well, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Michael replied, resting his chin on his clasped hands thoughtfully, unease trickling over his spine and instinctively knew that there was more to come. “All transports are rigged with a tracking device. As long as we know the number of the transport, we can track it anywhere in the federation.”

“Which is what Larek did immediately,” Tess agreed, nodding her head, bracing herself for the storm bound to erupt when she made her next announcement. “They located it.”

“And?” Max demanded, a bad feeling clenching his gut as he watched his girlfriend continue to hedge, a shiver running down his spine as he locked eyes with her and, mouth gaped as his worst fears were confirmed with a simple look. “No, please tell me it’s not that.”

“Yes,” she confirmed helplessly, shrugging her shoulders at her former husband. They had always been able to communicate without words, in an almost telepathy left over from their former carnation. “They found it abandoned on Antar.”

“What?” Michael grated, shooting out of his chair in agitation. Pacing the length of the room, he dragged his hands through his hair and growled in frustration, tensing at the news of Jaris’s security breach of Antar, now a prison colony housing Khivar and other dangerous war criminals. “It can’t be! It was supposed to be impenetrable. Only a few people knew of the proper codes and entrance procedures.”

“Obviously they were wrong,” Tess retorted, shooting her brother a quelling glance. She hadn’t even gotten to the worst of her news and he was already agitated. Taking a deep breath, she figured she might as well get this over with because it wasn’t going to get any easier with her hedging. “There’s more. Khivar escaped and left this behind in his cell.”

Tess set the object that she’d been holding on the coffee table, the small jewel glittering in the low light. Max stiffened as he recognized the daiyu, a black obsidian-like stone laced with blood red streaks, as the threat intended and cursed under his breath. It had become Khivar’s trademark, a symbol marking a house for pending execution. Leaving it in his cell, he had made it known he intended to go after those who had imprisoned him.

Michael stopped in mid-stride, body jerking as he stared at the stone and turned to look at his sister and Max, meeting their equally horrified gazes, clenching his fists as anger crackled through every vein. Closing his eyes, his shoulders slumped in defeat and regretted showing their enemy mercy and imprisoning him instead of killing him immediately. Larek had sworn there was no way to escape Antar.

“Larek said they’ve mounted a full scale search, but it’s a lot of space to cover and they have no idea how or in what they left the planet,” Tess continued, leaning into Max’s embrace when he looped an arm around her waist. “The good news is, if he’s making his way here, it will take him months since he can’t get anywhere near the wormholes and has to use a ship. We have a chance to prepare.”

Cursing under his breath, Michael walked towards the window and stared out sightlessly. His sister’s last statement failed to reassure him. He’d prefer Khivar’s capture and death before he had the chance to threaten his family. He’d been dreading this day since their confrontation seven years ago, when the man vowed to get even with him and his family for his downfall.

“You know what this means, right,” Max stated rhetorically, staring at his brother’s rigid back, knowing Michael had already grasped the immediate problem. Yes, Khivar was a danger to their families, but his and Jaris’s escape mounted a much more serious problem. One they hadn’t seen coming.

“We still have a traitor in our top ranks,” Michael muttered darkly, crossing his arms over his chest as he ran over all the details in his head. “One I haven’t yet ferreted out.”

~

Tess and Max sat on the couch quietly, both lost in thought long after Michael had retired for the evening having decided that he’d stay there for the night, needing to be near his children. Tess had figured that he would once he heard her news. Sighing wearily, Tess leaned over, resting her head in her hands, startling Max out of his troubled thoughts.

Leaning back against the arm of the loveseat, Max studied the small blond woman thoughtfully, his heart swelling with emotion as he watched her tired, pinched face, noticing the pale circles under her eyes. No wonder she hadn’t been sleeping so well the past couple of days with news like this.

“Come here,” he commanded softly, his tone brooking no further arguments from her, holding out his arms and pulling her against his chest as she sunk into his embrace wearily, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. Inhaling her soft scent of jasmine and rain, he rested his head on top of silky gold tresses and tension melted from his shoulders as he tightened his arms around her, reveling in her proximity.

She had always represented home to him, and not just that of Antar, but in the general sense of the word. She may have been his queen and wife on Antar, but here on Earth she was his life and salvation. She steadied and grounded him in ways he could never explain; complimented him on so many levels. He just wished she could see that it was Tess he loved, not Ava.

Zan and Ava no longer existed; they had died almost 60 years ago. And while he vaguely recalled parts of Zan’s life and his love for his queen, he had long accepted that he wasn’t Zan. Max Evans had lived a very different life from his predecessor and it was Max that had fallen completely, irrevocably in love with Teresa Guerin, not Elliava Thorlacius.

Tess snuggled back into his arms, accepting his warmth, breath hitching as his scent, a mix of sandalwood and earth tones, teased her senses and left her lightheaded. She didn’t know how much longer she could resist him and honestly, she can’t really remember why she started.

It seemed so simple and clear-cut the last time they broke up – she didn’t want to be loved because she was the reincarnation of his lost wife. She knew he remembered the past; knew that he remembered his great love for Ava through the flashes that passed between them. She could feel his deep yearning for that love again due to her empathy.

But she wasn’t Ava.

She couldn’t be the great and beloved queen who single-handedly ruled the planet while her king helped on the warfront, traveling to and negotiating with the remaining planets in their federation, working towards a peaceful resolution. In this lifetime, she hadn’t been born into a high-ranking noble family; wasn’t a minor princess raised specifically to lead the federation at Zan’s side.

She was just Tess Guerin, a semi-screwed up alien hybrid who didn’t know her place in the world, but knew it had to be more than just being Zan’s former queen. She was so confused. She wanted Max without a doubt; loved him heart and soul. She just wasn’t ready to accept that he might feel the same. How could he when he remembered Ava?

Max shifted behind her, drawing her out of her thoughts and laced his fingers in hers, squeezing them gently. Her breath caught when one finger traced her left ring finger softly as if marking her with an invisible wedding band and her throat convulsed with bittersweet emotion. Was she wrong to deny them even a small measure of happiness no matter its origin?

“Tess,” Max murmured, finally working up the nerve to speak, needing some kind of reassurance or indication that his feelings weren’t for naught. He hated to end the sweet, quiet moment between them, but he couldn’t keep holding on to her if she wasn’t going to give him something to work with. “What is this? What are we doing?”

Swallowing thickly, Tess stared at her hands as she gathered her thoughts. She knew he would eventually ask her these questions and he had every right to demand answers from her; she just didn’t have any at this moment.

“We’re friends,” she whispered, shrugging her shoulders slightly, her mind whirling in confusion as it always did when he was this close to her. It was always so difficult to think when he was near.

“Just friends?” he pressed, stiffening slightly at the soft pang in his heart but he kept her loosely wrapped in his arms, wanting to make his stance clear but not make her feel trapped. He wanted so much more than friendship from this woman.

“Well, obviously we’re more than just friends,” she replied, looking over her shoulder, eyes growing smoky and dilated when she realized his lips were mere centimeters from hers. Her heart thrummed and breath stuttered when his eyes met hers, her own desire reflected back in them.

“So, friends with benefits?” he teased, his amber eyes sparkling with humor as he tried to lighten the mood between them, knowing the conversation was making her twitchy and he didn’t want to undo all his carefully laid ground. If she needed time, he was a patient man and was willing to wait her out. “Because you know….”

“Shut up,” she chuckled under her breath, her eyes brightening with humor as she leaned in and gave him a light peck on the lips before moving out of his embrace and getting off the couch, holding out her hand to help him up. “I should head to bed,” she said, looking at him pointedly when he grinned. “Alone.”

“You take all the fun out of everything,” he grumbled playfully, as he got to his feet, letting her walk him to the door and paused on the threshold when she opened it, staring down in to her eyes contemplatively. Making a snap decision, he grabbed her around the waist and yanked her against him, pressing his lips to hers firmly, engaging her in a searing kiss.

A surprised gasp bubbled over her lips and he used it to his advantage, sinking deeper into her mouth, gliding his tongue over her bottom lip before delving into the hot, wet cavern deeply, cinnamon, dark chocolate and Tabasco bursting over their palates as his tongue slid against hers demandingly. Pulling back, he rested his forehead against hers, breathing ragged and smoldering amber challenged a hazy cerulean gaze fiercely.

“I won’t give up on us, Tess,” he rasped, stroking his fingers over her cheek, keeping her firmly pressed against his body. He had every intention of leaving with a chaste kiss, but damn good intentions – he wanted to leave her something to think about when she was lying alone in her bed.

“You think it’s Ava I want, but you couldn’t be more wrong,” he said as he pulled away, steadying her when she swayed slightly and continued his impassioned plea. “There is only one woman I have ever seen, one woman that has moved me, only one that I have ever wanted and that’s you. You can doubt it, you can fight it, you can take all the time you want to be sure, but it will change nothing. I love you, not Ava. And one day I will prove it to you.”

Tess stared after him, brow furrowing in confusion as he sauntered down her walk and licked her lips, savoring the last taste of him, wondering how the hell she was supposed to resist him if he kept giving her every reason to love him.

[Ashita]

Jan - Yes Khivar's escape is certainly going to cause some complications later in the story and drag Liz right into the thick of things. And you're right, as of right now none of the humans know anything about the aliens and don't even suspect anything as of yet. That will change in the near future. Well at least suspecting something is odd about them anyway. The actual reveal is a few chapters off.

Whimsy - Glad you loved the interactions with the friends. We'll see more of them through out the story, but the friendships I'll likely focus on are Maria, Liz and Alex since they were always a central to the storyline. But there will be a girls day and guys day once the secret is known. Also glad you like the scenes with Liz and Michael. I too want to get to the good stuff, but it does need a slow build up given their natures at this time. While there is an undeniable attraction, Liz just got out of a long relationship and Michael would be naturally wary given his alien status.Good that the bathroom scene rang true. I don't want to have them jump together and not give due consideration to their former relationships. Don't worry we get more interaction in this chapter and soon will get a little more backstory.

AN: Sorry for the long time in between updates, but school has this nasty habit of interfering with my play time, so it's going to be like this for a couple more months I'm afraid. Not to mention I have other stories working in the background that have yet to be posted. So keep a look out for those once I get a couple more chapters written.

Thanks as always to my fabulous beta, Whimsy!
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When Worlds Collide

“I have to say, your credentials are impeccable Miss Parker,” Janet Fairland smiled at the young girl in front of her, remembering her quiet intensity even as a child. She had always had a feeling this girl would go far and really expected her to be in a research lab in one of the bigger cities instead of sitting in front of her, interested in a teaching position. “In fact, I’d go as far as to say that you’d be way over qualified for our school.”

Liz looked at her former principal, smiling noncommittally, realizing that the woman had doubts about her seriousness in wanting to teach school and didn’t blame her. Anyone who had known her as a girl knew her goal was to be a research scientist and it had remained her goal until she found her true calling two years ago.

While she still loved science and could see herself going back to a clinical environment some day, her two years tutoring grade school kids at a Boston learning center had left it’s mark on her. There was nothing more satisfying than sharing the love of her favorite subject with small absorbent minds and watching their eyes light up when the material finally made sense to them.

She’d been good at that, better than she ever dreamed possible. And in that moment she re-evaluated her goals, shifting her focus away from a life of research to academia.

“If I may be blunt,” Janet continued, watching Liz with frank, concerned eyes, her lips pursing thoughtfully as she studied the confident, young woman before her, trying to figure out what was going on behind those cool, collected eyes. She couldn’t deny that she would be an asset to her team, but had a few qualms given her level of education. “Why aren’t you applying to a research lab? Or the very least, seeking employment at one of the local colleges?

It was one thing to have a masters in biology, but also being a graduate of Harvard made Jan leery. She didn’t want to invest the time if the girl was just looking for something to tide her over until something better came along. Her seeking a position seemed so far beneath her qualifications and went against every dream she held as a child just didn’t sit right.

“I don’t mind,” Liz smiled, taking a deep breath and averting her eyes thoughtfully as she prepared her answer. She knew that questions of this nature would come up given her biological research slant in school and had been prepared for concern and even out right disbelief. Liz would have been leery as well. “While my degree is in biological research, I didn’t find my true calling until I became a grade-school level tutor to help ends meet and pay for the expenses my grants, scholarships and loans didn’t cover.”

“I met this young girl, Asheley, while I was there,” she continued, smiling fondly when she thought of the little girl who had made an impact on her life and set her new path. “She was about eight-years-old and dyslexic, so she had a hard time grasping a lot of the material when she was at school and often acted out, pretending that she didn’t care about her grades or school in general. Her mother forced her to come to the tutoring center twice a week and she was assigned to me.”

“It was difficult at first, trying to get her interested in anything and she fought me, often leaving us both frustrated. And then it happened,” she recalled with awe, her eyes misting as she got caught up in her memory and failed to see the austere woman in front of her swallowing thickly as she watched her. “One day, it just clicked and she was able to read through a paragraph without too much struggle and the amazed look on her face when she realized what she had done…well no words can ever describe it.”

“I knew it then,” Liz shrugged her shoulders, focusing her eyes back on her former principal and smiled softly, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “So I decided to finish out my Masters in biology and then started taking classes at Boston University to get my single and multi-subject teaching credentials.”

“That’s quite a story,” Jan smiled, still worried but feeling much better having seen the girls enthusiasm for her chosen profession. It just wasn’t enough for a teacher to have the proper credentials and degrees backing their name.

Teaching meant hours of time, patience, understanding and love, often at the expense of the teacher as they were rarely compensated what they were worth monetarily speaking. Of course, there were other payouts, as it seemed this young girl had discovered and one couldn’t deny the thrill that came when a previously closed mind opened to endless possibilities. It was why she had stayed in the profession for so long.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Liz,” Jan continued, clasping her hands in front of her, dreading turning the young girl away, but she had no other choice. She didn’t have any open positions as she was forced to cut several due to the current economic decline. It was so rare to find this kind of enthusiasm in someone so young, as most kids were studying computers or other more lucrative professions. “I would love to have you on my staff, however, I just don’t have any positions to fill. It’s the middle of the year and the district has been pushing me to tighten the ones I have.”

Liz sighed, feeling slightly deflated despite knowing that this had been a long shot. She was close to completing her application to become a substitute teacher, but still needed to complete an approved substitute teacher workshop, and while she was enrolled, it wouldn’t be held until next month. She would have been willing to take an aide’s position at this point, anything to keep from working at the diner.

Running her hand through her hair, she was resigning herself to putting in a few hours at the Crash to make ends meet when Jan started speaking again and mentioned something that perked her interest. Focusing back on the principal as she reached into her drawer and pulled out some papers, she wondered if she heard her right.

“A private tutor position?” Liz asked, brow furrowing slightly as she wondered how that would help her problems. She needed something pretty close to full time to help pay off her college loans and couldn’t imagine a tutoring gig would garner much income unless it was for a learning center.

“Yes, well actually, it’s more of a home teaching position,” Jan continued as she placed the papers in front of Liz and sat back once more. “It’s for one of our local artists. He’s been home schooling his children himself for the past two years, but recently asked for my help looking for a private tutor. He doesn’t send them to the school yet as it’s a long drive.”

“What exactly is he looking for?” She asked, picking up the papers in front of her but keeping her eyes trained on Jan and chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, face pinched with concern. “Because I need to find something that is close to full-time. School loans and all that.”

“He wasn’t really forthcoming on the hours,” Jan admitted, nodding her head in understanding and feeling bad for the girl in front of her for even having to garner loans in order to get an education. “But it is a salary position and a generous one if I might say. The details are in the paperwork I handed you, but if you were to get the position, you’d be making more than a first year teacher.”

Liz’s brows shot up, surprise crossing her face at that mention and looked down at the papers in her hands. If she got the position it certainly would help her financial matters. And if it were salary, maybe the hours would be negotiable and allow her to work a few hours at MetaChem just to get some lab time once she had a routine established.

“How far out is he?” she asked, still feeling a bit uncertain about the position. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was a good idea. It was one thing to be working for a district, in a union, but private tutoring can be so very tricky and you were subject to your employers whims more times than not. And an artist? The few she had in her acquaintance tended to be very temperamental.

“He’s on the edge of town, near the rock formations,” Jan said hesitantly, watching the girl’s contemplative face intently, certain she was just what Michael needed and best yet, they had been schoolmates, so hopefully that would make it a much easier, comfortable transition.

“Hmmmm,” Liz said, mulling it over and thinking about how far she commuted for the learning center while she was in Boston. Well, she could cross that bridge if she ever got there. No sense in worrying about something when she hadn’t even interviewed for the position yet.

“He’s holding interviews today,” Jan offered, pulling all of Liz’s information together so she could fax it over to Michael as soon as she left. “I can call him and see if he has time to interview you, if you’re interested. Or you can contact him yourself if you prefer.”

“Sure, I have nothing to lose, right?” Liz smiled hesitantly, hoping she was making the right decision. Lost in thought, she waited while Jan placed her call and carried on a friendly conversation with the man on the other side when she realized she hadn’t asked an important question. Looking up, she met her former principal’s eyes curiously as she got off the phone and asked, “Who is this local artist?”

~*~

Michael stared at the papers in front of him in surprise, as he’d been doing ever since they had come over the fax and he still didn’t believe it. How the hell was he supposed to conduct a meeting with his former high school crush and maintain his cool? The same crush he’d definitely had a slight flirtation with a couple of nights before. The Gods must hate him. Or at the very least liked messing with him.

Liz Parker a teacher? Nope, still didn’t compute.

The last thing he had heard, Liz had left Roswell in a lot of fanfare for Harvard on the great expectation that she’d become a renowned research scientist, heading a major lab and discovering cures to unknown diseases. She wasn’t supposed be on her way to interview for his private tutor position. It would mean that as his employee, she was out of reach.

Not that he was planning to pursue her or anything. He didn’t think. Damn, the Gods really were out to get him. The girl who’d always fascinated him right under his nose, all day, five days a week, looking ten times more beautiful than she had in high school. He was screwed and not in the fun way either.

Although, he wouldn’t mind…scratch that though Guerin, she’s going to be your employee if she gets the position…job, if she gets the job.

Wincing as his unfortunate wording painted pictures best not explored into his overly active imagination, he walked over to the window and stared out over his front lawn blindly, his mind whirling. Thank God his sister wasn’t around today because she’d get a kick out of seeing him so ruffled. It wasn’t often that something shook him. He was usually completely in control of his thoughts and emotions.

But it was Liz, and she single-handedly had the power to tip his world on its axis. She always had. Even at the age of sixteen, he would get lost in those huge chocolate eyes, glossy pink lips, had wondered if her hair really was as soft as it looked and…he was rambling. God he hated rambling. He needed to stop thinking.

“So your high school crush is coming over to interview, Guerin,” he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair and snorted disgustedly at his behavior, shaking his head. When the hell had he turned into such a girl? Next thing you know, he’d be doodling hearts and writing her name all over his sketchbook, he thought derisively. “Get a grip. It’s not a fucking date or prom.”

Scratching his brow thoughtfully, he set his mind back on task, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels as he contemplated the two tutors he’d already interviewed, neither of which really meshed for him. They had been nice enough ladies, but when he introduced them to Miri and Zan, they had held back shyly and he took their reactions to heart.

Especially Miri’s reaction, since she tended to be much more sociable and bold than Zan, having inherited his temperament and Isabel’s empathic powers. Zan tended to be much more shy, introspective and controlled, and he had expected him to shy away from a new person entering his world. But Miri puzzled him a bit. It was almost like she was waiting for someone or something specific, which was quite possible since her abilities tended to be more of the mental variety.

Whatever the reason, he wasn’t about to invite in someone who made his children uncomfortable in any way and if none of the tutors worked out, he’d just have to continue teaching them himself and looking. His kids and their safety came first always.

The hum of a motor shook him out of his thoughts and he watched as a little blue Sentra sedan pull up and smiled as the pretty brunette slid out of the drivers seat, turning to stare at his house with appreciation, a small smile crossing her face.

It was a two-story, contemporary with large windows and natural, sealed redwood that boasted of vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors on the lower level and open floor plans. He’d designed and built part of it himself with the help of a little alien magic, taking lesser woods and manipulating them into the desired composition. It was one of the few times he’d used his powers frivolously.

Silently observing her perusal of his home, he tried to ignore the way his heart sped up a bit and moved away from the window, heading for the door as she headed up the walk, startling a bit as her knock echoed through the foyer. Standing before the door, he took a deep breath and reminded himself once again that she was just a girl he knew from many years ago seeking out a job as he swung it open; there was nothing special about that…and if he kept telling himself that he might actually believe it in a millennium or two.

“Liz, it’s great to see you again,” he smiled, holding out his hand in greeting, caramel meshing with an intense, curious and…interested gaze. He couldn’t help the warmth that shot through his body from that look and when her soft cool hand grasped his, he inhaled slightly at the rush of energy that slide along his skin, calling to his own.

*flash*

Liz sat in English, taking notes, hair veiling her face as she desperately tried to pay attention to the teacher’s rambling discourse on Hamlet, but couldn’t concentrate due to the very cute and slightly mysterious boy sitting directly in front of her. How could anyone be that beautiful and not know it? Flushing slightly, she startled when he turned his head and intense whiskey eyes met hers, full lips quirking for the briefest of seconds before she dipped her head back to her work, heart thudding in her ears.

~*~

Michael sat at a booth in the Crashdown, talking to Tess and Max distractedly, Isabel flipping though one of her many fashion magazines at his side. He was having difficulty keeping up his end of the conversation as his thoughts and eyes were centered on one very pretty brunette making her way gracefully through the café. His heart pounded as she came up to take their orders, flashing him that irresistible smile and he couldn’t help getting lost in those sparkling chocolate eyes, snapping out of it only when his sister nudged him under the table.

*end flash*


“I-it’s good to see you too, Michael,” Liz stuttered, shaking her head slightly to clear her head of that strange vision. Although the unexpected flash of memory gave her new insight. She didn’t really remember Michael looking at her quite so love struck in high school. Maybe Maria had been right in her assessment that she’d been too blind to what had been in front of her face all along and his touch triggered that suppressed memory.

Pushing the thoughts away for further exploration later, she smiled at him and pulled her hand away, realizing she had been holding his far longer than was politely acceptable, staring at him in quiet awe. Great, like she needed a strike against her before they even began the interview, but she took comfort in the fact that he seemed equally startled and just as much out of his depth as she.

It was strange to say the least, but maybe he, just like her former principal, wasn’t expecting her to have chosen teaching as a career. She had been pretty adamant about becoming a scientist all through her childhood, but dreams had a way of changing as she found out over the past few years.

Michael jolted slightly at the unexpected flash, fear skittering down his spine as he stared at the shell-shocked woman before him and wondered how she would react and if she had gotten anything from him. If it weren’t for his very real, palpable fear she would question him about the anomaly, he’d have been flattered to finally know that she had watched him in high school as well. He vividly remembered that day in English, but hearing her thoughts behind them sent an unexpected thrill through him.

Searching her face for any clues, he internally sighed with relief when it became apparent that she either hadn’t seen anything or dismissed what had happened. Which would make sense for her, since she’d always been hyper logical and hadn’t believed in psychic “nonsense” and he was sure alien existence ranked up there as improbable as well.

“Uh, come on in,” he replied shakily as she pulled her hand from his, immediately missing the feel of her cool, smooth skin in his. Jeez, get a grip Guerin, the woman came for a job, not to be molested by her potential employer. He stepped back, so she could enter, keeping contemplative eyes on her the entire time, just managing to quell his gasp when she brushed against him slightly and fought the tide of heat spreading through his body at that innocent touch. God, help him.

“Sorry about that, I’ve been a little distracted today. I have a show coming up and I’ve been trying to decide which of my pieces I want to show,” he lied smoothly, thankful that she hadn’t seen anything strange in what had just happened and gestured for her to follow him to the kids play and school room. “Plus, I really wasn’t expecting to see you at my front door. Last I heard, you were planning to be a scientist, I think it was.”

Michael’s head was swimming as he tried to make small talk, an art he’d yet to fully grasp as he tended to be blunt and didn’t see the point to meaningless prattle when they could just get right to the point and be done with it. But he needed some sort of filler as he got his traitorous body back in check and he was curious to know how she ended up at his door rather than heading a research lab.

Liz nodded, struggling to keep her own breath slow and even, as they walked to what she presumed was his office or a place they could sit down and talk, smiling as she heard shrieks of laughter in the background. She hadn’t expected to react to him like that, his touch nearly scalding her skin as he took her hand and the definite unexpected jolt of heat that flooded her body when they brushed against one another, echoing her reaction the other night.

She was vaguely aware of him apologizing to her for his earlier distraction, saying something about an art show coming up and selecting pieces for it and not expecting her to be his next interview. That explained his stunned expression when they were at the door. Thank God, he didn’t think she was picking up on him. Shaking her head, she smiled up at him coolly.

“I was planning to go into scientific research,” she agreed as they came to some stairs and she followed him up, the laughter growing louder as they ascended. “It was all I wanted to do when I was younger. Science has always fascinated me and the first time I walked into a lab, I felt at home.”

“So, why aren’t you in a lab?” Michael queried, perplexed to her switch given the passion ringing through her voice when she made that last statement. He stepped into the schoolroom and smiled when he found Miri holding Zan down, tickling his sides, which explained the shrieks of joy that carried through the house. “I mean, if it’s what you’ve always wanted, I’m surprised to find you here applying for a tutor position with your credentials.”

Liz bit back a sigh, smiling at the kids antics as they hadn’t yet realized they had company, her face darkening slightly as she thought about all the things she had planned for her life that hadn’t turned out as she expected. Shrugging her shoulders, she looked up at Michael, replying a little flatter than she intended. “Dreams change.”

Michael kicked himself internally as he watched the shadows fall over her face, realizing he probably reminded her of her and Kyle’s broken engagement. That hadn’t been the point to his question, but he always managed to stick his foot in it. Skirting that sticky subject entirely, he posed his next question, trying to keep it light and informal. He felt he could get to know a person better this way as people tried to present themselves in the best light possible in interviews.

“Why did you change your mind?”

“I worked for a tutoring center for two years to help make ends meet,” she replied softly, face brightening considerably and her toffee eyes took on a far away quality as if remembering something fond. “I found that I loved working with kids and I was good at it, good at getting them to open up. There is nothing like watching a struggling child bloom when given the right incentive and seeing their eyes light up when they finally understand the material. It changed my life.”

Michael watched her in awe, realizing he was wrong. She may have loved science and probably always would, but the light in her face showed that teaching was just as much, if not more of a passion. It went a long way towards reassuring him of her seriousness in the post. Between that and her excellent credentials and recommendations, she definitely moved into the frontrunner’s position.

“Sounds like you found something you really love,” he commented, hoping to keep her talking and learn more about this girl that had fascinated him for so long. Hopefully, she’d mesh with Miri and Zan as well.

“I do,” she replied softly, meeting his eyes again and jolted slightly at the intensity of his caramel gaze, realizing he’d been interviewing her without her even knowing it. His unobtrusive questions and comments made her want to open up to him as well as put her nerves at ease. Clever. She liked clever. “But then again, we both know I’ve always been a sucker for learning and I loved school as a child. I suppose it’s only natural to want to pass down your own knowledge. It is a surprisingly natural fit.”

“I seem to recall that vaguely,” he teased, his eyes lighting up with laughter and loved the way her own sparkled back at him.

~

Miri and Zan stared at the two absorbed adults in front of them, having felt them come into the room and immediately stopped their play. Turning to his sister, Zan watched her smile and nod and then turned back to the pretty girl standing with his dad, cocking his brow contemplatively. So this was her.

“Is this the girl from the dream?” he asked his sister telepathically, a power that they hadn’t revealed to their dad as of yet because it gave them a secret way to communicate right under his nose. Although, it seemed like his dad and his Aunt Tess had the same ability, so maybe they really weren’t fooling anyone.

“It’s her,” Miri responded confidently, scratching her brow thoughtfully and studied the woman before them with uncharacteristic silence. She knew that she was important to them in some way, but how wasn’t all that clear to her. She didn’t really know how to control her dreams and gather more information.

“Are you sure?” Her brother asked, shoving his sister off of him and getting to his feet, watching his dad’s face light up and knew Miri was right; she had to be the girl from their dream. His dad never paid attention to or looked at anyone the way he was staring at her.

“Yes, I’m sure,” his sister replied testily, fixing him with an evil glare for throwing her to the floor and clambered up, coming to stand by his side to watch the adults contemplatively. Zan swallowed thickly, knowing she was crafting something in her head but couldn’t quite figure out what. “I can feel it. She has the same energy as the girl in the dream.”

Turning to her brother, Miri smiled and took his hand reassuringly, soothing the unease she felt coming off of him in waves. She knew he was worried about another person changing the fragile balance of his world, but she had a feeling that it would be a good change. All she knew, was that woman standing with her father was important and she had to make sure that she took the job.

~

“Vaguely?” Liz tossed back, surprised at how comfortable she felt in his presence considering he used to make her stomach jump, her heart race and palms sweat in high school. Watching him a little breathlessly, she realized he still had that affect, but for very different reasons. Shaking her head, she flushed slightly at her thoughts and bit her lip, eyes dancing as she lightly accused. “I seem to recall that you teased me about having my nose stuck in a book on more than one occasion.”

Michael’s brows shot up at that, surprised that she’d actually paid attention to his comments, and couldn’t help the grin that flashed over his face. He shrugged his shoulders, shoving his hands into his pockets and tried to duck his head shamefacedly, failing miserably when he met her equally amused eyes.

“Yeah, the innocent act,” Liz quipped, smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling and laughed at his affronted expression when she continued. “Doesn’t quite work for you.”

“Miss Parker, I’m offended,” Michael laughed, again surprised at her audacity and the easy way she threw his teasing back at him. He knew without a doubt that she was exactly what his children needed. Speaking of which, he turned his gaze back to Miri and Zan, gesturing to their silent observers, each of them cocking a brow at their antics. “You’re not even working for me yet and already sassing me. What kind of example is that for impressionable children?”

“You’re right,” she pursed her lips, fighting back a smile and nodded her head gravely. Cocking her head at him, she narrowed her eyes and studied him thoughtfully, her lips still twitching with humor. “This won’t do at all. I should just go now.”

“Actually, you should meet the monsters that will be your potential charges before you accept my offer,” he sighed, shaking his head at his two little ‘angels’ as their aunt liked to call them. Turning back to the brunette, he met her surprised glance with a cocked brow of his own. “Make sure you can tolerate them. That is if you’re interested in the position.”

“Very interested,” she smiled, turning to the blond pixies watching her and their dad as if they were crazy and watched as Michael went to stand behind his children. Waist high to their father, the boy reminded her of Michael at that age but with lighter hair and the girl was a lot like Isabel.

“This is Elliava, but she goes by her middle name Miri,” Michael gestured to his daughter and Liz held out her hand to the young girl, shocked when the blond imp came up and wrapped her arms around her waist in a short hug. Staring at Michael over her head, she read the surprise in his own eyes at his daughter’s warm reception. Recovering quickly, he turned to his son and introduced him next. “And this is Azzan, but we call him Zan. Miri, Zan, this is Liz. Hopefully your new tutor.”

Zan walked up to Liz at a bit more of a sedate pace, staring up at her with sober eyes and with a small smile on his face, held out his hand for her to shake. Liz took his hand in hers and gave it a light shake, smiling reassuringly at the small boy. She was rewarded with a toothy grin as he nodded to himself and then looked at his sister, rolling his eyes as she gave him a look only they seemed to understand.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” she said, smiling as they stood before her, watching her with a curious expectation. “Your names are lovely and unusual. I don’t think I’ve run across them before.”

“It’s from our…” Miri started excitedly, realizing that her vision was true and her little mind already putting her plan into motion. She just had to convince Zan to play along, but knew she could talk her brother into anything.

“Old family name.” Michael finished hastily, shooting his daughter a quelling glance, her mouth pursing in a circle before she covered her mouth and eyes wide, shot her father an apologetic look as she realized what she nearly said. Michael made a mental note to remind them both about what they could and could not say in front of Liz and walked over to her, gesturing to the door. “They’re old family names. Let’s go into the other room to talk further.”

“Sure,” Liz replied, her brow furrowed, confused at his abrupt change of subject and wondered what the little girl had been about to reveal before her father cut her off. Whatever it was, apparently it was a family secret she wasn’t supposed to reveal. Shrugging it off as none of her business, she moved toward the door with Michael, casting a quick look behind her and waving to the twins with a smile as they left. “You’re children are adorable. And so well behaved.”

“Don’t let them fool you,” Michael snorted, his features lightening once more and tipped his head towards hers, eyes dancing merrily. “They look like angels but they really are little devils in disguise. They were only on their best behavior under dire threat.”

“I doubt that,” she laughed, glad that whatever was bothering him a moment before seemed to slip away and followed him into what looked to be a home office. Done in blues and earth tones, it suited him being masculine, with simple lines and comfortable furniture. Sitting in the indicated chair she looked around the room, fixating on a haunting desert scene done in oils, it’s rich vibrant colors calling to her and she could almost feel the searing heat radiating from the scene. “Is that one of yours?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” he replied, looking up at the painting she nodded towards briefly before turning back to the contract he was pulling out of his drawer. He looked up meeting her awed eyes and flushed, shifting uncomfortably. “It was one of the first pieces I showed. I couldn’t bring myself to sell it.”

“It’s lovely, Michael,” she smiled, turning back to the piece, moved by the raw beauty and power he captured of their surrounding landscape. “You’re very talented. I might have to see if I can track one down and get it for my parents. I know they’d love it.”

“Um…thanks,” Michael blushed, still not used to people making such a fuss over his work. Fiddling with his pen, he tried to shrug her praise off and felt a warm glow when she turned back to him, her eyes soft with admiration. He had managed to awe Liz Parker. This certainly was turning out to be a day of firsts for him.

“You know, working for the artist gives you an advantage. You could just commission one,” he grinned, sinking back into his chair. “It’ll save you the obscene mark up in the gallery and it’s much more personal. I’ll even throw in a special rate.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, eyes shifting to the contract in front of him curiously. She couldn’t believe she was actually going to do this. She had some doubts on her way over when Jan mentioned the name of the artist. She couldn’t have been more surprised to hear that Michael not only was a fairly well known local artist, but he had children as well. She’d been apprehensive of working for him knowing how standoffish and cool he’d been in high school and was happy to see that he’d seemed to mellow over the years.

“So, you’ll probably want to look this over before you sign it,” Michael said, getting back to business when he saw her eyes fall on the contract he’d had Phillip Evans draw up for him. “But here are the basics. It’s a year-long contract, although I am hoping that it will last longer. I’m asking that you work a typical school week, about eight to three-ish Monday through Friday, you’ll have weekends and the typical holidays off. Occasionally I do take them on short trips, but I’ll let you know of those in advance. Salary is listed in the contract. Still interested?”

“Definitely,” she replied enthusiastically, fingering the contract he laid out in front of her and met his worried glance, smiling when the lines smoothed out around his eyes. “Is it okay if I take this and look it over tonight, get it back to you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” he said, sighing inwardly that she was still interested in the position. He was still surprised by his children’s reaction to her and it just confirmed his suspicion that they had definitely been waiting for something. “Give me a call tomorrow when you want to meet up. Other than trying to coerce the kids into their lessons and some sketching, I’m pretty open.”

“Sounds good,” she smiled, heart fluttering with excitement, glad she had given into her former principal’s pressure and came to the interview. She thought the children adorable and this was the fresh start she had been searching for – she needed this. She stood and extended her hand to Michael, jolting once again as his hand clasped hers and flushed, slightly winded when he looked at her equally as startled. Quickly dropping his hand, she smiled and added brightly, trying to cover her strange reaction to him. “So, um, I’ll call you tomorrow then.”

“Yeah,” he replied, rubbing his fingers together contemplatively after she had dropped his hand as if scalded. Although he hadn’t gotten flashes that time, her touch sent a shock through his system, electricity crackling along his nerves and his lungs constricted as he wondered what he was getting himself into. And yet he couldn’t help wondering if she felt the same draw. “Um…I’ll walk you out.”

They walked silently through the hall and down the stairs, both still a bit unsettled by their reactions and watching the other furtively, tension taking the place of their easy camaraderie from earlier as they became over aware of the other.

“Oh, you might know this,” she said, trying to fill the silence as they moved through the foyer to the front door, stopping suddenly when the thought came to mind and turned to face him, gasping when he crashed into her, his hands wrapping around her waist, squeezing gently to keep her from falling backwards.

“S-sorry,” she breathed, lifting her head, startled to find his face so close to hers, their lips inches apart and she inhaled sharply when his eyes flared briefly and a warm brandy gaze drifted over her face lazily, settling on her lips. Swallowing thickly, she held her breath as he tightened his hold on her slightly, unconsciously bringing her closer to him and her fingers absently played with the fine hairs on his forearms.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, drawing in short, shallow breaths, staring down at her intently and bit back a groan when her lips parted, her tongue flitting out moisten them. Stroking his thumbs over her ribs softly, his throat tightened and he swallowed harshly, trying to tamp down the heat raging through his blood. Tearing his eyes away from pale pink lips, he met her gaze, startled to find an echoing fire burning just under the surface of those golden brown pools.

Leaning in unconsciously, so that he could feel the heat radiating from her body, he inhaled sharply when her lids lowered half-mast, dark lashes fanning against pink cheeks as her eyes trained on his own mouth. God, he hadn’t felt this way in…well, he’d never felt this way. Sliding his hands to the small of her back, he stroked her back softly and wanted nothing more than to taste her lips.

“I-I’m fine,” she whispered shakily, her pent up breath rushing over his lips as she pulled away slightly, breaking the palpable tension between them and cringed inwardly at her behavior. He’s your boss, you idiot. Licking her lips nervously, she tried to pull her scattered thoughts together as he removed his hands from her back and stepped back, shoving them into his pockets self-consciously.

“G-good,” he stuttered slightly, pulling away and kicking himself for his loss of control, his hands still tingling from the feel of her in his arms. Jesus, he was acting like a teenager with his first crush. Mind still whirling, he tried to focus on what they’d been saying before their near kiss. Jesus, what had he been thinking? “Um, w-what were you going to say?”

“O-oh, um, I was wondering if you knew of any nearby apartments or something,” she said, still trying to gather her wits, her cheeks burning with mortification as she prayed he’d overlook what just happened. “I just g-got back into town and I’m staying with my parents until I can find my own place, b-but it’s a bit of a drive to get here and figured I’d look for something closer.”

~

“You did what?” Max demanded, running his hand through his hair, staring at Michael incredulously. This was going to make things even more sketchy when it came to keeping their secret from strangers. Although, Liz was hardly a stranger to either of them, and he certainly thought she’d be a great tutor for the kids, but live in the guesthouse? He couldn’t begin to imagine what prompted this insanity from his overcautious brother-in-law. “How…what…how did this come about?”

“I…uh…was a little distracted and spoke before thinking,” he muttered under his breath, staring at the floor moodily, kicking himself for opening his mouth and offering her the house. But in his defense, his blood hadn’t quite made it back to his brain until he suddenly had a new tenant. “Jesus, what a mess.”

“Distracted?” Max sputtered, pacing back and forth, worry creasing his brow and sighed loudly, still stunned that Michael had brought someone so close to their lives. “How could you be that distracted?”

“I just was, get over it Maxwell,” Michael griped, getting annoyed with his friend’s overreaction to what he felt could be a salvageable situation. True, it made life a little more difficult, but since they had solved most of their alien ‘problems’ on Earth, their lives were fairly peaceful. Although, they still had Khivar looming on the horizon. Christ, he’d really screwed himself this time.

If he hadn’t gotten so caught up in those huge brown eyes and soft…god so soft…skin, he wouldn’t have made the offer. But what’s done is done. He would have to deal with it. This, of course, meant no alien business around his house until they told her what and who there were. Wait…where had that thought come from? They couldn’t tell her. Yeah, he was officially screwed.

“Hello, Michael? Earth to Michael?” Max called with mounting exasperation, breaking through his mental ramble to find his friend glaring at him. Michael rolled his eyes and prayed for strength. Max could be such a fucking girl sometimes.

“Hey! I resent that!” his sister called from her perch on the couch as she read his thoughts, her nosed still pressed in a magazine, desperately trying to ignore the boys’ argument and failing miserably. Glaring at her brother with reproach, she cocked her brow and had to agree with his assessment though. Max did tend to get worked up over the stupidest things. She was just as worried with this development, but wisely kept quiet knowing nothing could be done.

“Sorry,” Michael muttered, lifting his head from the carpet to smirk at her echoing exasperation. Fixing his friend with an irritated moue, he ran his fingers through his hair and grumbled under his breath. “Stop getting your panties in bunch, Maxwell, I’ve got it handled.”

“Maybe you can tell her you changed your mind,” Max said hopefully, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully, apprehension swirling in his gut at the thought that after all this time of flying under the radar, they could potentially be outed. “Tell her something is wrong with it.”

“I can’t do that Maxwell, I already gave my word,” Michael replied, frustration lacing his voice and fought the urge to zap his friend into unconsciousness. It wouldn’t solve the immediate problem, but it certainly would make him feel better. Ignoring his sister’s snort of amusement, he opened his mouth to tell his friend to stop bitching when his sister popped off the couch and glared at them both.

“Oh for Gods sake,” she cried with exasperation, pointing her finger at Max, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully and tsking slightly when he opened his mouth to say something. “Shut up. This is not the end of the world Max. We knew that by bringing another person in to teach the kids, we’d risk exposure and we agreed that it was a necessary evil, so your protests to her living here are pointless. She has just as much chance finding out by merely being around us as she has living on the premises. It’s done. Deal with it!”

“And you,” Tess said, turning to Michael, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “Jesus, when you stop thinking, you really do a great job of it. But it matters little now. From now on, alien business is discussed at my house and we do our best to keep it away from here. Just be careful and stop provoking Max.”

“Clear?” the little blonde asked, glaring at both men, nearly laughing when they looked away like scolded little boys. Cocking her brow haughtily, she waited a moment to see if they’d summon the courage to argue with her and smirked when it became obvious neither were going to speak. “Good, now since that’s done, I’m going for a swim.”

Michael watched his sister stalk out of the room, smirking with appreciation at her command performance, and nearly laughed at the flabbergasted expression on Max’s face. Damn, it was worth getting bitched out by his sister to just to see that expression. Max turned to him and seeing his smirk, opened his mouth once more, only to be stopped as a voice carried down the hall.

“Not another word, Maxwell!”

Growling in irritation, Max threw him fiery glance and stormed down the hall after his sister, intent on reminding her who was king. Michael broke, chuckling as he imagined the fireworks that were about to erupt and put money on his sister. She may be tiny, but she was hell to be reckoned with.

Good luck, Maxwell, you’re going to need it. The queen has spoken.

[Ashita]

Jess - I'm glad that you're liking the story and I'm so very sorry it took so long for me to update. For some reason, I just couldn't get the muse to cooperate on this story. And yes, living on sight is going to make things difficult on Michael as you'll see.

Behrstars - Glad you like it! Yeah, as much as I love my Michal and Liz, Tess and Alex are quickly becoming my favorite characters from this story.

Barbara - Thanks for the feedback! I know this is way AU and I took a risk moving so far from the story line, so I'm glad you're liking it.

Jan - Yeah, I adore Tess in this story. And I get that Max is worried. He wouldn't be Max if he wasn't worrying it to death. lol! And I'm not usually a Rebel (even though I have two stories that have a rebel pairing) but it's been fun to write this one with the role reversal. And thanks for the bump as well!

AlysLuv - Thanks for the feedback!

Whims - Thanks so much for the beta job and the quick turn around on this chapter considering it's been a long time in coming, as well as for all the comments and support! You rock!

AN: I am deeply sorry that it has taken so long to update this story. I never meant for so much time to pass but for some reason, I couldn't get this chapter flow until yesterday when it practically wrote itself. Damn finicky muse. I will try to update this faster next time! And as always a special note of thanks to the lovely Whimsicality that got this back to me so fast considering I sent it to her last night! All hail Whimsy! Maybe I should wait before I make author notes since she just rocks at getting stuff back to me. Hope you like the update despite the delay.
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Moving In, Moving On?

“Nice place, Parker,” Alex said, coming up on Liz and wrapping an arm around her waist as she stood outside the little studio cottage, smiling at the warm redwood façade and cheerful flowers that were blooming in riotous color, dotting the cut stone and gravel pathway and spilling out of the flower box above a wooden bench.

The guesthouse, as Michael called it, was set back from the street towards the edge of his property, and thankfully had its own separate entrance so she wouldn’t have to disturb the family outside of school hours. She had been hesitant to take him up on his offer after that almost kiss, which had been haunting her thoughts for the past week, especially when he said he’d built it with his parents’ visits in mind. But after seeing it, she fell in love and agreed without even seeing the inside.

It was charming in an almost fairytale way and shaded by a couple of wild plum trees that were sure to be pretty once they bloomed and were covered with little white flowers in another month or so. She could immediately see herself in her lounge chair under the trees, writing in her journal on the warm summer evenings. True, it wasn’t her balcony, but the sense of peace that radiated from the little house more than made up for giving up her old sanctuary. Maybe she’d put her fairy lights up in the trees.

“Yeah, it is a cute little place, isn’t it?” she murmured, inhaling the late winter air and tipping her head to the side, a slight dreamy smile touching her lips as her excitement grew, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time. She could create her own sanctuary here. She needed a sense of belonging and a place of her own in the world after living out the lives everyone expected of her and this was her first step.

Not that she blamed anyone for the place she found herself in, quite the contrary; this had been a prison of her own making. No one had forced her onto the path she took. Her parents would have been as proud of her if she had only attended the state university system or even had taken over the running of the family business. All they ever wanted was her happiness and they had supported her decisions. It wasn’t until after she came home that they told her that they had concerns about the life she had built for herself, not because they thought she was on the wrong path, but because she didn’t seem happy.

And they were right. She had made a plan when she was barely old enough to understand who she was and pursued it relentlessly without taking the time to re-evaluate; to wonder if those plans fit the person she was becoming. She placed ridiculous standards and ties on herself at a time she barely understood who she was and what she really wanted.

“I see why you got the futon though,” Alex observed, drawing her out of her thoughts as he studied the outside thoughtfully, squeezing her shoulder affectionately. Looking down at his best friend since the fourth-grade, his lips quirked at her distracted appearance and he couldn’t help but wonder if she knew what she was getting into, especially with Michael living just across the way. He had a feeling that his friend’s structured world was about to get shaken up. “Kinda on the small side.”

“Well it’s a studio, so what do you expect?” Liz smiled, still staring at the studio, failing to notice Alex’s scrutiny, and startled when she realized that this would the first time she had ever lived on her own. She went straight from her parents to the dorms and from the dorms to living with Kyle. Not once at she really had a space she could put her stamp on and she realized that she really liked the idea of this being hers alone. “But it has everything I need – a little kitchen nook, a bathroom and sleeping area. It’s not like I need anything more than that at this time.”

“Unless you want to have someone stay over,” he smirked knowingly, chuckling as her cheeks heated up and a light splash of pink swept across her cheeks, her eyes dancing away. It always amazed him that she was so easy to tease, blushing like a schoolgirl whenever anyone mentioned sex. It wasn’t that she was a prude; he knew she just preferred to keep that side of her life private.

“Yeah, well other than you or Maria, I don’t see that happening any time soon. Still recovering from having my heart stomped on, remember?” she joked half-heartedly, knowing full well that she’d never bring anyone around here. The only guy that remotely interested her, lived on the premises and was off limits due to their professional relationship. Or so she tried to tell herself. “Besides, I’d feel kind of awkward having someone other than you two over with the kids running around, not to mention my boss.”

“Whom you’ve lusted over for years,” he teased, shoving her lightly towards her father’s truck so they could unload the futon frame, chuckling as she threw him a disgruntled look. Flicking a glance towards the main house, he did a double take when he noticed Michael standing on the deck, a cup of coffee in one hand and a sketchbook in the other, watching their comings and goings with active interest and smirked, deciding to have a little fun.

“I did not,” she protested, walking towards the end of truck, smiling as he looped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a light kiss against her temple, looping an arm around his waist in return, squeezing him to her, completely oblivious to their audience. Tossing him a haughty glance, she lofted airily, “I was merely…intrigued.”

“Intrigued?” he snickered, halting their movement and tipping his head to cock his brow at her sardonically, flashing her an amused grin. Watching the deck from the corner of his eye, he noticed the other man had settled into a chair with a perfect view of the cottage and propped the sketchbook in his lap, working over it distractedly. Bending down, Alex pressed his lips near her ear, whispering into it teasingly. “Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“Shut up,” she laughed, tipping sparkling coffee-colored eyes towards him and shoving him lightly away from her, her face lighting up as she shook her head merrily. She had really missed her friend over the years. Anyone who had thought Alex as shy and awkward growing up, never knew the real Alex; the one who had a wicked sense of humor and just as deviant a mind as other boys his age, but hid it better than most.

“That’s what I thought,” he laughed as Liz rolled her eyes skyward and slapped her on the ass playfully as he passed her, ignoring her faux affronted gasp. “Come on, Parker, move that cute tush! I have a date tonight and you know Sere, she’ll hurt me if I’m late.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she smirked, cocking her brow at her friend when she came up on him as he leaned his stomach against the side of the truck, his arms dangling inside the bed. Pressing her back against the side next to him, she crossed her arms over her chest and grinned at him wickedly, feeling completely light-hearted for the first time in weeks.

“Well there is hurt and then there is hurt,” he joked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at his pretty friend, happy to see the pinched lines fading from her face. He’d been worried as he’d watched her shut down after learning of her and Kyle’s broken engagement. But it seemed that she was turning around and he had a feeling some of that was wrapped up in the irritated, former bad boy, now sitting and watching them like he was plotting Alex’s death. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he smirked. “And I’m not talking about the fun kind of hurt.”

“Oh, God, Alex, must you over share?” Liz groaned, sending him an aggrieved moue, barely suppressing a shudder of disgust at the visual his words implanted in her head. Shaking her head, she faced him, one hip still leaning against the truck and rested a hand on the other hip. “I so don’t want to hear about your kinky love life. Let me live in my happy bubble where you’re still a virgin asking me to show you how kiss a girl.”

“I did not!” he declared in mock outrage, pulling back from the truck to cross his arms over his chest, towering over his petite friend and tried to keep a straight face at her accusation and failing miserably.

“You did,” she countered, flicking him a knowing glance, barely quelling the snicker that was bubbling up her throat at his faux incredulous expression. Smiling at him wickedly when he began to splutter, she leaned against the truck once more with a smug glance.

“I don’t recall this…this…” he sputtered, stomping over to the near giggling girl menacingly and crowded her into the truck, tickling her in the side in retaliation. Laughing when she squirmed in his arms, gasping and vowing to get even, he let her go and watched her regain her breath with a satisfied grin.

“It was in seventh grade, after that Valentine’s Day dance you begged me to attend with you so you could drool over Isabel,” she snorted, cocking a hand on her hip, her lips quirking with amusement. “Where, I remind you, I spent the entire night sitting by myself, while you mooned in the shadows as she danced with Michael. And then you confessed you’d never kissed a girl before planting one on me as an experiment.”

“Well…uh…damn,” he muttered, scrambling for a come back and unable to think of anything to combat her words. Shrugging his shoulders, he leered at her unrepentantly. “You got me. But who wouldn’t want to try kissing you. Other than Isabel, you were the hottest girl in the school.”

“Gee thanks, I’m almost flattered by that,” she retorted dryly, tipping her head and smiling sardonically as she shook her head with exasperation. He was just too much sometimes. It was too bad she could never think of him as anything more than a good friend. She hoped Serena realized what a lucky woman she was to have him.

“Well, I try,” he lofted, looking to the side and preening slightly as he rubbed his fingers against his chest arrogantly, before smiling at his friend and laughing, unable to keep the pretense up for long with her. She knew him far too well.

“You should try harder,” she sniggered, rolling her eyes and making to move away when he leaned in, pressing her to the truck. Startled, she narrowed her eyes in askance, trying to figure out what he was up to as this was unlike him. She knew he wasn’t serious because he was madly in love with Serena, but he’d never gone this far in his teasing before. Watching him uneasily, she cocked a brow and waited him out.

“You know,” he whispered suggestively, dark-blue eyes flashing with mischief and trying not to laugh at the brunette’s suspicious stare. Good thing her face was blocked. If this didn’t send their observer this way to mark his territory, he didn’t know what would. “I think you should give me another chance at that kissing thing. I’ve improved considerably.”

“Yeah, don’t think so,” Liz sneered, watching her friend contemplatively and cocked a brow as she shoved him away, moving toward the back of the truck, tossing her barb over her shoulder. “The next time I’m that desperate, I’ll get a puppy.”

“Ouch,” he winced, climbing into the back of the truck and glaring at his friend playfully, all the while subtly observing Michael. Oh yeah, that did it. Suppressing a smile, he noted the other man’s contemplative expression as he set down his sketchpad and climbed out of his chair. Things were about to get interesting. Turning his attention to his friend he began unhooking the furniture, complaining about her assessment of his kisses. “Are you comparing my kisses to a puppy woman, cause I’ll have you know…”

“Alex?” she prodded before he could get started on his teasing once more and wondered what was with the glint of humor dancing in his eyes as she reached for the futon frame. It was almost as if he knew something she didn’t.

“Yeah?” he sniggered, aware that she was starting to catch onto his game and would probably end up kicking his ass, but it was worth it. Especially watching Michael striding towards them, feigning nonchalance all the while shooting Alex an assessing glance, as if he was trying to figure his place and whether he was a threat.

“Shut up and grab the other end of the futon,” she commanded, removing the ties on her side and shivering as she thought of Serena showing up unannounced and overhearing his teasing. The last thing she wanted was the temperamental redhead getting the wrong idea. “I don’t want your girlfriend tracking us down. I’ve seen Sere’s temper.”

“Good point, what are you waiting for? I told you to get your sweet, tight ass moving.” He commanded obnoxiously, stating that one a bit louder than necessary so that it carried to Michael’s ears, nearly falling over with mirth as the tall man’s frown deepened and he cocked a brow. Leaning towards his friend, he whispered. “By the way, brooding bad boy at three o’clock and moving swiftly this way looking as if he just sucked on a lemon.”

~

Michael strode out of the house and onto his deck, a cup of coffee and sketchbook in hand; intent on taking advantage of the few quiet hours he had since the kids were off with their grandparents. The Evans had shown up for breakfast this morning, full of impromptu plans for a full-day excursion exploring the Carlsbad Caverns, followed by an overnight camping trip so that they could do some stargazing at the Star Party being held that night.

Miri had agreed exuberantly, fixing her brother with a secretive glance that had him raising his eyebrows before he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and he spent the rest of the meal watching her actions very carefully. He couldn’t help but wonder what his precocious child was up to, especially when she flashed him a far too innocent and slightly enigmatic grin. He had a bad feeling she was up to no good.

Furrowing his brow as he stared out at his yard absently, he fervently hoped that they weren’t planning anything otherworldly on this trip, because while the Evans were very much aware of their origins, the potential of others stumbling onto their secret was too great. Luckily he had caught that sly look and took Phillip aside to warn them that the twins might be up to some form of mischief, asking him to keep a close watch over the monsters and Phillip had laughed, reassuring him he’d seen the same look and that he’d be extra vigilant on the trip.

Taking a deep breath, he set his sketchbook down onto a table, warming his hands with the steaming cup, warding off the lingering winter chill that hung in the air and heaved a sigh of relief for the silence. Thank God for Isabel’s parents and their spur of the moment trip. He really needed some peace and quiet to work on some sketches for the coming show, and it kept the kids out from being underfoot when Liz moved into the cottage.

Picking up his pad, the echo of voices caught his attention and he looked up towards the small cottage in time to see Liz come to a standstill in front of it, her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail and dressed in a pair of ratty jeans and a deep red sweatshirt. His heart jumped slightly as her head tipped to the side, staring at the outside with a dreamy smile, her cheeks flushed and could only imagine how those dark chocolate eyes sparkled softly.

Inhaling sharply, he stood riveted, drinking in her quiet, cool beauty, her face rapt, touched with awe and her body fairly vibrating with excitement as she looked onto her new home. Swallowing thickly, he set his coffee down on the rail and grabbed a pencil out of his box, his fingers itching to capture that look of peace, hope and enthusiasm sliding over her face.

But before he could apply the pencil to paper, the moment was disrupted when a tall, wiry man sauntered over to her and looped a companionable arm around her waist and she snapped out of it, tipping her head towards him slightly as she wrapped her arm around his. Frowning, he focused a narrowed gaze on the dark-haired man, studying his profile quietly as he tried to match a name to the face. ‘Whit…white…whitmore…Whitman! Alex Whitman. That was it.’

Scratching his brow, his stomach churned slightly as he watched them converse, back stiffening slightly at the other man’s careless, casual ease with Liz and her body – the kind that came with years of friendship. Or more. Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, he fidgeted slightly at that last thought and an irrational stab of discontent and jealousy spiked through his blood as Alex smirked at the petite brunette knowingly, making her cheeks flush a darker pink and glance away shyly. Or was that a leer?

Scowling, he realized that he liked that thought even less.

Running an agitated hand through his hair, he kept his eyes glued to the couple and walked towards one of his lounge chairs, grunting when Alex chuckled, shoving Liz lightly as he absently glanced in Michael’s direction. The brunette man did a double take when he caught Michael’s eye, his own widening before he smirked once more, nodded slightly and turned back to his petite companion.

Looping an arm around her, he squeezed her into his side and pressed his lips against her temple softly, closing his eyes briefly as he seemed to inhale her scent, lips quirking in amusement at her comment. What the hell? Narrowing his eyes, he growled under his breath and sat down, trying to ignore the scene playing out before and yet trying to make sense of it as well.

Didn’t he have a girlfriend already? That Serena girl? Yeah, if he remembered, they had been all over each other at the bar the night he saw Liz for the first time in years.

Breath hitching as he recalled that night, he absently began to sketch, unaware of the scene taking shape on the page as his thoughts wandered. God, she had looked beautiful that night with her tumbling waves, smoky eyes and full, glossy lips quirked into a half smile (lips he craved to feel under his) as she leant over the table, her slinky black top dipping just enough to show the slightest hint of…whoa, Guerin, don’t go there.

Shifting uncomfortably, he stared at his pad distractedly, noticing he had unconsciously began to sketch the image in his mind and grumbled slightly at his absorption with the pretty girl, flipping the page over with exasperation. Focusing back on his task, he had just began to sketch when a light lilting laugh caressed his skin, sending a ripple of gooseflesh over his body. Her laugh was light, sweet and infectious, prompting a smile of his own that quickly melted into a frown when her mirth was followed by a grating rumble of amusement.

Gritting his teeth, he refused to pay them any mind; that is until he heard what sounded suspiciously like a slap and his head popped back up, his lips thinning as he noticed Alex’s hand resting far too comfortably on Liz’s very cute backside. Not that it mattered to him personally, but if you had a girlfriend, you shouldn’t be mauling other women. Yeah, and if he really believed that one, there was this bridge for sale.

Leaning back in his chair, he gave up on the pretense of his sketching and rubbed his hand over his face, shaking his head at himself. He was acting like jealous boyfriend and had no reason for it as they had barely exchanged more than a handful of words, shared a slight flirtation, and had one near kiss. A kiss he’d been obsessing about for the past week. And damned if he didn’t want to just grab her and find out if her lips really were as sweet and soft as he’d been imagining.

Damned…yeah, that was very apt description.

Shifting his gaze back to the woman in question and her friend, he barely refrained from scowling at how close they were standing, brow pinching when Alex tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned into Liz. He smirked as Liz seemed to shudder with revulsion or apprehension and relaxed slightly when she began to give him hell for whatever they’d been discussing. Sitting back against the chair, he looked down at his pad, covertly studying them through the corner of his eye as they exchanged several heated lines as she sank back against the truck smugly.

Yeah, he really loved this whole Liz with a backbone thing. Totally sexy. Made him want to…do things he shouldn't be contemplating given their working relationship and his otherworldly status.

Wait…was that a leer? Quirking his brow, he honed in on the two across the lawn and clenched one hand into a fist, narrowing his gaze thoughtfully as he watched the other man suspiciously. That was definitely a leer. Grumbling under his breath, he set his pencil down and rubbed the back of his neck once more, wondering why he cared what was going on. She was free to date whomever she wanted.

Although, considering the guy was taken, he really shouldn’t be messing around with someone’s emotions like that. Running a hand over his head, the muscles in his back coiled and bunched with tension as Alex’s laugh rang out, grating over raw nerves and Michael gave up, fixing a irritated moue on the preening blue-eyed man.

Although, it was because the man should be more considerate, he told himself and had nothing to do with the vivid fantasies (revolving around the little brunette Alex was harassing) that had been plaguing him every night. He was just concerned for his new employee because…because she just had her heart broken and didn’t need it to happen again. Yeah.

Eyes flicking back and forth between the two, he grunted when Alex strutted over, trapping her against the truck, her eyes widening and mouth gaping with surprise before he blocked her from view. Shooting straight up in his chair, his heart thudded in his chest as he watched the two, stomach sinking and growled low in his throat. Screw that, this had everything to do with the man honing in on his…ah hell…he was so screwed.

Clambering out of his chair as she shoved him away, he set down his sketchpad and walked across the deck, heading for the two friends to see if he could figure out…help them with the rest of the furniture since it was obvious he wasn’t going to get any work done. Striding to the small house, he tensed further, cocking a brow and his frown deepened when Alex smirked at the pretty girl once more, his disturbing words carrying, “I told you to get your sweet, tight ass moving.”

~

“What?” Liz murmured absently, her eyes clouding with momentary confusion before they widened in comprehension and she narrowed her gaze at her friend, his actions and teasing becoming all too clear. He’d played that game just before Kyle and she had started dating when he finally got tired of them dancing around each other. Surely he couldn’t think that Michael…that was ridiculous. “Oh, will you stop calling him that.”

“What?” Alex lofted innocently, wagging his eyebrows as understanding bloomed over the brunette’s face and she sent him an evil glare. Snickering when she rolled her eyes and shook her head ruefully, but couldn’t help but glance at the rapidly advancing man out of the corner of her eye with a slightly curious expression, licking her lips absently. Yeah, things were going to get really interesting around here. It’s about damn time. He always thought Liz deserved more than what she had with Kyle.

“You damn well know what,” Liz muttered turning back to her friend with an exasperated laugh, pointing her finger at him threateningly as she gathered up the straps on her end and threw them into the bed of the truck. Rolling her eyes again when the blue-eyed man merely grinned at her, she could help but laugh at his playfulness before admonishing him sternly. “Stop it.”

“Stop what, Parker?” Michael asked casually as he came to stand next to her, placing his hand on the edge of the futon, flicking an intense glance over her face as she turned to him, and bit back a smirk as he noted she began to fidget the closer he came, her cheeks tinting a light, yet becoming shade of pink. And he couldn’t resist exploring that nervous reaction, coming to stand just inches away, invading her space and grinning when she clutched the futon with a shaky hand, licking her lips nervously.

“N-nothing, Alex was just being a smart ass,” she stammered breathlessly, the air sucked out of her lungs when his leg inadvertently brushed against her hip and his hand brushed hers. Startling when his hand caressed her arm lightly, she turned wide eyes to the warm fingers brushing her shoulder and then cursed her reaction when she watched him flick a leaf away. Tearing her gaze away from him, she nodded desperately to Alex, shooting her friend a quelling glance when she saw his mouth open, and gestured between the two men. “You two remember each other?”

“Whitman,” Michael grunted, his grin fading slightly and he nodded to the other man coolly, his brow furrowing with slight confusion as the other man watched the two of them with a satisfied expression and nodded to himself as if he had gotten the answer to an unvoiced question. Dismissing the other man, he turned back to the petite brunette as she moved away from him slightly and got ready to move the last piece of furniture into the studio.

“Guerin,” Alex acknowledged with a secretive grin, his amused blue eyes flicking back and forth between the man and woman in front of him, both trying to hide their obvious interest in each other. How he wished he could be a fly on the wall when they finally collided with the sparks they were already giving off. Frowning at the thought, he shuddered slightly and winced. On second thought, no he didn’t. That was one side of his friend he had no desire of ever being acquainted with.

“Here let me help you with that,” Michael murmured, coming to stand behind Liz, a hand on either side of the futon, effectively trapping the woman between him and the truck, his body tightening when her backside brushed enticingly against him. Closing his eyes, he unconsciously dipped his head, the soft, taunting scent of vanilla and rain filling his senses and his breath hitched, his hands tightening on the wooden slats as she tipped her head to him and her breath fanned his face.

Liz had stilled instantly the moment he came up behind her, her body flushing as his arms wrapped around her, his chest pressing to her back, and her breath caught in her throat as she felt warm, damp breath brush against the back of her neck. Biting her lip to keep from moaning allowed, she gasped softly when his body pressed into hers a little deeper and it almost felt as if he’d purposely pressed his nose to her hair, but shook it off as a ridiculous thought.

More likely he was just getting a better grip on the futon and it happened accidentally. Dragging in a deep breath, her heart stuttered when his scent drifted over her, filling her nose with an enticing blend of sun, earth, musk and spice. God, he smelled so good. Tipping her head up, she was surprised to see his eyes clenched shut as if in fierce concentration and her breath came out in a rush as she wondered what was going on in his mind.

Opening his eyes, he stared down into surprised chocolate irises that darkened subtly as their gaze held and his heart sped up as the threads of desire stirred in her warm gaze. Swallowing thickly, he couldn’t help but wonder once more what he had gotten himself into, and barely repressed the urge to push her against the futon and kiss the soft, bare pink lips that he’d been thinking of since their moment in the entryway. Realizing he was staring, he tore his gaze away and bit back an oath as she slid out from under his arms, their bodies brushing once more. This was going to be tougher than he thought.

“Ready, Whitman?” he grunted hoarsely, fighting back the desire raging through his blood and watched her with smoldering intensity as she moved to the side. Rubbing his fingers together, he couldn’t help but wonder if her hair and skin were as silky as they looked. Grunting to himself, he took a shuddering breath and his eyes shuttered, face blanking as he turned back to the other man.

“Whenever you are,” Alex replied, cocking an interested brow at that little exchange and swallowing himself at the heat that still radiated from them both. Staring at the tawny-haired man before him, he smiled and nodded once more, reaffirming his initial thought – Michael was just what his far too analytical, serious friend needed to shake her world up and show her that love was more than comfort and playing it safe.

“Let’s go,” Michael responded, picking up his end of the furniture and dragging it out of the truck as Alex lifted and slid his end to the edge, hopping out of the truck bed and hurrying to the tailgate to grab his end. Lifting it between them, they slowly navigated the cottage path and in through the door, standing in the small room quietly, waiting for Liz to catch up and direct them.

“Just put it along that wall, in the middle,” she directed, pointing to the furthest wall from the kitchenette as she came in with a couple of pillows and bedding. Setting the items by the door, she waited until they had positioned and set the futon up, setting the extra thick futon mattress onto the frame before grabbing a small bedside table and started to lift it when Michael came over, gently brushing her away.

“Here, I’ve got that,” he said, lifting the small table with ease and setting it on one side of the futon while Alex maneuvered the second on the opposite side. Standing with her hands on her hips, she smiled softly, her eyes sparkling as the room slowly came together, her excitement coming back in a rush as she envisioned the place with all her little touches.

Michael stood, watching her quietly, smiling as that dreamy, excited grin crossed her face once more and she turned around the room, so completely caught up he’d forgotten Alex’s presence until the other man spoke.

“You know, next time you and Max see us at Rookie’s,” Alex offered, smirking at the other man’s absorption and startled reaction, his head snapping to the side as if he’d just remembered he and Liz weren’t alone. Biting back a smile as Michael flushed, he continued. “You should join us and let Liz scam…I mean take you on in a game of pool. See if someone can finally shake her. We’re there every Friday night.”

“Or whenever Serena lets him off his leash,” Liz lofted as she turned back to the two men, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she teased her friend, grinning innocently when Alex glared at her balefully. Michael snickered at her comment, causing the other man to let out an indignant snort as he crossed the room.

“Ignore her, she’s just…” Alex retorted, rolling his eyes at her words as he tipped his head confidentially towards the other man as he snaked an arm around the little brat. He should have known she’d get even for his games earlier.

“Realistic?” she quipped pertly, snickering when Alex turned towards her menacingly, his fingers hovering perilously close to her very ticklish ribs, but she just smirked irreverently and met his glare with a challenging brow.

“…Doesn’t understand that…,” Alex continued as if she hadn’t spoken, trying to keep from laughing at her comments and ruin his indignant front. Well, he did deserve her comments after his little stunt outside. Not that he’d take it back given the result.

“You’re whipped?” Liz giggled, having a hard time holding herself together, especially when she met Michael’s highly amused gaze, grinning when he tipped his head in approval. Turning back to Alex, she lost it when she saw his mouth gape and his hands rested on his hips.

“Hey! How could you say that?” Alex blustered, mock outrage flashing over his face as she laughed at him, his twinkling eyes belying his act. He’d get the little brat back later. For now, he was just happy to see a smile on her face. “I’m hurt! I’m offended! I’m…”

“Going to be late if you don’t shut and leave,” Liz observed flippantly, grinning at her friend when he looked at his watch and cursed as he realized he had only an hour or so before he was supposed to pick up Serena for a birthday party for one of her nieces.

“Oh crap, Sere’s going to kill me,” he muttered as he headed towards the door, Michael and Liz following close behind, Liz with an amused smile and Michael regarding the other man coolly, still trying to figure out where he fit in Liz’s world. “I’ll see you later this week, right? You’re not going to bail on us are you? Because you know we’ll just hunt you down.”

“Same as last week?” Liz asked as she reached for the last box in the back of the truck, only to be shunted aside once more as Michael took it from her arms. Flushing slightly, she smiled her appreciation, her blood jolting as a spark of electricity crackled over her skin when their arms brushed and her eyes darted away when he pinned her with his intense whiskey gaze once more.

“Well, pizza this time and then Rookie’s or maybe bowling,” Alex replied, grabbing her purse and jacket out of the cab and handing them to her, rolling his eyes and grimacing as a thought came to mind. “Unless Maria cons us into going to the new club.”

“Not to worry, I’ll talk her out of it,” she whispered conspiratorially, smirking at the tall, gangly man’s obvious relief at her words and laughing when he yanked her into a heartfelt hug, squeezing her to him as he placed quick kiss on the top of her head.

“You are a Goddess,” he declared, pulling back and smiling at her, but keeping her with in the circle of his arms, this time completely oblivious of Michael's scowl and agitated shifting as he asked, “Have I told you I love you today?”

“Lets see, there was when I made you breakfast,” Liz snickered, eyes averting as she ticked off a list, her brow creasing in mock concentration. “And then again when I gave you the chocolate chip cookies I baked last night and when I got you out of trouble with Sere. So only three times, you’re slacking.”

“Ah…always saving my hide,” Alex grinned, leaning over and giving her a loud smacking kiss on the mouth before he hurried around to the driver’s seat with a careless wave of his hand. “Love you, my dear and I’ll call you later.”

“Whatever,” she sniffed mockingly, nose in the air as she placed her hands on her hips, her lips twitching with amusement as she pointed at him and ordered. “Leave! Before the dragon ends up on my doorstep breathing fire all over me.”

“Later, Guerin,” Alex tossed over his shoulder as he slid into the truck, nodding to the other man companionably and preparing to leave, grabbing his phone and punching out a number to let Sere know he was on his way.

“Whitman,” Michael acknowledged with little enthusiasm, frowning thoughtfully as he mulled that little scene over in his head. He didn’t remember Alex and Liz being that flirty with each other in high school, and given how often he’d watched the petite brunette, he definitely would have noticed that.

Fixing a contemplative gaze on his…tenant, he watched as she waved to the rapidly disappearing truck, shaking her head before she turned back around to face him.

“Dragon?” Michael asked, unable to resist finding out what that was all about as he headed towards the cottage with the box he’d been holding, Liz falling in behind him. Cocking a brow, he waited for her to stop giggling and explain the comment as he walked through the door and set the box on the counter.

“Serena, his girlfriend,” Liz explained with a little snort, her eyes dancing with merriment as she shook her head slightly. Shrugging her shoulders, she smiled softly as she leaned against the wall. “She tends to get a little territorial when it comes to Alex despite knowing nothing would ever happen.”

“I can see why…” Michael murmured, his tone slightly disgruntled as his gaze averted, not even realizing he’d spoken his thoughts aloud until he looked back at the brunette and saw her smile drop, confusion flitting through her eyes. Cursing his inability to filter his mouth, he licked his lips and opened his mouth to apologize but she cut him off.

“What?” she queried, her brow pinching with confusion as well as a touch of annoyance, frowning as he looked away nervously and began to fidget slightly, running a hand over the back of his neck uncomfortably. Cocking her brow in challenge, she crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head in askance. “Why do you say that?”

“You two seem very…close,” Michael stammered, wincing internally at the way his words came out and the hint of innuendo that was sure to offend the woman. Maybe Tess was right; he really needed to find a way to filter his thoughts because they always got him in trouble. Turning back to Liz, he sighed when she stiffened slightly and her gaze hardened slightly

“Close?” she asked slowly, her voice tightening as she watched him warily as she tried to figure out where he was heading with his comments. She hoped that he didn’t think that she or Alex wanted each other or would even think of doing that to Serena, feeling slightly offended by his words. “Are you implying…?”

“I’m not implying anything,” he bristled, his tone slightly more heated than he intended as he held out his hands in front of him and he came over to her. Looking to the side he struggled to find the words to explain himself before meeting her eyes and finished brusquely. “I’m just saying you seem close.”

“It’s not like that,” she refuted heatedly, her throat constricting as he continued over to her, standing within a foot of her and she desperately tried to hold onto the slight flair of irritation his words had caused. Taking a shuddering breath, she bit back a gasp as he leaned closer and she swallowed harshly, croaking hotly. “Alex and I are friends and only friends.”

“That may be,” he nodded nonchalantly, his breathing quickening as he noticed her agitation to his nearness and couldn’t resist pressing her further, getting a perverse thrill out of her reaction. He’d watched and wanted her for years but had long given up the hope she’d ever notice him when she had Golden Boy Valenti. Seeing her equally affected by him sent a thrum of satisfaction raging through his body and he couldn’t hold back a victorious smirk. “I’m just commenting on what I saw and saying that I can see why she might feel a little territorial.”

“What you saw?” she lofted quietly, a faint ripple of apprehension sliding along her spine as her heart sped up with every disappearing inch between them and yet she couldn’t pull or tear herself away from his magnetic draw. Licking her lips nervously, she dropped her hands and pressed against the wall tightly, her eyes lowering to watch him from beneath her lashes warily.

“Yeah,” he challenged softly, stopping a couple inches from her, pressing his hands against the wall on either side of her head, smoldering caramel drifting over her face lazily, his breath growing shallow and heavy as his eyes latched onto the soft, pink mouth so close to his, biting back a groan when her tongue flit over her lips.

“And…um…what, what exactly was that?” she asked haltingly, trying to appear unaffected, but her eyes gave her away, captivated by the full, light red mouth hovering over hers, a slow ache rippling over her limbs as they hung suspended above hers. Sliding a hand between them, she braced it against his chest and rubbed his shirt lightly, uncertain if it was to ward him off or draw him closer.

“If I had a woman pressed against a truck or car or whatever like this,” he husked, pressing her into the wall slightly with his body, his heart beating wildly as her hand slid over her chest. God, all he had to do was dip his head and he’d have the answer that had plagued him for a week. Licking his lips, he inhaled deeply, trying to instill a measure of reason to his thoughts and moaned when her scent filled his nose. Okay, that hadn’t helped at all. “I certainly wouldn’t be thinking just friendly thoughts.”

“O-ohhh…um…well…he was just…it was just Alex being Alex,” she murmured shakily, her body trembling as his hips slid against her stomach and her other hand grasped his waist unconsciously. Meeting fiery sherry-tinted orbs, she inhaled sharply at the heat radiating off his body, searing her own skin. Shaking her head to clear it of the fog that had enveloped her, she continued. “If anything were going to happen between us, it would have years ago.”

“Noted,” he replied, his voice deep and throaty as he shook his head and cursed quietly to himself. What the hell was he doing? He shouldn’t, couldn’t start something with her. Not only was she his employee, but given his position in a never-ending intergalactic war, she would be in danger. Sliding his eyes shut, he clenched his fists and laid his head on the wall over her head, reining in his rampant desire.

“G-good. ‘Cause…um… I wouldn’t want you to think I was the sort to get between someone’s relationship like that,” she nodded shakily, her body screaming in protest as she began to draw back, sensing his withdrawal as well. God, what had she been thinking? And clearing her throat, reminded herself why this couldn’t happen. “Since we’ll be working together and all that.”

“Right,” he whispered, pulling back regretfully, his breath labored and his nerves and body screaming obscenities at him as he pulled away from the soft, warm pull of hers. He should leave, now, before he gave into the temptation raging through his blood, setting his nerves afire. But looking down on her he had to satisfy one little question. Brushing a strand of hair from her face, he tucked it behind her ear, his fingers skimming her cheek, tracing the soft silky skin of her jaw before they over her neck, cupping the nape gently.

Dear God, her skin was as soft as it looked.

Fingering the tender skin at her throat, he tipped her chin, inhaling sharply as molten chocolate irises clashed with his and her chest heaved softly as she drew in a breath; her flushed warm cheeks and full, wet lips sealing his fate. Groaning, he cupped the back of her head and brushed his lips over hers roughly, marveling at the texture and taste before sinking into them, crushing her against him.

Jesus, she tasted better than anything he’d ever dreamed in his life; honey and the faint taste of candied strawberries mingled with vanilla and her underlying spice burst over his palate as he swiped his tongue over the silken, hot folds. Heat bubbled through his veins as he parted her lips, sinking his tongue into sweet recess, his body aflame, scorched as if he was standing in the middle of ground zero.

Shoving her a little more forcefully against the wall, his hands raked over her body to cup her hips and bring her deeper into him as his tongue stroked against the velvet rasp of hers, their tongues tangling heatedly, and he emitted a low hum when she purred in the back of her throat. Mind spinning, he gasped when her fingers tangled in his hair and she pressed her body against his.

Liz sighed, her blood flowing through her veins like liquid fire under fevered skin. Moaning softly, she ran her hands through his hair and pressed her body tighter to his, wanting to feel every part of his body molded to hers. Nipping his lip gently, she smiled when he growled softly, capturing her lips in a deep, bruising kiss before he pulled away, looking at her with surprise, then closed his eyes for a moment and hastily stepped away, raking his hands through his hair.

“I-I’ve gotta go,” he croaked, his cheeks flushed as he looked away from her, rubbing the back of his neck as he shifted uneasily, his skin jumping with electricity. Turning back to her, he groaned internally as she licked her passion-swollen lips as if she were savoring that last little drop of him and nearly went in for a second taste, just barely managing to hold back as he towered over her slightly, unable to resist one last stroke of her skin. He had to be insane. Leave now, you idiot, before you do something you can’t take back.

“O-okay,” she stuttered, watching him quietly, closing her eyes and letting out a shuddering breath when his fingertips brushed her cheek slightly. Biting her lip, she opened her eyes, her gaze latching onto the hovering mouth without thought and startled when he groaned, pulling away a little more as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Did you need anything else?” he asked huskily, shifting on his feet uncomfortably as he tried to get his heart and breathing back under control, his body hard, hot, needy and aching like a bitch as he continued to study her thoughtfully.

“Anything?” she asked dazedly, her eyes flicking over him hungrily; that was a loaded question if she ever heard one. Sighing, she shoved a hand through her hair with frustration and her breath stalled, heart hammering as she met with an equally hungry, predatory gaze. Swallowing thickly, she stared at him, slightly surprised, a thrill shooting over her nerves as she’d never been on the receiving end of so much blatant lust.

Not even Kyle had looked at her that way in all the time they’d been together, instead treating her with an almost gentle tenderness rather than outright passion. Nor had she ever felt this kind of attraction, or the electricity that flared between them with the slightest touch. It kind of scared her if she were to be completely honest.

“Yeah, any more help moving things?” he inquired, ripping his gaze away from her as he shifted back another couple of steps, needing to distance himself from the inviting pull of her skin and lips. Jesus, he should have known better than to get carried away like that. What had he been thinking? She was his employee. She had every reason to tell him to go to hell for this and change her mind about the position.

He just had to stay away unless Miri and Zan were there to act as buffers since he’d never get that carried away with his kids present. It should be easy enough since he had to work on his next show anyway. God he hoped it’d be easy enough otherwise he was doomed.

“Oh, um…no,” she reassured hesitantly, a little unsure of what to say or think, and cursed her lack of control under her breath, just waiting for him to get angry and rethink hiring her. Walking away from the wall she put some distance between them and shoved her hands in her back pockets, looking everywhere but at him. It couldn’t happen again. She needed, wanted this job too badly. “I think I’m good.”

“Okay,” he replied, nodding his head absently, still feeling a little unsettled with that kiss, and yet it took every ounce of his will power not to walk over, pick her up into his arms and lay her down on her bed and…fuck, ok, leave now Guerin. “So I’ll see you tomorrow to show you around the schoolroom.”

“Yeah,” she agreed readily, shuffling her feet and nodding her head hastily, thanking God that he still seemed to want her to teach the kids. Letting out a slightly relieved breath, she watched his retreating back and vowed she’d just forget what happened, addressing her comment to the air as he’d already hurried off. “Tomorrow.”

[Ashita]

Thanks Barbara and Whims! As always, feedback makes me happy and keeps the muse working happily. Andi is a bit of a feedback whore. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. And double thanks to Whims for getting this back to me despite the raging headache! You so rock!
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Covert Maneuvering

“Okay, so dish me the dirt, chica,” Maria lofted, cocking an inquisitive brow as she stared at her distracted best friend knowingly over the endless array of white silk, satin, and lace as she shoved dress after dress aside, searching for the perfect one. Liz had been unusually quiet and slightly flustered most of the morning, answering her questions in single-syllable answers and she knew that look on her face – it had all the earmarks of a woman who had been kissed and didn’t know what to think about it.

Hadn’t she seen that very one on her own when Billy had come back into her life?

“Dirt? What dirt?” Liz asked evasively, biting her lip thoughtfully and acting clueless, despite knowing full well what the other girl was getting at, her cheeks flushing hotly when Maria snorted in disbelief and fixed her with a pointed stare. Biting back a groan, she shifted her gaze to the dress she’d been contemplating and pulled it out hastily, asking brightly, hoping to avoid the blond’s inquiries as long as possible. “What do you think of this one?”

“Mmmmm…put it in the maybe pile,” the blond replied, drawing her eyes away from Liz for a moment to assess the dress with a critical eye before shrugging one shoulder and turning back to her none-too-subtle friend. She wasn’t buying that clueless tone at all. “And the dirt…hello? About that gorgeous, hunk of brooding artist that was checking out your ass two weeks ago? The one you also live just yards away from and see most mornings?”

“He wasn’t…checking me out,” Liz refuted weakly, flushing further at her friends words and fidgeting uncomfortably since she couldn’t disagree with her assessment, having been up close and personal with said hot, insanely sexy, whiskey-eyed…no, she wasn’t going to think about that. Turning away from far too observant green eyes, she added the dress to Maria’s carefully selected piles before continuing her search, studiously avoiding the blond’s amused gaze.

“Denial doesn’t work well for you, chica,” Maria snorted, laughing heartily when the petite brunette scowled, grumbling under her breath about nosy people who should mind their own business, and crossed her arms over her chest, not at all deterred by the other girl’s sour mood. If anything, her reaction only fueled her need to get to the bottom of her unusual behavior. “So give it up.”

“Maria…” Liz huffed, her brow pinching with annoyance as she met her eyes, intending to tell her to drop it, but trailed off as she realized the other girl wasn’t going to let up until she fed her something. Sighing loudly, she sent her long time friend an exasperated glare and muttered as she moved further down the aisle. “Really…nothing much has happened.”

“So something did happen...” Maria chortled, her voice heavily laced with innuendo, and snickered under her breath when her friend froze, her back stiffening as she realized that her words had given her away. Walking down her side of the aisle, she arched a brow and smirked, a devilish sparkle in her eyes as Liz cringed and turned hesitantly.

“No, I…what I meant is nothing is going to happen, so I have nothing to dish,” Liz stammered, wincing internally at the bright, calculating gleam shining in chartreuse irises and hastily spun around, grabbing the three dresses Maria had set aside earlier for her. Smiling winsomely, she tucked the deep wine and sapphire clothing over her arm and headed for the fitting rooms, tossing over her shoulder. “I’m going to try these on.”

“Oh no you don’t, missy,” the blond called, striding after the brunette purposefully, her longer stride quickly eating up the distance between them, and barely quelled a laugh when her hand latched onto the fleeing girl, causing Liz to throw an irked moue over her shoulder. Wagging her finger admonishingly, she grabbed her hand and dragged her away from her perceived sanctuary, clucking like a mother hen to a naughty chick. “You’re not squirming out of it that easily.”

Plowing through a room full of squealing brides, giggling bridesmaids and cooing mothers, Maria dragged her quarry into a quiet, secluded part of the shop and shoved her gently onto a mauve bench, curling up on the other side. Crossing her arms over her chest, she fixed her best friend of twenty-one years with a ‘don’t you even think of moving from that seat until you tell me everything’ look and demanded firmly. “Spill.”

“Maria, there is nothing to say,” Liz began, fixing her friend with her most innocent and sincere expression, knowing it wouldn’t work on the blond but wanting to be anywhere but there at the moment. She didn’t even know how she felt about that kiss. Okay, that was a lie, it had left her weak in the knees and wanting more, which was why she had avoided the man, and she didn’t really want to dish on something that couldn’t happen.

“Uh huh…spare me the innocent eyes; they only work on Alex,” Maria drawled disbelievingly, her lips quirking as she knew she was breaking through those steel-reinforced walls Liz was attempting to build around her heart. She knew her friend; knew that she was likely telling herself she couldn’t react to Michael because of a million reasons – it was too soon, she didn’t know him, she worked for him, etc. – but none of them held any water in the grand scheme of things. And she wasn’t going to allow her to bury her head in the sand because of her brother. “Now spill.”

“Fine, you’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” Liz grated half-heartedly, her voice losing heat as she met amused green eyes, glinting with just a hint of concern, and smiled, reaching over to squeeze her friend’s hand. She knew that Maria was worried about her given her break up with Kyle and she was just looking out for her in her usual sweet, if slightly overbearing way. She couldn’t stay mad in light of that.

“Yup,” the blond quipped, nodding emphatically, exchanging a grin with the pretty brunette as she pulled her feet onto the bench and faced her, crossing her legs Indian-style as Liz looked around slightly before leaning forward confidentially. “But it’s not going to deter me, so get to the goods.”

“He…uh…he kissed me,” Liz confessed softly, her eyes lowered onto the pinkish bench as a delicate wash of the same color tinted her cheeks, plucking at a stray thread as she nibbled on her bottom lip and flicked her gaze up as Maria squealed, bouncing slightly on the plush seat. Rolling her eyes at her friend, she couldn’t help but grin as well and averted her gaze, shrugging lightly.

“So knew it…” Maria crowed, clasping her hands together with a noisy slap as Liz pulled her own legs up onto the bench and the blond looked around slyly before leaning in and favoring her friend with a wicked smile, a mischievous twinkle sparkling in her eyes as she prompted impatiently. “And?”

“And what?” Liz lofted innocently, her face blanking in feigned confusion as she averted her eyes to hide her growing amusement while the blond looked at her incredulously and frowned. Sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, she drew a deep breath, desperately trying to push back the bubble of laughter caught in her throat, her brow crinkling and mouth quirking in her struggle.

“Well, don’t leave me hanging, girlfriend,” Maria groused, resting her hands on her hips as she glared at the now snickering brunette, Liz having given up all effort to hide her amusement and huffed, her lips quirking only the slightest in response. She supposed she deserved this after the many times she’d pulled the same routine, not to mention badgering her friend into confessing. “Rate it.”

“Oh, but Maria, we’re too old for this,” Liz snickered, her voice taking on a sing-song quality as she choked the words past her giggles, her eyes alight with humor as the other girl scowled further and mimed that she was so asking for it if she didn’t give her what she wanted and smirked teasingly. “That’s so…so…high school…”

“Shut up, we are not,” Maria grumbled, pointing a warning finger at her friend, feigning an annoyed glare as Liz continued to giggle and grunted when the brunette held up her hands in mock defeat and took a deep breath to smother the rest of her laughter. Nodding happily, she cocked a brow and smiled sweetly, gesturing for Liz to get on with it. “Now stop trying to weasel out of it and give me the deets.”

“Off the charts…” Liz drawled confidentially, her voice low and hushed as she met widening jade eyes, a slow, wicked grin sliding over her face as Maria cocked her head and her mouth rounded a moment before returning her smile, bobbing her head in awed acknowledgement, her brows raised in surprise.

“First kiss and it was off the charts?” Maria mused, still bobbing her head as she snickered softly, sucking on her bottom lip thoughtfully before she broke out into a knowing grin, shaking her head at Liz’s dazed expression. “Oh, you are so doomed. When, where and most memorable tidbit.”

“Last week, in my studio and he trapped me against the wall, staring at me as if he couldn’t decide what he wanted to taste first,” Liz responded distractedly, her words bubbling over her lips in a breathless rush as she relived the way his body had molded against hers, her heart hammering and body heating at the remembered caress. Sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, she drew a deep breath and looked at Maria, her cheeks flushing when the blond grinned at her absorption.

“Serious hotness factor…” the other girl drawled knowingly, her lips twitching and eyes dancing over her friend as the pretty brunette seemed to get caught up in her thoughts and she narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, her mind already working out a way to push the two together. She’d have to call Alex and find out his thoughts on the matter.

“Oh yes, searing…” the brunette murmured, shifting her eyes away nervously, smiling dreamily as she stared unseeingly around the shop before the smile wilted and she sighed, running a hand through her hair. Pressing her hands to her cheeks, she met Maria’s contemplative gaze and smiled weakly, reminding herself that she shouldn’t be thinking of Michael.

“So, where do things stand?” Maria prodded gently, seeing the cloud shift over her friend’s expression once more, sensing that the kiss, while obviously all the girl could think about, had likely caused some tension between both parties and not just the good kind. If Michael was anywhere near as stubborn as her friend, he was probably fighting the attraction just as hard.

“He bolted and we’ve been avoiding each other since,” Liz shrugged, trying to shrug her conflicting feelings off as well and failing miserably as she clambered to her feet. Licking her lips, she turned to Maria, shifting on the balls of her feet uneasily, a slight frown marring her face.

“Hmmmm,” Maria hummed, studying her friend for a moment and sighed herself, clambering off the bench and coming to a standstill next to the quiet, thoughtful brunette. She really didn’t envy her friend’s position, being in that all too tricky limbo was difficult for anyone, especially someone who was still recovering from a broken heart.

“It’s for the best,” Liz continued, nodding decisively and smiling at her best friend, a flash of guilt flashing through her heart that he had been taking up so many of his thoughts, that she hadn’t been paying attention to a day that was supposed to be about her. Wrapping her arm around the blond’s waist, she tugged her back to the dresses, replying quietly. “I work for him and things would get sticky if…”

“Hate to point out the obvious, chica, but it’s already sticky,” Maria interrupted, tipping her head down and pinning the brunette with a knowing glance, a slight grimace on her face as the other girl sighed unhappily. Yeah, time for a lunch date with a certain, blue-eyed best friend to his assessment on Michael. “So what are you going to do about it?

“I have no idea,” Liz admitted, flicking her eyes away thoughtfully as the blond wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed, looking back with another shrug. It would be easy to lie to herself and think that if she avoided him and ignored the situation, it would eventually go away. But even she wasn’t that far into denial. Shunting her thoughts aside, she herded Maria through the shop much as the blond had done earlier, and quipped brightly, determined to make the most of the day. “Enough of this, let’s find you a dress.”

~*~

Rubbing the back of her neck, Liz closed her eyes and sat down in her chair, her head throbbing from the lack of sleep and the tension that had built over the past couple of weeks since she and Michael had kissed, desperately trying to forget the heat and passion that had sprung up unexpectedly between them. Tipping her head against her chair, a surge of guilt flowed over her that one kiss from him had more of an affect on her, and had taken up more of her thoughts, than the end of an eight-year relationship.

But the truth was, she hadn’t thought of Kyle more than a handful of times over the course of the past two weeks. It still stung, and she wasn’t by any means thinking of jumping into a relationship anytime, sexy, brooding artist or not, but her reaction was evidence that she hadn’t been as serious about Kyle as she should have been, and that it was a good thing they’d called things off when they did.

While the best of friends, it would have been a disaster if they’d gone through with the engagement and subsequent marriage.

Her mother had always told her that she’d know who was the one when he came along, her grandmother backing her up with a nod and the advice to always follow her heart, because it wouldn’t steer her wrong when she’d been younger. And for the longest time, she thought she had and that path would lead to Kyle, but she was quickly learning that the heart and fantasies of a girl, were very different from the soul and dreams of the woman she’d become. And now, she’d spent so much of her life being everything that she thought she had to be, she wasn’t sure how to start being who she wanted.

It was a conundrum – how did one follow one’s heart, when it had no idea what one wanted? Other than a devastatingly sexy and far too appealing artist that set her soul on fire with the soft brush of his lips.

Groaning internally as her thoughts swung back to Michael, she opened her eyes wearily, running her fingers through her hair as she watched the twins as they bent over the art project that she had assigned them, the two working in tandem with an almost silent communication and sync that piqued the scientist in her. She had read studies of an almost twin sense that existed in identical twins, but she didn’t really know if that extended to fraternal twins as well.

But watching the two of them working so well together, almost as if reading the other’s mind and knowing what they wanted before they reached for it, her interest grew and she couldn’t help studying them subtly, her mind whirling as she observed their behavior. Nibbling on her lip, she smiled when they looked at each other, Zan winging one little brow at his sister questioningly and then nodded when she looked at him pointedly, dipping his head back to the project as if he understood her without the need for words.

Making a note on her progress papers that she had been compiling for the meeting she and Michael had scheduled for the following week, she also made a mental note to check on the bonds between fraternal twins and whether such a phenomena was observed in all twins. Who knew, it might make an interesting study or project if she decided to get her doctorate at a later date.

~

‘Are you sure about this, Miri?’ Zan asked quietly, speaking into her mind as he looked over at his tired, wan looking teacher surreptitiously with far too serious, adult eyes before swinging back to their shared project, a frown puckering his brow. Tucking his tongue into the corner of his mouth in concentration, he applied a light wash of green over the page with a slow, methodical stroke, his mental tone taking on a worried lilt. ‘He doesn’t seem to like her. Hand me the scissors.’

Miri reached over without a thought and grabbed the red-tipped scissors in front of her, handing them to her brother absently as she searched the area for her pack of markers, grinning when Zan waved them in front of her face. Grabbing them out of his hands she looked over at Liz, her little mouth pursing thoughtfully as she pulled the blue marker out and tapped it against the table as she scratched at her brow.

‘No, the problem is, he does like her and he’s scared to like her,’ Miri disagreed with a subtle shake of her head before turning back to her project, her mind frantically calculating a way to move the stubborn adults into the same sphere. She knew they felt the same, it washed over her senses every time they were together, although she didn’t always quite understand the feelings that she was reading. Regardless, she knew that they liked each other, but were too scared to do anything about it for some reason she couldn’t understand. ‘I can feel it every time he sees her. Glue?’

‘So what do we do?’ he asked, setting down the scissors and shuffling through the boxes and containers piled on their table, searching for the glue for his sister when he got momentarily distracted by a pile of pipe cleaners, his brow arching as he began to mess with them, making a little man out of them and setting it in front of Miri. Going back to his search, he lifted one of the plastic containers and smiled in triumph, snagging the purple glue stick and handing it to his sister. ‘Here, it was behind the box.’

‘We make it so they have to be next to each other,’ she replied firmly, reaching for the glue stick and flicking him a smile as she set about gluing rhinestones to the paper, glaring at her brother when he huffed with disgust and waved the glue at him threateningly, smirking when he held up his hands in defeat. Turning back to the desk, her brow pinched and she started moving stuff around, frowning and grumbling when she couldn’t find what she’d been looking for, pouting. ‘I can’t find my blue marker.’

‘What about making him go on the picnic to find caterpillars?’ he asked, flicking her side of the paper another look of disgust before he rolled his eyes and picked up the blue pen, which had been sitting right in front of her face. Holding it up, he arched his brow at her questioningly, watching as she pursed her lips thoughtfully, and stared at him pointedly.

‘Thanks. You ask though,’ she commanded, taking the marker from his hand and continued coloring in her part of the rainbow, all the while very aware of her teacher’s sudden interest in their behavior and making notes on her pad. Chewing on her lip, she wondered what they had done to perk her interest and shrugged, turning back to Zan to with a knowing glance. ‘He’ll think I’m up to something if I ask.’

~*~

Michael leaned back in his chair, staring absently out the window, his eyes scanning the landscape slowly coming to life after a colder than average winter, his fingers twitching nervously and his leg tapping out a mindless tempo against the plastic under his feet. He had been trying to concentrate on business for the past hour and failed miserably to rein in his treacherous thoughts and found them, more times than not, straying to the pretty brunette that had commanded his full attention for the past two weeks.

Scrubbing a hand over his face, he compressed his lips and tore brooding whiskey irises from the landscape beyond and forcefully trained his attention back to the contract sitting before him, the one he’d been trying to read for the same amount of fruitless time. It was standard fare from the gallery that showed his pieces, but he never signed anything without reading it fully. Although he had a great working relationship with Sean, and didn’t think the other man would take advantage of him, he preferred knowing what he was in for before putting his name to the contract.

But he had to force his concentration on this matter as Sean would be here at any moment to go over the contract and discuss the details of the rapidly approaching show. Luckily, he had several pieces done and only had to finish the last two charcoals, both bleak winter scenes from his and the twins trip to Canada that he’d been replicating from a couple of photos and his memory of the pristine, harsh yet stunningly beautiful landscape. All in all, he was in good shape and could soon go over to the gallery to map out the lighting and placement with Sean.

Shaking his head, he refocused on the papers in front of him, forcing his wandering mind back on task and finally working his way through the rest of the agreement, rubbing his temples wearily to stave off the tension building behind his eyes and startled when he heard a knock at his office door before Sean walked in.

“Hey, what’s up man?” Sean greeted, striding over to his desk with a wide grin and a confident, lazy lope, holding his hand out in greeting as Michael stood up and clasped it in firm grip, giving it a friendly shake and the man chuckled at Michael’s confused expression. “Sorry, Max was coming in as I got here and he told me to head on up because he knew you were waiting for me. Hope you don’t mind.”

“No, no, not a problem at all. He told me he’d be by this morning to pick up something. Saved me from a trip down the stairs,” Michael replied with a grin, nodding to the chair in front of him in invitation as he sprawled back into his chair and faced the blond man, waiting until he got settled before offering with a gesture towards his mini refrigerator. “Can I get you something, coke, water? I might even be able to scare up some coffee.”

“Nah, I’m cool man; I only have a few minutes before I have to get back to the gallery. I have a new shipment coming in today,” he responded, looking at Michael soberly as he opened his brief case and pulled out his copy of the contract to make notes if he had any changes that needed to be made. It rarely happened with Michael, but he wanted to double check. “So everything work out for you? Did you have any questions? Want to make any changes to the paperwork?”

“Yeah, I just finished going over it,” Michael replied, sitting up in his chair and getting to business, turning toward and rifling through one of his drawers, looking for a pen to sign the papers as he couldn’t find anything that he needed to change. He already had the required number of pieces for the show, exceeded it by one actually, and the rest was standard. “I didn’t see anything that we needed to address. In fact, I can get most of the pieces to you in a couple of days.”

“Sounds good,” Sean replied, watching as Michael scrawled his signature in all the appropriate places, while he signed his copy and then slid his over the desk, taking the proffered contract out of Michael’s hands to add his own signature while Michael reciprocated on his copy, each of them filing one away when done. Sitting back in his chair, he addressed Michael seriously. “Give me a call when you’re ready to bring them by and I’ll carve out some time, so we can do a walk through.”

“Works for me,” Michael replied, sliding his copy into a file in his desk and shutting the drawer before leaning back, nodding his head at Sean’s offer. “I have a few finishing touches to make, but I think I can have all of them done within the next two to three days if things work out well, a week tops. Depends if I can cull out enough time in the studio, which shouldn’t be a problem these days.”

Sean nodded in acknowledgment as the two men talked for a few minutes, discussing the logistics and Sean’s plan for this show, which was a multi-artist event with Michael as the featured artist this time. Michael was more than a little nervous and uncertain with all of the extra attention, especially as it meant that he’d actually have to attend the event and talk about his work with the patrons, but he hadn’t been able to come up with a reasonable reason for secluding himself and he finally caved to the other man’s requests. Of course, this also meant having to find a date, which made his stomach churn.

“So, I’ll call you in a couple of days and let you know where I stand,” he continued, standing as Sean rose from his seat and gathered his things to leave. Michael skirted his desk, following the other man through the door and walking slowly down the hall, his lips curving as he heard the kids talking to Liz in the background. “And we can determine a time to meet.”

“Sure thing, I have most of Thursday free, but let me know for sure what works,” Sean responded as they headed down the hall, his head coming up as they passed the playroom and he glanced in absently, opening his mouth to finish his thought as he turned away, only to halt abruptly, his jaw gaping as they fixated on a tiny brunette hunched over Miri, exclaiming in surprise. “Parker!”

“Sean!” Liz exclaimed, a broad smile slipping across her face as her head shot up, deep brown eyes twinkling at the shorter man as she dusted her hands on her jeans and stood, laughing as he strode over to her quickly and enveloped her in a tight embrace, pressing an affectionate kiss to her check. Michael followed at a more sedate pace, his eyes narrowing slightly as the other man kept the pretty brunette within the circle of his arms even when he pulled away from the tight hug, and grunted when she seemed content to stay there.

“Maria told me you were back in town and had finally dumped the brainless jock,” Sean teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he stared down at her, chuckling as she rolled her eyes and shoved him away lightly, forcing him to relinquish his hold. Coming to a standstill a couple of steps away, he smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes flitting over her in obvious appreciation, making Michael’s hackles rise, especially when the look put a subtle flush of pink in Liz’s cheeks. “You were always too good for him.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she snickered, crossing her arms over her chest, smirking at his words because she knew that he’d never really taken well to Kyle despite the marriage between Amy and the sheriff during her junior year. Shaking her head at his continued animosity toward her ex-boyfriend, she changed the subject and mentioned the gallery instead. “I keep meaning to come by and see the new place, but I’ve been busy unpacking and getting settled.”

“Well, you let me know when you can get away from this slave driver,” Sean lofted, shooting an amused glance over at Michael, who walked a few steps closer, coming to a standstill just a few inches from Liz’s back, a decidedly predatory air swirling around him that had Sean raising his brows and his mouth quirking. Flicking his gaze back to Liz, he reached up and tugged on her ponytail, as he used to do when they were in grade school, offering with an easy grin. “And I’ll give you a personal tour.”

“Sounds good,” Liz laughed, batting his hand away, her hand accidentally catching Michael across the chest and she startled, her eyes flying behind her to find the man all but looming over the top of her head. Licking her lips nervously, she rubbed her suddenly damp palms on her jeans, her breath stuttering when smoldering whiskey slid over her skin heavily before she tore her gaze away, fixing it back on to Sean with a forced grin, teasing him back in turn. “Then maybe lunch? And you can fill me in on all the girls’ hearts you’re breaking these days.”

“Nah, there’s no one that’s perked my interest lately,” Sean denied, shaking his head in the negative as he smiled at Liz sweetly, the slightly goofy expression nearly making Michael roll his eyes and scoff, his gut churning as Liz tossed him a coy disbelieving glance, blushing further and preening when Sean flirted. “Although, now that a certain beautiful brunette has come to town…I might have to change my views.”

“Charmer,” Liz drawled, gazing up at him through her lashes, her eyes dancing at his smooth, sweet words, remembering just why she had always liked Maria’s cousin. Opening her mouth to tease him right back, she halted, her heart jumping into her throat when a large palm settled on her lower back, a trickle of heat rippling through her body as one callused finger teased the sliver of skin between her shirt and jeans and just barely managed to choke out, amazed her voice sounded only somewhat shaky. “You always had a silver tongue.”

“How would you know?” Sean smirked, noting the way Michael touched her possessively and the way her eyes flared and her breath snagged as his fingers slid over her back slowly. Tapping the tip of her nose, he wasn’t surprised when she startled at the action and knew she wasn’t really paying him any mind with the other man doing his damnedest to distract her. “You never gave me the chance to practice my techniques on you. Although, you say the word…”

“Hey, didn’t you say you had a shipment showing up right about now,” Michael interrupted, clearing his throat pointedly and cocking a brow at Sean, careful to keep his face perfectly blank despite the irritation coursing through his veins. Pointing to Sean’s watch, he smirked when the man looked down and slapped his hand to his forehead, smiling at Liz apologetically.

“Oh, right, later man,” he said, walking toward the door and waving Michael off when he made to fallow him and see him to the door, then turned back to Liz with another smile and a wink. “I’ll talk to you later, Parker.”

“Bye, Sean,” Liz smiled, waving to him, desperately ignoring the hulking presence behind her as she called to him as he hurried out the door, watching his retreating back studiously to avoid the hot, nearly palpable gaze of the man behind her. “I’ll call later.”

“Friend?” Michael asked casually, as she pulled away from his hand, his eyes traveling over her frame slowly as she turned to him, her shoulders slightly hunched, hands shoved in her back pockets as she regarded him warily. She shifted onto the back of her heels unconsciously, swaying back and forth until he reached over and wrapped his hand around her arm to steady her, his breath catching as her aura touched his and snatched his hand back hastily.

“Sort of; he’s Maria’s cousin,” she replied with a shrug, edging around him, sucking in a breath when he refused to budge and their bodies brushed against one another as she headed back to the kids, electricity nearly arcing between then as she slid past, a shiver sliding over her back as whiskey-favored eyes followed her silently. This was doing nothing for her fragile control. “So, I’ve known him since I was about five.”

“Right,” Michael grunted, running a hand through his hair as he studied her silently, irritation crackling over his nerves at her retreat, the subtle flirtation and his own reaction to both. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stay away. He either had to stop doing this, or make up his damn mind and just pursue her; otherwise she was going to end up driving him crazy.

“I…uh…better get back to the children,” Liz whispered, turning to the two rapt faces watching her and their father curiously, a bright calculating gleam shining out of two pairs of far-too-familiar caramel irises. Michael watched them for a moment more, his thoughts churning before he crossed to the door and headed down the stairs. He needed to get out of there before he did something foolish.

~

Michael stood in the living room, watching the twins as they quietly discussed something, their eyes meeting every so often in a shared communication that reminded him a lot of Tess and himself at that age and he arched a brow, making a mental note to keep an eye on them. Running his hand through his hair, he sunk into thought, mulling over his reaction to Sean and Liz flirting, remembering all too well how much the other man hovered over the two girls when they were younger.

Back then, he figured it was just the man’s natural protectiveness and watching out for the two girls as he watched out for Isabel and Tess. But now he had to wonder how much had been concern for their well-being and how much had been genuine interest for the petite brunette. A flare of irritation crackled inside at the last thought, making his blood heat and he frowned, shaking his head at his reaction before squelching the aggravating thoughts and turned his attention to his curiously silent children, smiling to see them watching him, their expressions so like Isabel it made his heart ache.

She had always seemed to know when he was worried or upset with an instinct that often made him uneasy since it was not always due to her empathic powers, but also her deep-seeded knowledge of their past as well as understanding of him. She had been the one person he could never hide from; even Tess, his natural twin in their past life, didn’t get him the way Isabel did. And he still missed his wife with an aching ferocity.

Their’s had never been a deeply passionate love, but one born of being in each other’s sphere all of their lives, both here and on Antar, which is why Khivar had managed to weasel his way into her heart. He didn’t begrudge her the love she felt for the other man, but hated the way Khivar preyed on her innocence and the sheltered life she had lead until he came along; something he and Zan were just as much at fault for as her parents.

Vilondra, while extremely intelligent, had spent most of her life surrounded by guards and had been sheltered to the harsher aspects of life, unlike Isabel, and that naïveté, compounded with Khivar’s charismatic abilities had dulled her senses to the evil that lurked in his soul. Luckily, the small splice of Earthling DNA in their own make-up had dulled his affect on Isabel and Khivar’s powers had no affect on her whatsoever, no matter how naturally charming the man was; it proved to be her downfall too, as that immunity enraged Khivar and he slew her.

He should have killed the bastard then, had wanted to and would have if Larek and others hadn’t pulled him off of the man before he could administer the death blow, having beaten the man near an inch to death in fogged rage when he’d seen Isabel’s broken body. He hadn’t deserved the sentence that the federation council had handed down and for along time, he refused to have anything to do with the Council of Advisors because of that betrayal, Larek in particular. He should have had the right to end Khivar’s life.

This time around, his enemy wouldn’t fare so well.

“Dad?” Zan queried hesitantly, his soft voice drawing him out of his troublesome thoughts and Michael’s head flew up, his face softening in the wake of his son’s confusion, a wide smile spreading over his face. They were his joy and he would be damned if anyone harmed them; he would see Khivar down into hell himself before he allowed it.

“So how about pizza tonight?” Michael asked, his glance flicking between his two children, his grin broadening and finally seeping into his worried eyes as the shadows lifted from their faces and they let out a little squeal, nodding their heads emphatically.

“No ordering!” Miri commanded, her brow furrowing slightly as she considered it, her fingers twirling her hair absently as she looked at Zan askance and he bobbed his head in agreement, before she turned back to her father, her bow-shaped mouth twitching in disgust as she thought of the bland pizza when they ordered.

“Hmmmm, I don’t know. It’s a lot of work to make it,” Michael mused, his eyes filling with a gentle, amused light as he scrubbed his hand over his jaw thoughtfully, the two-days scruff tickling his hand as he tossed back teasingly, all the while knowing he was in complete agreement with ordering out. “Easier to order it.”

“No. The other pizza is icky,” Miri shook her head vehemently, her dark-blond ponytail swaying with the agitated movement as she sat up and crossed her arms over her chest, fixing her father with a feigned scowl as she knew all too well that he was merely playing out a game they’d played often, failing miserably when her face broke into a sunny smile.

“I suppose…but I’ll need a couple of helpers,” Michael hedged, shoving his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels as he tipped his head and threw a sly glance over both of them, fighting to hold onto a placid façade, all the while laughing on the inside at his daughter countenance as he queried. “Know of any place I can find them?”

“We’ll do it, daddy!” Zan piped up, hopping to his feet and running over to stand at Michael’s feet, tipping his head back with a determined, toothy grin, his shining, dark whiskey eyes gleaming with resolve and regarded Michael seriously, drawing a smile of appreciation from his father at how alike he was to Isabel in that manner.

“Sure you can handle it?” Michael asked skeptically, staring down into his son’s serious face, his heart catching at the rush of tenderness and love that suffused it and desperately wished that Isabel had lived to see these wonderful, if slightly mischievous, beings they had created together. Swallowing thickly, his heart panged and he smiled at those far too observant eyes and ruffled sandy brown hair.

“Yup, we do it,” Zan nodded affirmatively, crossing his hands over his chest as Miri, who had been suspiciously quiet up until that moment, bounced to her feet and all but skipped over and stood next to her brother, her little body nearly vibrating with energy; although stand, wasn’t precisely the right word Michael mused as he watched his daughter hop from foot to foot in excitement.

“Okay, but I expect you to pull your weight,” Michael conceded with a smile, turning around and walking towards the kitchen with Miri following at a cheerful clip while Zan brought in the rear at a more sedate pace. “No slacking”

“With our special sauce too!” Miri chirped as they entered the kitchen, pulling out the small step stools their dad had purchased for this occasion and dragged them over to the counter so they could wash their hands and then help under their father’s watchful eyes, as Michael pulled out the dough he had set to rise the night before.

“I’ll make the special sauce,” Michael agreed, grabbing out the sauce and a bottle of Tabasco, pouring it into the pot on the stove and adding half a bottle of the fiery liquid to the pre-made sauce and setting it to simmer while they worked on the other parts of the pizza, startling when he heard the front door open and close. Brow furrowed, his eyes widened slightly as his sister hurried in as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels, a strained smile on her lips and swallowed a knowing laugh.

Only one person could put that light in his sister’s eyes.

“Hello my angels,” Tess greeted, her eyes filling with delight and her smile warming as they lit on her niece and nephew, bending down to wrap her arms around the two blond imps running towards her, throwing her brother an amused glance as he grunted at her nickname for the two before she clambered up and let them get back to setting up the counter.

“Didn’t expect you tonight,” Michael commented as he stirred the sauce, glancing over his shoulder at his slightly flustered twin, smirking when she threw him a harassed glance and set her purse and jacket down on one of the chairs before walking over and leaning against the counter. “I thought Max was going to come over.”

“Something…came up,” she hedged, running a hand over loose blond waves, her eyes averting from her brother’s far too observant gaze as she fidgeted quietly before her eyes lowered to the counter where she toyed with the edging of a stack of placemats, huffing when Michael chuckled under his breath.

“You can’t avoid him forever,” Michael observed, tossing a pointed look towards the petite blond as he turned off the stove off and picked up a towel to wipe his hands as he turned towards the refrigerator and grabbed out the sausage he cooked the day before and handed the bag to the twins, allowing them to pour it into a shallow bowl, snorting at the irritated blue gaze flicked his way. “Just saying. He’s around all the time.”

“I’m aware of that,” Tess huffed, picking up a piece of sausage and popping it in her mouth as she stared at the wall blankly, her thoughts churning a mile a minute as she recalled Max showing up at the restaurant today during her lunch hour and her putting him off once again, saying she had something to do tonight. “But I don’t have an answer and I can’t…think about it, if he’s hovering all the time.”

“Fair enough,” Michael conceded, not wanting to push his sister when she was in a defensive mood, knowing far too well what she was like when riled. Meeting her eyes, he nodded to the counter where the twins were pulling out pepperoni and Canadian ham from their packages as he opened the small can of sliced olives and another of pineapple, dumping them into bowls. “Pizza okay with you?”

“Sure,” Tess shrugged, a grateful smile slipping over her lips when he let her out of the hot seat and she pushed off the counter, entering the kitchen, grabbing the two bowls from Michael and setting them on the counter in front of the twins piles of toppings. Turning around, she scrunched her nose in distaste as he pulled a carton out of the fridge, shuddering as she stared at the contents. “No mushrooms.”

“Ugh, gross, mushrooms,” Miri groused, sending the offending objects a disgusted grimace, her lips turning down as she watched her father clean the mushrooms before setting them onto the cutting board and patting them dry, making a little disdainful sniff of her nose. “They smell like feet and are slimy and…gross.”

“I remember someone else saying something similar,” Michael snorted, walking over to the counter by the stove to grab the dough and setting it on the kitchen island before grabbing the flour canister and a rolling pin and setting them nearby.

“I knew that girl took after the good side of the gene pool!” Tess chortled, tugging on Miri’s ponytail affectionately, grinning at the girl as she headed over to wash her hands and laughed at Michael’s indignant grunt at her words, walking over to the island to study the dough. “Why don’t we just make individual ones? Then everyone can have what they want.”

“Would you do the honors?” Michael nodded, agreeing with her assessment at the individual pizzas as he began to the slice the mushrooms for his and Zan’s pizzas, watching as Tess cut away a piece of the dough and threw down some flour onto the counter and began rolling it out. “Just make mine…”

“Double the size,” she cut off with a rueful grin, flicking her twin a mocking glance, as she stretched the dough. “Yes, I know your bottomless pit of a stomach.” She snickered at his quelling glance before turning toward where her niece and nephew waited patiently for them to finish the preparations for the pizza. “So what did you learn in class today?”

“We learned about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly,” Zan piped up, snuggling into Tess’s side as she came up and purred as she snuggled him back, setting a pizza round in front of Miri, as Tess knew her to be the more impatient of the two. “And how it makes a cris…chris…the thing that changes them.”

“Chrysalis?” Tess provided, looking down at the counter, and noticing two important ingredients missing, walked to the fridge to pull out a large package of shredded cheese and set it onto the counter in front of Miri before grabbing a bowl out of the cupboard. Pouring some of the sauce into it, she set it before her niece, allowing her to get a start on building her pizza since most of her favorite toppings were ready to go.

“Yeah, that,” Miri nodded as Tess helped her spread the sauce onto her dough before walking back to the counter to roll out Zan’s round, grinning as her father set the now sliced mushrooms and peppers on the counter with the rest of their toppings, then set about helping her layer her favorites – extra cheese, ham, sausage, pineapple and peppers.

“Next week we are going to find some for a science project,” Zan continued, nodding when Tess came up to him with his dough, again helping with sauce before she let him choose his own toppings – lighter on the cheese with sausage, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms and peppers – with string cheese rolled into the crust. “Going to make a picnic and look for a couple.”

“That sounds like fun,” Tess replied cheerfully, grabbing a cookie pan and spraying it down with spray before she set it onto the counter before the twins for hers and Michael’s pizzas before going back to rolling out the dough while Michael helped them put on the finishing touches to their pizzas.

“Yeah, you going to be at the meetings?” Zan asked, turning towards his aunt as she rolled out the dough for his dad, catching Miri’s eye for a moment and nodding at her impatient glance, knowing this would be the appropriate time for them implement their earlier plan to get their father and teacher together.

“Yeah, Uncle Max and I will be gone most of next week, why?” Tess asked, her head popping up curiously, eyeing the small boy and detecting the subtle communication between the twins as her gaze bounced between the two, her instincts telling her there was more to the question than the boy was revealing.

“Oh, wanted you to go with us,” Zan said, looking down at his feet and scuffing them slightly, hiding the calculating gleam in his eyes before looking over at his dad’s back for a brief moment, squirming under his aunt’s assessing gaze as his father’s head popped up in surprise. “Maybe daddy can come.”

‘And they say I sneaky.’ Miri chortled through their mental link, a slow sly smile slipping over her face as she watched her dad turn with their pizzas, a frown marring his face as he walked towards the oven and slid the cookie sheet into the oven, busying himself with setting the timer, as he replied. “Oh, I don’t know, I’ll have to see if I can get away…”

“You should, Michael,” Tess smiled, amused as she figured out what was going on and finding it hysterical that the scheming kids were trying to set up their dad and teacher. Normally she wouldn’t encourage it, but she knew that Michael had always had a soft spot for the brunette and maybe the woman would draw him out of his shell. Repressing a snort as her brother shot her a harassed glance at that thought, she fixed the twins with a pointed look and cocked a brow as she said. “Just to make sure nothing ‘unusual’ happens.”

“Please daddy?” Miri begged, pinning her dad with her best puppy dog eyes, nearly drawing a chuckle from her aunt with her act and scrunched her nose delicately as she shuddered comically, her lips curling into a moue of disgust as she waved her hands in emphasis. “Bugs is so yucky.”

“Um, okay, let me talk to Liz and find out when we can go,” Michael replied, sending Tess an exasperated smile when she made a small choking sound and scratched at his brow, groaning internally at the thought of being that close to Liz, missing the amused light in Tess’s eyes as she ducked her head. Maybe he could get some sketching in.

“Yay!” Miri squealed, throwing her arms around Michael as he walked up to her and Zan again, squeezing him excitedly as she exchanged a victorious grin with her twin, her mind already coming up with the next part of her scheme as she snuggled into her father’s arms happily. “Thanks daddy”

~*~

“It took you long enough to get here,” a non-descript man sneered, his steely voice filling the canyon around him and his companion, dark brown hair dipping over blunt, unrefined features, his light brown eyes chilling and a cold smile slipping over his face as the other man stepped out of his transport. Swallowing a smirk when the handsome blond man tossed him a disdainful look, he sunk one hand into his pocket while he studied the nails of the other in an obvious sign of dismissal. They both knew who held the real power despite his lofty title and pretty face.

“I have a part to play,” the Advisor retorted, sliding up to the man that could have been just anyone in a crowd if it weren’t for the aura of power and charisma that wafted around him like a second skin, making people stand up and take notice despite his unimpressive appearance. He still couldn’t figure out how he managed to garner the eye of the beautiful, sheltered Vilondra, unless he’d enhanced his charismatic powers and suppressed her natural reserve. “And I play it well, which is why I’m still in place, why Zan and Rath accept me at face value and you’re free, so I’d be careful, Khivar.”

“I’d also watch myself, if I were you,” Khivar replied silkily, his eyes icing further, voice controlled and chilly as he addressed the traitor, smirking when the other man frowned, displeasure flickering in his dark green eyes before he quelled it. He knew he didn’t like to be reminded that he was only in such a high position because of Khivar’s abilities. “Don’t forget who put you into their sphere. Without my charming the lovely Vilondra, and suppressing her natural empathic nature, you never would have slipped so effortlessly past their tests.”

“I am well aware of that,” the Advisor replied tightly, his lips thinning, eyes flashing with temper as he stared at Khivar, clenching and unclenching his hands as he tamped down the lingering resentment at being the other man’s puppet and always at his beck and call. If it weren’t for the fact that Khivar held pivotal information on him and his family, he would have left the man to rot in jail and enjoyed the fruits of his position. But Khivar knew far too much about his involvement in the downfall of the Antarian monarchy and had set up steel-clad measures that would harm not only him, but the entirety of his planet if harm came to the odious man.

“Good,” Khivar stated coldly, turning his back to the other man, unconcerned that he’d attempt to strike him down as he held all the cards in the partnership and focused his mind onto other things; like the sniveling brats that came back from Earth and brought an end to his reign of terror, squelching his attempt to take over the rest of the federation. Rath and Zan would pay dearly for his downfall and subsequent imprisonment, especially Rath for nearly beating him to death. He couldn’t wait to see the life draining from their eyes. And then he’d make the lovely Ava his slave. “What is the situation on Earth?”

“They are aware of your escape, but have no idea of my involvement, of course,” the Advisor responded, watching as murky brown eyes lost their icy coolness and a bright, fanatical light erupted in them, his mouth twisting in derision as Khivar fixed him with a mocking glance. Gritting his teeth, the advisor continued, his voice strained as tension filled his form. “But they are on alert. Only the top ranks have that information.”

“I knew that would be the case,” Khivar shrugged in acknowledgment, knowing full well that his easy escape would inevitably stir things up again and put the Royal House of Antar on the defensive. “Rath and Zan are far from stupid; what are my prospects?”

“I can’t let you use the transport,” the Advisor stated, holding his hand up and shaking his head when the dark-haired man spun around, his eyes icing over as he opened his mouth to comment. “No hear me out. Right now, I’m in the best position to help you and keep you informed of their movements. If I give you access, they will know instantly, as there are only five people with those codes.”

“Continue,” Khivar nodded in acknowledgment, knowing the man spoke truth, even as a trickle of rage at being put off rippled over his nerves and he drew a deep breath to quell the rage seeping like poison through his veins. Acting rashly meant potentially making a mistake as he did when he stole the cloned Vilondra, thinking he could manipulate her as he had the first time around. He had paid dearly for his cockiness.

“I can leave you access to one of the best ships,” the Advisor continued, drawing him out of his thoughts. “You will supposedly hijack it, but it will be filled with those sympathetic to our cause. It will take a few months, but, it’s our best bet and the lapse in time would soften their guard, make them less vigilant and easier to sneak up on now that Vilondra is gone and you can’t play on her lingering feelings.”

“It’s annoying but workable,” Khivar mulled, pushing back the impatience to be done with the continuing thorns in his side to focus on what needed to be done. “Get me the ship. Quickly, I’m most anxious to get my hands on the remaining royal family and watch their blood run through my fingers, just as I did with that simpering Lonnie. Such a shame she wouldn’t break to my will this time. Smart of them to combine a little Earthling DNA into them so they could resist my charisma. It will make things slightly more difficult, but I always did love a challenge.”

“Of course,” the Advisor responded quietly, studying the other man with barely veiled contempt before turning slowly and heading back to his waiting transport, tossing over his shoulder as he started to walk away. “I will inform you once everything is in place.”

“Good,” Khivar murmured, nodding absently to himself as he calculated the best way to take care of his little problems, cold, dark eyes flicking over the retreating man. He would have to do away with that little mess as well when he was no longer needed. Smirking he called out to the other man, his lips curling evilly when green eyes rested on him once more, his throat convulsing slightly as he threatened. “And Advisor, just remember, this ‘usefulness’ is the only reason I keep you alive. Don’t push me.”