War of Wits... (Mi/L, UC, Teen) 9/9/10 complete

[Ashita]

Title: War of Wits: The Battle for Roswell; Forbidden Dreams Series
Disclaimer: The characters and concepts of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and 20th Century Fox.
Pairings: Michael/Liz, Rath/Maria, Isabel/Kyle; Max/Ava
Category: Family/Comedy
Rating: Child I believe, but we'll say Teen just to be safe. (I know me write a child piece? Had to happen at some point. I can't wallow in the sewer all the time.)
Summary: The children (and adults) battle for the right to rule the roost. Characters based on the Forbidden Dreams Universe. Takes place about 10-11 years after Thanksgiving Blessings and Arms Wide Open.

AN: This story was written for the Vilondra Project Summer Challenge on Roswell Heaven and won Funniest Fiction and was Runner-up for Best Over All Fiction. Thanks to Whims for the title!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Battle Stations

“Ow, stop pushing,” Hal whispered to his sister, rubbing the long red scratch developing on his arm. Pushing his hair back from his face, he glared at his younger sibling balefully and nudged her away from him.

“I wasn’t pushing,” Nikki rolled her eyes, reaching around him to grab their readied ammunition and stored them into the ratty, old pillowcases she’d confiscated, knowing that if their mom caught her using these bed linens, she was less likely to get angry.

“Were too,” The eight-year-old boy argued, handing his sister a couple more bombs he made and rolled his own eyes at her denial.

“Was not,” the seven-year-old retorted quietly, purposely nudging her brother this time, just to give him something real to whine about as she grabbed the remaining loot and dividing between two of the pillowcases in front of her.

“Were too,” he whined again, grabbing another pack of goods as he shoved his sister back, knowing full well that was asking for trouble given her fiery temperament.

“Will you shut up?” Claudia hissed, staring at her siblings balefully, scratching her brow in agitation as she scanned the surrounding area. She was pretty sure she had marked the enemy camp, but it wouldn’t do any good to rush into these things. Her cousins would give themselves away eventually. “You’re going to give us away before we’re ready. God, I don’t know why I put with you. I should have asked Asheley to be on my team. At least she barely speaks.”

“S’against the rules,” Hal retorted, glaring at his elder sister before crawling over to his station and continued making water balloons, insulted that she’d prefer the help of their three-year-old sister to him and Nikki. “No babies allowed.”

“Then shut up and let me concentrate,” the ten-year-old snapped, sliding an irritated glance over her brother before turning her attention back to the bushes around them. She was pretty sure she saw movement kiddy corner to them, but couldn’t be certain. Well, they’d find out soon once they implemented her plan. “How are we doing? I want to move out before Zan, Mick and Carrie get too cocky.”

“Almost there,” Hal affirmed, quickly filling and tying off the rest of the balloons before handing them to his sister and helping her distribute them between their packs. Meeting Claudia’s eyes, he grinned mischievously and gave a mock salute, making the girl roll her eyes as he quipped, “Good to go, General.”

“All right, Operation Water Works commencing,” Claudia murmured, fixing her siblings with a sly grin as they grabbed their loot and crept up to the bushes. Nodding slightly, the three of them rolled onto their their feet and slowly rose.

Three little dark-blond heads popped up from the shrubbery, caramel eyes fixated on the bushes in front of them, now perfectly sober and determined. The water war had become a family tradition over the past two Fourth of July’s and they were the reigning champions mostly due Claudia’s practical and devious mind.

And they weren’t about to lose this one.

Even revealing their location was a carefully planned, strategic move in order to lull the enemy into complacency and trick them into giving up their own location.

“Jackpot, baby!” Claudia exclaimed softly, three identical smirks flashing across dirt-smudged faces as the siblings heard a giggle and a slight rustling of branches, outing their cousins as they dropped back down and carefully snuck out of their hiding space without a sound.

~

“Clever,” Michael murmured quietly from his perch at the barbecue, smirking as his kids snuck away, circling around to come up behind their unsuspecting cousins and shook his head in amusement. “Very clever moppet.”

“What’s clever?” Liz asked as she came up behind him, snaking an arm around his waist and pressing a soft kiss on his mouth as he dipped his head towards her. He hummed with pleasure as her mouth opened under his and he deepened the kiss, still amazed that after all these years she had the power to make his heart thrum wildly.

“Claudia’s strategy for this particular war,” he replied as he pulled away, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and grinned at her slightly dazed expression. He loved knowing he had the same affect on her as well. Stroking her cheek, he pressed a fervent kiss to her lips once more before turning back to the grill.

“Well her daddy was a brilliant warlord on his planet,” Liz rasped, smiling at her husband of almost twelve years ruefully, momentarily distracted from the reason she came over to the declared no-women zone in the first place. “It’s only natural that she’d inherit some his deviousness.”

“So what’s Rath’s kids excuse?” he snorted, flicking an wicked glance over at his twin, knowing that he and the midget could hear him despite their supposed fixation on the baseball game. He snickered as his brother flicked him an annoyed look before flipping him off and going back to the game.

“He’s not as clever as you baby,” Liz smirked, sending a teasing glance over at her brother-in-law and laughing when his brow furrowed further, but he didn’t dare make any rude gestures that time knowing the world of pain he’d be in not only from Liz but his own wife as well.

“I’s heard that!” Rath grimaced, sending the giggling brunette a disapproving moue, his eyes flickering with indignation and huffed when the other guys laughed at his expense.

“What? Truth hurt, Deluca?’ Michael snarked, putting emphasis on the other man’s last name since he knew his twin was still a little sensitive over taking his wife’s last name. But it just seemed to make sense to them that they use the name Deluca since Rath hadn’t been ‘born’ with a last name. Said it made him look like an enlightened man. Yeah, right.

Snickering as Rath scowled further and slumped into his chair, Michael turned back to his wife with smile and cocked his brow, asking obnoxiously, “What are you doing over here anyway? No one touches the grill but me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to steal your fire, caveman,” Liz sniggered, rolling her eyes derisively as she recalled her reason for breaching the testosterone tank and risked getting poisoned. “I was just bringing the kids hot dogs over so you can char them up. ”

“Good, the barbecue is no place for a woman,” he nodded self-importantly, puffing up his chest in mock arrogance and grinned when Liz fixed him with a droll smile, cocking her own brow at him in warning. “That’s why they call it ‘manning’ the grill.”

“There are men here?” she asked, her brow furrowing in mock confusion as she looked around curiously, before fixing him with a sweet smile, snarking over her shoulder as she sauntered back to Isabel and Maria. “Huh, didn’t see any, but then again I don’t know how anyone could see anything through this testosterone fog.”

“Watch it, woman, or you’ll pay for that later!” he called heatedly to her retreating back, licking his lips in anticipation and leering at the sinuous roll of her hips before turning back to his grill with a grunt and a snicker as she responded sassily, “Counting on it, Guerin!”

Damn…he walked right into that one and she couldn’t resist going in for the kill, the little vixen. Did he mention how much he loved his wife? She always kept him on his toes. He had no idea what he’d done to deserve her or how she managed to put up with him, but he wasn’t going to question it. Maybe tonight was a good night to start on baby number five. He wondered if he could con the guys into taking the brats for the night.

~

“Okay, so you take the left flank, Hal, and you take the right, Nikki,” Claudia murmured as they hovered near their cousins hiding place, marking out her war schematic in the dirt with a stick. Flicking a glance towards the brush in front of them warily, she smiled when it became obvious that her cousins hadn’t a clue they had moved. “I’ll come up the middle. We’ll attack and draw them from their hiding place and after a few minutes of bombardment, pretend to retreat.”

“At that point, I will run ahead to set the secret weapon while you and Nikki continue to bombard them with water balloons to distract them,” Hal continued, picking up where his sister left off, nodding his head gravely and looked up at Nikki with a frown. “Although, I don’t see why we can’t send, Bug to do it. I’m a better shot.”

“Because she doesn’t have control over her powers yet,” Claudia answered absently, arranging her pack for easy access before flicking a look over her shoulders at Hal and Nikki. “The last thing we need is to have the trees explode instead of the water trough releasing.”

“Sheesh, you set one tiny, little fire and they never let you live it down,” Nikki muttered under her breath, fixing her siblings with a fiery glare as she slung her pack over her shoulder.

“Little fire?” Hal snorted incredulously, looking at his sister as if she had suddenly grown another head. “Dad said that you icider…in-sin-ur…that the bush was nothing but ashes when you got done with it, Bug.”

“It got in my way,” she claimed indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest and stuck out her bottom lip petulantly. “I was trying to zap Zan because he changed my Barbie’s hair to blue but he moved and I hit the bush instead.”

“Good thing it got in your way,” Claudia quipped dryly as she wrapped a hand around her sister’s shoulders, tweaking one of her curly, blond pigtails. “Somehow I don’t think Aunt Maria or Uncle Rath would be very happy if you incinerated their son. Besides, you got even with him later.”

“Yeah, that was funny,” Hal snickered as he recalled his cousin waking up with blue skin and green hair and thinking it was some sort of latent alien quirk manifesting. His scream of sheer terror woke up the entire household. It had taken their uncle nearly an hour to stop laughing long enough to actually help him change his hair and skin back to their natural golden tones. “He never lived that one down.”

“As I was saying, we’ll lead them your way Hal and then unleash the secret weapon,” Claudia said, getting her snickering siblings back on track, grinning at their nods of compliance as they reached into their bags. “Ready? Charge!”

Letting out a battle cry, the three siblings yanked a super-soaker out of each of their bags and ran towards the bushes full out, spraying their cousins in the back, drenching them with a little boost of their powers before they even knew what hit them.

~

“Oh, sounds like the battle has commenced,” Isabel snickered as outraged screams of ‘not fair’ filled the air and couldn’t wait to see what damage her brother’s hellions wrecked upon Rath and Maria’s kids this time. Looking over at her Di, she smiled as the thirteen-year-old grimaced and rolled her eyes, going back to sunning herself and reading the latest teen magazine.

It wasn’t that long ago she was out there raising hell with the others, but now that she was soon to be a freshman at West Roswell High, she’d decided that she was too old for “such childish antics.” Sighing, her heart twinged knowing her baby was growing up. At least she still had Jimmy for a couple more years. He was going to be disappointed he’d missed the battle, but spending the week at Max and Ava’s new cabin boarding the lake in Frasier Woods held too much allure.

“Yeah, Claudia has been planning for the past month, calling meetings with Hal and Nikki and the whole bit,” Liz laughed, smiling at her sister-in-law and shaking her head ruefully as she set the picnic table, her sable eyes sparkling with mirth. “You’d think they were planning World War III with the seriousness they applied to this battle.”

“Knowing your hellions, chica, it probably is tantamount to World War III judging by the screams coming from the thicket,” Maria muttered, shifting uncomfortably in the July heat. Damn Rath. He just had to make sure she was nearly eight-months pregnant during the hottest time of the year. If she had any energy and could actually see her feet, she’d kick his ass. “I’m almost dreading the carnage when they get back from their sojourn.”

“You know, I’d be offended at that comment, if I didn’t know you were right,” Liz snickered, tossing her friend a commiserating smile, remembering when she was pregnant with Asheley during the height of summer. Michael barely survived that last month and only love had kept the man alive when she went into labor on the hottest day of the year.

“Of course, I’m right,” Maria smirked tiredly, rubbing her belly and pressing her glass of lemonade to her temple, sighing when the cool, refreshing drops of condensation slid off the glass and over her cheek, ignoring her friends snorts. “I’m always right.”

“Hey babes, can I’s do anything?” Rath called, careful to keep himself out of zapping distance since his wife’s powers were a little wonky at the time and he wasn’t looking to get electrocuted for the second time today. God, if his family could only see him now – terrified of a slip of a girl. When had he turned into such a pussy?

“Yeah, next time you have the kid,” she griped, shifting once more as her back protested and ached. Stretching out her legs onto the lounge, she sent her husband an aggrieved glare and would have laughed at the worry pinching his brow if she wasn’t so damn uncomfortable. God, she hoped the baby wasn’t going to come today. Actually, she did hope it came today – she was so over being pregnant.

“Uh…I’s don’t think I can,” he stammered, paling at the thought and walking over to Maria, motioning for her to sit up. Sliding behind her, he pulled her against his chest and rubbed her belly and hips, sending a faint flow of power over her muscles to relieve the tension and pain, smiling down into her face as she sent him a grateful smile.

“Wimp,” she teased lightly, resting her head in the hollow of his neck and closed her eyes, humming with pleasure as his hands kneaded the knots out of her body.

“Dude, you are so pussy-whipped,” Michael snorted, kissing Liz lightly on the mouth before turning to an equally smirking Kyle as he nodded to his twin, shaking his head in amusement. He never thought he’d see the day.

“Stuff it, Spaceboy,” Maria snapped sleepily, answering for her husband. This was the first time she had felt comfortable all day and if he disrupted it, he was going to get more than an ass kicking. “If he disturbs me to go after you, I will zap you both and those thoughts of trying for kid number five tonight will be nothing more than a dream.”

Paling visibly, Michael swallowed harshly as he covered himself instinctively and looked at his wife, grinning sheepishly when she cocked a brow at him since they hadn’t actually discussed having another child yet. Actually, he hadn’t said anything about that to anyone. “Wait, what did you just say?”

[Ashita]

Thanks Barbara and K! Glad you like my little family holiday fic. I wanted do something funny and light-hearted for the challenge. And the cool thing is that it was nominated another award on RH, the Heart of Mine Orbit for Best UC fiction. So, I'm tickled about that as well. Hope you both enjoy the next part!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Locked and Loaded

“Retreat!” Claudia ordered, fixing her brother with a sly glance as she started running backwards, covering him so he could run on ahead, tossing her super-soaker to the side and reached into her bag for the first of the water balloons as her cousins scrambled out of the bushes, lobbing balloons blindly under Nikki’s stream of water.

Hal smirked, saluting her as he quickly pushed his way through the thicket and ran down the path through the trees while his cousins were occupied with the first assault. Breaking through the trees, he ran full tilt over the rocky, dirt path, crying out slightly when some loose gravel slid underfoot and he flinched unconsciously as his foot skidded slightly, nearly taking him to the ground.

Catching himself at the last minute, he continued his hurried trek to their fortress and the trough of water they had rigged and tested earlier this morning, before refilling it and hefting up the sack of dirt and leaves meant to follow his cousins impromptu shower. That last bit had been all his idea, knowing how picky Zan was about his hair and how much Carrie hated getting dirty. Mick…well nothing really bothered Mick. He would wallow in mud happily.

Snickering, he slipped into the little natural cave, the entrance hidden by some threadleaf sage, it’s airy evergreen branches effectively blocking the three-foot opening. Even their parents weren’t aware of the narrow fissure in the ground that lead to a couple of underground caves they’d set up as their little hide away. And with a little alien magic, it was easy to set up an invisible barrier to keep the wild animals at bay.

Slipping into place, he waited quietly, his shoulders tensing and ears alert as he heard telltale screams and cries coming up the path, keeping his eyes peeled on the rise, the faint pounding of sneakered feet rising as Nikki’s head popped into view. Meeting his eyes, she smirked before turning back to their cousins and changing the molecular structure of the water in the balloon, lobbed it, smacking Mick in the middle of his chest, pink sludge oozing over his neck and shirt.

Giving an outraged cry, Mick lobbed another back, barely missing his sister and the balloon crashed to the ground, splattering her legs with small spots of purple goo. Grinning evilly, Hal touched the rope to the trough and scrunched his face up in fierce concentration, envisioning the water turning into hot pink slime and the bag filling with silver glitter and gold sequins. He didn’t know if it’d work, but it was worth a try.

Catching Nikki and Claudia’s eyes, he nodded to them and assured them that everything was in place, watching as they lead their unsuspecting cousins further down the path, stopping at a predetermined point to make a final stand. Or so their cousins thought. Bright flashes of sludge splattered against the ground and human…alien…hybrid as Zan, Mick and Carrie grew bolder, slowly creeping up on Nikki and Claudia, all of them forgetting the rules of the game in their desperate effort to best the other. Lobbing the last of the balloons and his cousins cheered as thick goo covered the front of his siblings’ clothing thinking they were beat.

If they only knew.

Snickering, Claudia just watched them with smug satisfaction until they grew slightly uneasy and then gave a wave of her hand, signaling to Hal to release the trap and he gave a quick burst of powers, tipping the trough and hot pink ooze drenched the three unfortunate cousins thoroughly, sliding over their skin in thick, slimy ropes and clumped to their hair in blobs.

Laughing hysterically at their outraged cries, Claudia pointed her finger at the bag, slashing it open and giggled harder when she saw the shiny rain of material pouring out to settle on the three, flashing Hal a thumbs up. They really upped the ante this year. Next year was going to be even more difficult to plan now that they had broken the no alien powers rule. Smirking, she cocked a brow and crossed her arms over her chest, taunting.

“Ready to negotiate the terms of your surrender?”

~

“I said, I’ll zap you if Rath moves,” Maria replied crankily, shifting her body once more as her side stitched and she closed her eyes, rubbing her belly to soothe the slight ache. Opening her eyes, she bit her lip as a slight ache rippled through her back and stomach and she had a feeling that tonight was the night.

“Not that, after,” Michael replied warily, his brow pinched with confusion as he looked around at the others and shrugged, indicating how he had no idea how she knew that information while studiously avoiding Liz’s interested gaze.

“I said that baby number five will be a distant memory if…” Maria bit out impatiently, raising her head to see Michael watching her strangely and sighed, running a hand through her hair wearily as the ache passed. “I did it again didn’t I?”

“I’d say so babes, judging by theys looks,” Rath murmured, watching her like a hawk, knowing something was going on since she was actively blocking their connection and he didn’t think it was because she was trying to keep from reading the others thoughts.

“Oh, um yeah…I’ve developed this new power to…um…read thoughts,” Maria muttered, squirming under her husband’s intense scrutiny and knowing it was only a matter of time before he figured it out, but she didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily if it were a false alarm. “We’re not sure if its one of mine or the baby’s yet. Usually I can block it unless I’m tired.”

“So are we going to have to watch what we say from now on?” Isabel asked cautiously, her brow cocking as her words drew Maria from her internal thoughts and she smiled at them all tiredly, waving it off with a listless flick of her hand.

“Nah, like I said, I can block it if it’s me,” Maria reassured, shifting again, tipping her head up to Rath and smiling at his suspicious expression. No matter how much time went by, he still had that slight edge to him and his instincts must be going into overdrive right now. “If it’s the baby, well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

“Um, ok” Liz nodded, watching her friend as well and guessing that there was more going on than she let on. Flicking her gaze to Isabel, the two women exchanged a knowing glance and nodded quietly, before looking back at their friend, with a slight smile. “Anything else we need to know?”

“Nope, everything is going according to schedule,” Maria quipped with veiled innuendo, knowing the game was up, at least with the women. The men on the other hand had blithely missed the whole silent exchange. Just as well, no need to have them fretting and hovering when it was still the early stages.

“Well, then we’ll address the mind reading thing after the baby’s born,” Michael concluded, nodding his head as he watched Liz closely, wondering what the look between her, Isabel and Maria meant. Exchanging a look with Kyle, they glanced at Rath, who nodded silently; he had seen it too.

Rath rubbed Maria’s belly slightly, cocking a brow and they all exchanged an amused grin. As if they didn’t know exactly what was happening with their women at all times. They just let the girls think they were clueless about certain things knowing they had their reasons for being secretive and as long as it wasn’t a matter of life or death, they willingly indulged it.

Turning back to Liz, he saw a smile hovering on her lips as they shared a small knowing look as he wrapped an arm around her and cupped her cheek, dipping down to place a sweet, slow kiss on her upturned mouth. Pulling back, he pressed his lips to her temple lightly before meeting her dancing eyes and smirked when her thoughts entered his head.

‘Baby number five?’ she lofted, raising her eyebrows, a sexy little smirk stealing across her face as she entwined her fingers with his and tipped her head back to watch him through her lashes, the teasing glance making his heart beat faster. ‘So were you planning to fill me in on the plan before or after you impregnated me?’

‘I would have talked to you,’ he murmured as he moved to the bench, straddling the wooden slat, a leg on each side as he drew her over to sit between his legs and hummed in satisfaction when she leaned into his body as he rest his hands on her thighs.

‘Uh huh…’ she snorted, disbelief evident in her mental tone as she settled her arms against his thighs as well, reclining against his body despite the heat. She reveled in the connection she has shared with him for over sixteen years.

‘Later tonight…much later tonight…’ he whispered seductively, grinning at her knowing glance unrepentantly as he dropped a quick kiss on her neck, nuzzling the lobe of her ear with the tip of his nose and sighed when she tipped her head, brushing her lips over his.

'Yeah, that’s what I thought, you horndog,’ she teased softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement as they met his mischievous gaze, leaning her head against his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her waist.

‘Says the woman who attacked me this morning before the kids got up,’ he teased right back, dropping his head on top of her head with a smirk and closing his eyes as their energies pressed against each other.

‘Well, you know…’ she laughed, her cheeks flushing slightly as their auras touched and she felt his heart thrum with hers, a ripple of knowledge bubbling through them both as they were far too aware of the other. At one time it’d been annoying, but now it was comforting and natural.

“It’s that time,’ they chorused, laughing together as they shared a secret smile only old-time lovers understood and he rubbed his cheek against hers, a light smattering of scruff rasping against her skin. Inhaling deeply, his smile widened as the soft familiar scent of her filled his nose and he gently kissed her cheek. This was home.

‘You know, I’m not sure I like that you have an intimate link to the workings of my body,’ she murmured haughtily, pretending to be put out over his knowledge as she tipped her face to his once more and grinned as he cocked his brow skeptically.

‘You know you love it,” he snickered, wrapping a stray wisp of near ebony hair around his finger and tugging her closer for a deep kiss, cupping her jaw tenderly as he sunk into her mouth, flicking his tongue against hers languidly before pulling back to bump his nose against hers. ‘Don’t even lie, woman.’

“Will you two stop talking in your heads and include the rest of us in this discussion,” Isabel complained, sending them an indulgent smile when she startled them out of their inner dialogue, since she had been just as caught up talking to Kyle in her own head.

“Fine, I was telling Liz that tonight after everyone was gone, I was going to push her up against the wall and…” He retorted slyly, snickering as his sister turned faintly green and crinkled her nose up in disgust, a long drawn out groan passing her lips as Liz glared at him menacingly, slapping a hand over his mouth to cut off his words.

“Michael!” she exclaimed, flicking him a disapproving moue before looking over to Di nervously, heaving a sigh of relief when it seemed as if the girl was paying them no mind. But she knew better than to accept that she was actually listening to music and not eavesdropping. After all, she’d been that age once and remembered her own antics. “There are young, impressionable kids present!”

“Di has her headphones on and isn’t even paying attention,” Michael reassured, able to hear the tinny sound of notes coming over her earphones with his enhanced hearing, which is why he felt safe in making such a comment. Besides, he knew his wife would never let him finish the thought. “And the others are far enough away that they can’t hear what I’m saying. Besides, she asked.”

~

“I thought it was supposed to be a water war?” Kyle snorted as he turned toward the whoops of victory and grumbles of discontent coming from the bushes as their little warriors returned home from battle. Shaking his head, he guffawed as a particularly downtrodden, glitter-speckled Zan unsuccessfully tried to remove the clumps of pink goo drying in his hair.

“It was, why?” Isabel replied, brow furrowing at Kyle’s amused expression and turned toward the thicket slowly, barely holding back her own amused snort as Zan glanced up at the laughing adults with a disgruntled scowl, her mouth dropping open at the pink, silver and gold spectacle. “Oh, dear lord….”

“Guess the rules changed,” Michael snorted, setting the hamburgers and hotdogs on the alien-themed table cloth, shaking his head in wonder as he quickly calculated the damage and long faces to guess that Claudia had planned yet another successful campaign. Although the multi-color goo was a new touch…that had his Ladybug’s name all over it. Looking over at the girl in question, he laughed when Nikki flashed two thumbs up.

“I wonder which set of hellions cheated…Michael?” Maria drawled, quirking her brow at him briefly before turning back to her kids and desperately trying not to laugh at the sight they made. Even she had to admit that the glitter and sequins were an ingenious touch. Thank God for alien powers, or else she’d be finding glitter on them and their clothing for days.

“What makes you think it was mine?” he scoffed, pretending to be offended by the assumption and grinned when he failed miserably. He knew full well this had his kids’ earmarks all over it. Devious brats. He had to remember to reward them well for this latest little prank; it was almost as good as when Nikki turned Zan into an alien.

“The damage speaks for itself,” Maria lofted dryly and finally gave into laughter when Zan slunk down on one of the benches dejectedly, still picking goo out of his dirty blond spikes. Shaking her head, she grimaced slightly as tension radiated out from her back to her stomach, tightening it slightly and checked her watch; twenty minutes. Well, well, well, looks like this little one might just come today.

“All that means is my kids are better shots,” Michael snickered, watching as Nikki charged up to the picnic table all smiles, and looking fairly clean in comparison to her miserable cousins as she snagged a chip from the bowl before Liz could shoo her off.

“Sure,” Maria retorted, shifting her bulk slightly and was contemplating if she had the energy to get up and get something to eat, when Liz waved her back, quickly filling a plate and handing it to her. Smiling gratefully, she set the plate on her burgeoning stomach and scooped up a bite of fruit salad, feeding it to Rath just before he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.

“Hey Ladybug,” Michael addressed the girl as she moved away from the chips with a slight pout, only to brighten when her dark whiskey eyes landed on her father and she enveloped him in a hug, scrunching her nose at his use of that nickname. Pressing a quick kiss on her damp forehead, Michael leaned back and ran a hand over her to clean the spatters of slime clinging to them both. “I see you whooped your cousins as…butts once again.”

“D–ad,” she rolled her eyes, but snuggled back into his arms, humming with happiness when he ruffled her hair. She loved both her parents, but her dad had always held a special place in her heart as she was most like him in temperament as well as her power development. “Ugh, will you stop calling me that?”

“Hey, you chose it,” he complained jokingly, remembering when she informed him at the tender age of three that she was a ladybug and most definitely not a peanut. Tweaking her nose, he chuckled as she scrunched it up at him once more, chiding. “Don’t complain. I was willing to call you Peanut.”

“Like that’s any better,” she grumbled playfully and rolled her eyes, then grinned at him cheekily, teasing him about his near slip, squirming only the tiniest bit when her mother shot her a disapproving look. “And yes, we whooped their as…butts.”

“Only because they cheated,” Zan complained, still wiping the pink sludge away, before giving up and swiping a hand over his body to melt the offensive substance off his body. The terms only said they had to come back to camp covered in the stuff, not that they had to wear it for the rest of the day. Shooting a glare at Claudia across the table, he huffed when she preened and muttered darkly before grabbing his food. “Next year it will be different.”

“Keep telling yourself that Zaniac,” Claudia taunted, rolling her eyes as he stuck his tongue out at her and cleaned herself up with a quick wave of her hand, turning to serve up a plate for Hal and herself. Exchanging a smile with her mother as she fixed her trapped uncle a plate, she nodded at her mother’s silent thank you before sitting down to eat.

“You guys are so juvenile,” Di lofted snootily, shooting her cousins a haughty, ice princess look that would have put Isabel’s high school persona to shame and rolled her eyes dramatically before going back to her magazine, daintily nibbling on the food her mother had set before her.

Glaring at their cousin, Carrie and Mick exchanged a sly look, still thoroughly covered in gunk and glitter and the twins smiled wickedly, nodding their heads in agreement before launching themselves at their eldest cousin. Wrapping themselves around her, they rolled and rubbed the pink slime all over her, laughing hysterically as she screeched.

“Oh, yuck, get off me…” Di complained loudly, as she shoved her cousins into the dirt and sat up sputtering, wiping goo from her face, pouting when the adults burst into laughter. Eyeing her cousins evilly as they scrambled to attack her once more, she vowed that they’d get what was coming to them, lifting a threatening finger and scowled when they mock shuddered, before collapsing into laughter. “Mom, Dad tell them to stop before I zap them.”

“Nothing doing kiddo,” Kyle snickered, shaking his head at his oldest child, now just as pink and glittery as her cousins. Exchanging an amused look with Isabel, he sat down next to her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips before turning his amused gaze back on his shuddering, pouting daughter and cocking a brow as she waved the mess away. “You brought that on yourself.”

Laughing, Carrie and Mick danced out of range when Diana swiped at them with her arm, running to stand in front of their chuckling parents, knowing all too well that they had to watch their backs in the coming days since Di could be just as sneaky as Claudia and twice as mean when pushed. Grinning cheekily at their parents, the dirty urchins finally frowned at their appearance, picking dried pink slime off their arms.

“Can you use your powers to fix this?” Maria snorted, looking back at her husband imploringly and gesturing to their dirty children as she rubbed her belly slightly, smiling her thanks when Rath complied with a quick wave of his hand before settling it on her bulging stomach. “I don’t think we should be testing mine out today.”

‘Yeah...'specially with yous being in labor,’ he replied mentally, fixing her with a knowing glance as her head snapped back in surprise and she watched him questioningly. Cocking a brow, he chuckled softly before nuzzling her nose and placed a quick kiss on her upturned mouth. ‘What yous didn’t honestly think I wouldn’t notice, did yas?’

‘I was hoping…’ she trailed off, realizing she should have known better than to think she could hide something so important from him, but she was still adjusting to this bond they shared. Unlike the others, their bond didn’t snap into place when they formally mated and she had worried about the implications until about three years ago, when she woke up from a miscarriage with his worried thoughts in her head.

From what they could tell, the bond had always been there, but they were usually so guarded, their natural shields prevented them from hearing each other and it was only when they were at their most vulnerable that the thoughts came blaring through.

‘Not happenin’ Duchess,’ he murmured softly, pressing his cheek to hers and closed his eyes, thankful that this pregnancy went full-term and the baby was healthy. He had come far too close to losing her the last time. ‘I know yous too well. ‘Sides the look between yous, the princess and peaches was a dead give away.’

‘You’re taking this remarkably well…’ she trailed off again, tipping misty eyes to his and they shared a long, sad look as they remembered the child they had lost. She had been worried how he was going to handle this birth given their history and the way he had hovered over her the past few months, smiling shakily when he gave her a watery grin.

‘Well it is the fourth kid, I think I's can handle its by nows,’ he shrugged, trying to inject a little lightness into their conversation, not wanting to upset her at such a delicate time. The baby was fine and she was alive and healthy and in his arms. That was the only thing that mattered. The rest, they’d deal with when the time came. Kissing her soundly, he reveled in the emotions zinging back and forth through their bond before pulling back to smirk. ‘Plus yous haven’t threatened me yets, so it can’t haves started that long agos.’

‘Touché,’ she grinned, leaning back into his arms as she stared at her gathered family eating at the table, the children talking animatedly as they described the ‘water’ war and the adults laughing heartily at their antics. Meeting Liz’s eyes, they shared a sad, knowing smile before she turned back to the group, keeping them occupied to give her and Rath that much needed quiet moment. ‘Just keep it down. Let the kids enjoy as much of the day as possible.’

[Ashita]

Barbara - Thanks for the comment! Also, your question about Maria's powers will be answered in this chapter. You didn't miss anything because she didn't have anything in the Forbidden Dreams universe and didn't develop them until later due to the miscarriage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Thick of Things

“Thank God it’s finally cooled off a little,” Liz murmured as sat with Maria, cuddling Asheley in her lap as the little girl clapped her hands delightedly while the guys set off fireworks to the thrilled shrieks of the kids. Even Di had gotten into the thick of it, running around with her cousins with a sparkler in her hand. Grinning as the next firework came up in the shape of a space ship sweeping across the sky, she was glad they lived on the outskirts of Roswell so that not many people were treated to their special brand of fire show. “I thought I was going to bake alive today.”

“Tell me about it,” Maria chuckled tiredly, gasping as another pain hit her hard and heavy and glanced at Liz, who was keeping track of the time between her contractions. Meeting her eyes, Liz held up ten fingers to intimate it had been ten minutes since her last contraction. Things where starting to speed up. She had gone from gentle to active in the space of an hour. “Let’s give them a few more minutes before I tell him. You know how long these things take.”

“I don’t know, Maria,” Liz replied, her brow creasing with worry, tipping her face back to the sky as the guys shot off a green, alien head into the sky, bringing a round of laughs and cheers from the kids. Smiling at her family fondly, she met Michael’s eyes and blew him a kiss, smile widening when he returned the gesture before turning back to shoot off a shooting star across the sky. “Things are progressing rapidly, you may not have as much time as you think. Remember how fast it went with Asheley?”

“Yeah, but my water hasn’t even broken…oh dear, never mind,” Maria sighed as she felt a familiar wetness that indicated it was time to get moving and lumbered off her chair to head into the house to change. Looking over at her husband, she saw his head shoot up as he detected the change in her body and he frowned, studying her quietly, his eyes widening as understanding dawned and he hurried to her side. “Better gather the troops.”

“Will do,” Liz replied as Rath wrapped an arm around the little blond and hurried her into the house to change and grab the bag they’d brought on the off chance she’d go into labor tonight. Struggling to her feet, she smiled gratefully when Michael strode over and grabbed Asheley out of her her arms, tucking the little girl onto his hip as he helped her to her feet. “Maria is in labor. We need to call Max and tell him he’s going to have guests tonight.”

“I know,” he murmured, kissing her softly as they hurried over to Isabel and Kyle to corral and herd the kids into the waiting cars. Catching her surprised look, he chuckled and dipped to press a kiss on her nose. “You didn’t honestly think we wouldn’t figure it out did you? You should know better than that. Isabel is talking to Max now.”

“Right, how could I forget alien radar,” she quipped dryly, rolling her eyes at his smirk as they joined a rapidly talking Isabel, a cell phone pressed to her ear as she quickly gathered up their belongings. Halting next to Kyle, she cringed when a long drawn out moan breached the air, followed by a string of cursing that would do a sailor proud and placed her hands over Asheley’s ears, hoping she wouldn’t pick up on the words.

“Oh dear,” she murmured quietly as she observed her best friend and brother-in-law with thinly disguised amusement as the blond clutched her stomach as another pain hit her out of nowhere. Wow, that was only five minute if that; they better get on the road as it was at least a thirty minute drive to the cabin. “Rath’s in for a hell of a time tonight.”

“Why?” Michael asked, watching the developing scene bemusedly, snickering when his brother tried to placate his griping wife as she waddled over to his car since it was closest. Guess that meant he was driving the happy couple to Max’s. Perfect. He couldn’t wait to rag on his twin like Rath had on him when Liz was in labor with Asheley.

“You remember what I was like with Asheley? And how Isabel was with Jimmy?” Liz replied, her dark eyes dancing with laughter as she took in her husband’s wicked grin and knew that they were going to have a hell of a ride over to Max and Ava’s cabin. Sighing, she wondered if she should take some asprin now.

“Yeah,” Kyle and Michael said in unison, both grimacing, a shudder traveling over their spines in remembrance at those particular births, both happening in the height of summer. They had thought for sure they were going to die on those respective nights.

“Now multiply that times a hundred and you’ll get Maria” Liz snickered, gesturing over to her loudly complaining friend as Rath helped her into the truck, strapping her in before he looked over at them pleadingly for help. Liz nearly laughed aloud as a grin split across both Michael’s and Kyle’s face as they exchanged an amused glance.

“You get the popcorn and I’ll get the video tape,” Kyle quipped, scurrying towards the house in pursuit of his video camera, only to be halted by a hand on his collar as he passed his wife, who was still conversing with her brother, filling him in on Maria’s contractions and how far apart they were.

“You will do no such thing…not you, hold on a second Max,” Isabel grumbled, dragging Kyle back over to her before he got more than a couple steps away and pushed him towards the kids much to Liz and Michael’s amusement. Isabel sent Kyle a warning glance as he groused and put her hand over the phone as she ordered. “Get the kids in the car now.”

~

“Jus’ hold on duchess,” Rath soothed, patting Maria on the back and wiping her forehead with a damp cloth as Michael drove down the road, snickering under his breath as his dupe tried to calm his wife down and get her to breath properly. Served the man right for all the teasing Michael had gotten when they were in a similar position. Rath kissed Maria’s cheek softly as he reassured. “We's almost there.”

“You hold on! I want this kid out of me now!” Maria griped, shoving him away from her as another pain wracked her body and she gave a low, agonized moan as sweat dripped down her temples. Gritting her teeth, she glared at her husband malevolently and clutched his hand, grinning a little evilly when he grunted in pain, panting through the rising contraction. “Oh God, another…this kid is determined to be born.”

“Babes, you can’t have it in the car!” Rath exclaimed; panic shooting down his spine as she fought the urge to push and he glared at Michael when his brother snorted at the comment, heartily amused by his unease. Although, he supposed he had it coming to him after all the ribbing he’d put the other man through when Liz was in labor. He should learn to just keep his mouth shut.

“Oh, really?” Maria grated, her voice laced with sarcasm as she cast him an evil glance and panted, resting her head against the seat limply as she tried to regain her strength for the next pain. Grimacing, she rubbed her belly; a trickle of worry flowing through her body as she wondered if she might just have the baby in the back of the car as her labor had sped up drastically once her water broke. “Then tell her that because she doesn’t seem to understand!”

“You tell him Maria!” Michael crowed, chuckling when his twin’s irritated gaze latched onto him once more as he rubbed Maria’s lower back, occasionally sending a wave of warm, soothing heat through her skin to dull the edges of her pain. Michael snickered again, watching the road in front of him intently for the turn off to Max’s place. Payback was such a bitch.

“Just ten more minutes,” Rath replied, ignoring the irritating man in the front seat and focusing on his uncomfortable wife, trying to make the transition as easy on her as possible, his heart in his throat at the pain streaking over her face and continued hopefully. “Surely you can hold a little longer.”

“Hold on?! Hold on he says! Like I have a choice in the matter!” Maria yelped; her eyes widening incredulously as she gestured to her husband and looked at Liz in appeal as irritation rippled over her body. Turning back to Rath, she jabbed him in the chest with her finger and asked in a deceptively pleasant tone. “Is it your body being ripped in half delivering your spawn?”

“Ummmm…” he cringed, her tone making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and realized a little too late that those probably weren’t the best words to use on an irate woman in pain. His panicked gaze slid to Liz for help as he frantically searched for something to say and sighed with frustration when she shrugged, shaking her head at him.

“Yeah that’s what I thought, so until you can have kids, shut up!” she groused, pain flashing over her face as another pain began in her lower back, rippling around to the front of her stomach and she clenched her eyes shut, squeezing her hands into fists as she rode it out, gasping through her labored breaths. “Ohhhhh…I …swear to God… if you ever get near me again…I’m going to rip your…ow!”

“Baby, you can’t mean that,” Rath winced, flinching instinctively, his face ashen as he stared at Maria with trepidation, his eyes widening at the sheer malice lighting her chartreuse irises and audibly gulped, flashing her a weak smile.

“Oh no, I’m pretty sure she means every word, Duke,” Michael sniggered, watching his brother turn green through the rear view mirror before addressing his next comment to the petite blond in the backseat. “Can I be there when you kick his ass Maria?”

“Shut up, Michael, yous not helping!” Rath growled, shooting the laughing man a heated moue, his eyes vowing that he’d get his twin back for escalating the situation. Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he turned back to his wife to find her watching the two of them with an aggravated expression and swallowed thickly, wondering what was going on in that beautiful, devious head.

“I’m supposed to be helping?” Michael lobbed innocently, grinning at the man behind him as he turned onto the secluded road leading to the Crater Lake and Max’s cabin. Opening his mouth, he was about to razz Rath further when he caught his wife’s eye as she turned to him with a warning glance and shut it with a sheepish grin.

“Michael,” Liz warned lowly, pinning him with a pointed look, rubbing her temples lightly to stave off the building tension in her head and cursed not taking those asprin as she first thought. Sighing, she smiled with relief when Michael slid a hand over the back of her neck, rubbing the tense muscles and letting his warm healing power suffuse her head, draining the pain and tension away.

“Now who’s pussy whipped, Duke?” Rath snarked as he watched his brother clam up at his wife’s pointed look, unable to resist giving Michael a little of the razzing he’d been under all day, gulping as he was faced with his sister-in-law’s pinched smile.

“Rath, I suggest you shut up while you’re ahead, otherwise Maria won’t be the only one beating you senseless,” Liz replied silkily as she turned to her husband’s twin, biting back a grin at Rath’s slightly worried expression as he hastily turned to Maria. It cracked her up that such a tough guy caved so easily when it came to the women in his life.

“Hello! Having a baby here!” Maria griped, smacking Rath in the arm as another pain hit, her eyes filling with tears as she moaned long and low, breathing shallowly as she rode the cramp out. Fixing Rath with a grimace, she vowed heatedly once she could speak once more. “Typical, this is just so damn typical! I promise, when I can move again, you’re a dead man Rathin Deluca!”

“Oh, you got the full name, Deluca,” Michael cracked in a singsong voice, only deterred by Liz’s wrath for so long. Sure, he’d pay for it later, but who could resist giving the other man a bad time while he was distracted. “You are so in trouble now…”

“Shut up, Michael!” Liz and Maria yelled; both fed up with his constant ribbing.

~

“This baby is coming fast, Max,” Liz called, clambering out of the front seat as the dark-haired man came to the door and hurried to grab Maria’s bag as Rath scrambled to the other side of the car to help Maria, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her to the house. “We don’t have much time, her contractions are nearly right on top of each other.”

“Quick, bring her this way,” Max replied quietly, walking through the cabin swiftly, leading them into the master bedroom since their guestroom was still under construction. Striding into the bathroom, he washed his hands as the others assisted with getting Maria into the bed, calling over his shoulder. “The bed is ready.”

Rath deposited his wife onto the bed and began disrobing her, slipping a nightgown over her head for modesty’s sake, covering her with a light blanket when she shivered. Pressing his lips to her temple, he sat on the bed and took her hand, coaching her through as Max took his position. Max looked up, surprise evident in his eyes as he indicated she was fully dilated and ready to go.

“Breathes baby,” Rath coached, running his fingers through her matted, sweaty hair as another pain hit and she instinctively bore down, gritting her teeth as an agonized cry ripped past her lips. Pushing the damp blond strands from her brow, he swiped a cool cloth over it. “Just like we’s practiced, breathe, it will help.”

“You breathe! The only thing that’s going to help me is getting this kid out of me NOW!” She snapped contentiously, losing her sense of reality as another pain wracked her body and she bit her lower lip sharply, trying to hold back a scream, gritting through her teeth as she jabbed her husband with her finger, accidentally sending a current of electricity shooting through his body. “This is all your fault!”

Rath jolted and cried out in pain as power seared along his nerves, his eyes rolling back in his eyes as it overwhelmed his senses and he slid into blackness, his body falling to the floor with a heavy thump. Maria stared at her finger in disbelief and then at her unconscious husband before her brow pinched with annoyance.

“You’re unconscious? Now? What the hell?” she complained loudly, waving her at her oblivious mate as Michael’s head popped into the room, a concerned expression on his face as he looked around the room, settling first on Liz to make sure she was okay. Sighing with relief, he turned his attention to the blond on the bed yelling at his…unconscious twin. “Get the hell up! Great this is just great! He’s unconscious! Now what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Maria, honey, you need to calm down,” Liz replied in a quiet but firm tone, stroking her friend’s hair as she tried to calm her, sending Ava an exasperated grimace as she strode into the room to assist Max, then glaring at her snickering husband, as she soothed. “It’s not good for the baby. He was right, you need to breathe.”

“What the hell happened?” Michael asked between guffaws, laughing heartily when Max grinned and pointed to Maria, jabbing his finger as he intimated that she had zapped the prone man into unconsciousness. Clutching his stomach, he doubled over as Kyle popped his head around the doorjamb to see what his friend found so funny and joined with his own riotous laughter.

“No, I’m not doing anything,” Maria refuted mulishly, her arms crossed over her chest and shook her head stubbornly as she point to husband, huffing as Isabel joined the fray, striding past the two men clutching at each other to remain standing as they continued to laugh. “I’m done until he gets his ass up off the floor.”

“Maria Alisa Deluca!” Liz grated, ignoring the two men hovering in the door for the time being and focused on her friend, heartily sick of her dramatics. Enough was enough. Glaring at her, she sat her up, sliding onto the bed as she threatened. “You will shut up and have this baby or I’ll kill you myself!”

“I told…told you…we should have brought the video cam,” Kyle wheezed between laughs, red-faced and tears streaming down his face as he propped himself up on the doorjamb with one hand, his laughter renewed when he looked over at Rath once more.

“Fine!” Maria cried impatiently, sending her best friend an irritated glare before gasping as another pain rippled through her body, a searing burn whipping over her nerves as she squeezed the brunette’s hands, bearing down to Max’s encouragement, grousing breathlessly. “You can be such a pain in the…”

“Yeah, nice to meet you Pot, shut up and push,” Liz returned dryly, rolling her eyes at Isabel as she came out of the bathroom, exchanging a grin as the blond handed her wet cloth to dab her forehead as Isabel turned on her heel to glare at Michael and Kyle.

“Both of you out before I zap both of you into unconsciousness as well,” she commanded, striding to them purposely, a single finger lifted and snickered when they hastened back into the other room. Turning around she walked over to Rath, pressing her fingers to his temples, sending out a pulse of power. “Let me see if I can revive Daddy.”

“What?” Rath murmured, coming around with a jerk, his eyes popping open with surprise as warmth filled his head and groaned under his breath, cringing as a residual burn radiated over his nerves, confusion evident in his voice. “Ow…what’s the hell hits me?”

“Yous little powerhouse over heres,” Ava chuckled as he brother propped himself up slowly, his head obviously a little fuzzy yet from his bout with Maria’s wild surge of power and she nodded to the girl in question. “Hurries up, it’s time. Lets gets this baby born.”

~

Propped against the headboard, Maria watched her sisters wearily as they passed the newest addition of their family between them, smiling as they all took a turn cooing over the infant. Not even a couple hours old and she was already being spoiled. Yawning, she sleepily focused on Liz, who was peering over Isabel’s shoulder.

“She’s beautiful, Maria” the brunette cooed reverently, stroking the infants tiny palm softly, grinning in delight when little fingers curled around her finger with a surprisingly firm grip. Misty-eyed, she sighed as the yen for another blossomed in her heart. “She has your nose and lips, but I definitely think she’ll have her daddy’s eyes and hair.”

“Don’t they all?” Maria laughed tiredly, pushing herself into a sitting position so she could gaze down into her daughter’s face where she rested in Isabel’s arms, stroking her cheek tenderly, fighting the urge to take the little one back, knowing she’d have plenty of time to fawn over her in the days to come. “I would love a little girl with my eyes. But those dominant genes win out every time.”

“How are you doing?” Liz asked softly, staring at her friend and noting the shadows under her eyes. Although it was a quick birth by most standards, it was still a draining experience, especially given the worry she and Rath must have been under with the previous miscarriage.

“Good,” the blond assured her, squeezing her hand gently as he eyes misted slightly, a trace of sadness touching her face as she thought of the last time she had been in this position. Luckily this time, nothing went wrong and the baby was well and healthy. “I feel good, although I was worried for a while, after we lost Sean…”

“Yeah,” Ava replied, filling the heavy silence as Maria’s voice trailed off, squeezing her arm gently and smiled softly as the other blond nodded with a watery smile, swiping a hand over her eyes to clear them of the slight haze of tears. “But she’s here finally and healthy as can be, Diva”

“So did you decide on a name?” Isabel queried, rocking the little girl gently as she stroked the dark-blond fuzz on her hair, tracing her finger over her delicate features and grinning when the baby smacked her lips lightly, giving a little yawn and stretching her tiny muscles as she burrowed into her chest.

“Yes,” Maria responded, fighting back another yawn herself as she snuggled back into her pillows and met the other woman’s curious gaze, smiling gently. “Alexandria Charlene DeLuca, after Alex. We’re going to call her Lexi for short.”

“It’s a perfect name,” Isabel replied, a misty smile sliding over her face as the baby squirmed and whimpered slightly before settling down into her arms once more. “Well hello, Lexi. God, it almost makes me want another one now that Di and Jimmy are getting to the point that they don’t need me anymore.”

“They’ll always need you mommy,” Ava reassured her best friend, tugging on her ponytail as she shared a smile with the others, who nodded in agreement as she joined them on the bed. “Although it may take them some time to remember it.”

“So, Liz,” Maria drawled, a teasing light entering her eye as she looked over at her best friend, recalling Michael’s thoughts from earlier. Tossing her a mischievous grin, she tugged her over, wrapping her arm around her shoulders and asked slyly. “How do you feel about having a fifth one?”

“Yous pregnant?” Ava asked, a gleeful smile spreading across her face as she rubbed her hands together at the idea of another niece or nephew to spoil. Not to mention if they were, she’d win her standing bet with Max.

“No, Michael was thinking about it and Miss Mind Reader over here overheard his thoughts,” Liz replied, poking Maria in the side for spilling the beans, glaring playfully and scrunching up her nose when the blond giggled, poking her back.

“Can you still do it?” Isabel asked, cocking an inquisitive brow as she looked up from her niece and studied her mama with intense curiosity.

“Don’t know yet,” Maria shrugged, her brow pinching with concentration and then furrowing further when her mind remained blank, no unwanted thoughts breaking through. Yawning for the third time, she scrubbed at her eyes and continued. “Not at the moment, but we’ll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.”

“Well that should be interesting,” Ava drawled, sliding off the bed as she shared a pointed look with Isabel, striding toward the bassinette she’d brought in earlier and fussed with the sheets and blankets before dragging it closer to the bed.

“Okay, it looks like this little one is ready to sleep,” Isabel said, kissing the baby’s brow as she reluctantly relinquished her hold on Lexi and carefully placing her into Maria’s waiting arms. “Here you go mama. We’ll find daddy and leave you two alone.”

“Thanks,” Maria replied sheepishly, her body quickly losing the battle for slumber and snuggled her daughter close to her breast, smiling at her friends and the sisters of her heart tiredly. “I’m pretty wiped.”

“Oh and Liz, if you and Michael decide you need a night alone, I’ve got the kids,” Ava drawled, looping her arm around the petite brunette’s waist and leaned near her ear to whisper loudly, sending the other women into giggles. “You knows, since it’s that time.”

“Yeah, well after what Maria put Rath through tonight,” Liz retorted dryly, fixing the bed-ridden woman with a teasing glance as she slipped out of Ava’s arms and headed for the door to search for the men, tossing over her shoulder. “He might be rethinking that.”

“Doubt it, knowing my brother,” Isabel snickered as she joined her, walking down the hall to check on the kids and make sure they hadn’t gotten themselves into trouble, exchanging an amused look with her sister-in-law. “This is Michael after all.”

~

“I should have just had you guys come out here today,” Max sighed wearily as he leaned against the porch railing, staring out into the cooling summer night, slightly worn out from the drain on his powers when he healed Maria after her birth. Smiling at the other guys sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck and addressed Rath apologetically. “I knew Maria was getting close.”

“Nah, we’s cool, man” Rath waved off the apology, crossing his hands over his chest and he leaned his back against the wooden barrier, breathing easier now that everything was over. “We’s knew you were still settling into the house and didn’t have the room.”

“Well, we’re here now, so lets not worry about it,” Michael reassured, sinking onto the wooden bench by the door an propped himself against the wall, stretching his legs out in front of him, looking up briefly as Kyle opened the screen door and joined them. “It’s not like we mind. Kids asleep?”

“Yeah, they finally passed out a few minutes ago, after regaling Jimmy, Phil and Lannie with tales of the great battle,” Kyle responded, sprawling onto the bench next to him, sipping on a beer as he snickered quietly and shook his head at the day’s events. It was never a dull moment in his family.

“Heard about that,” Max chuckled, shooting Michael an amused glance when he puffed up proudly at the reminder of his kids’ antics and sinking into a chair near the rail, scrubbing his hand over his face. “Should make next year’s war interesting.

“Yeah, to say the least,” Michael snickered, shaking his head as he stared out at the water in the distance and crossed his arms behind his head as he sprawled out, leaning his arms and head against the wall, grinning at his still slightly woozy and disgruntled twin. “I can’t wait to see what they dream up next.”

“So, yous sure you wants another one afters all that?” Rath snickered, nodding his head towards the house, referencing Maria’s power surge and his embarrassing, although unintentional, bout of unconsciousness, smirking when Michael blanched at the thought.

“Uhhhh…let me get back to you on that,” he replied uneasily, scratching at his brow thoughtfully and glared at his twin when Rath laughed at his discomfit, before grinning sheepishly. Actually, even with the evening’s theatrics, he still would love to have another child, but wisely kept quiet as he’d yet to talk to Liz.

“You and Liz are pregnant again? Are you two trying to single-handedly repopulate Roswell?” Max choked, his head whipping towards Michael and his eyes widened as the other man flushed and fidgeted. Shaking his head, he studied him contemplatively before muttering almost inaudibly. “Damn…that’d mean Ava won…”

“No, not pregnant,” Michael hastened, shooting a glance toward the door to make sure none of the women where lurking nearby and shrugged. “I was briefly thinking about it, but we haven’t actually discussed it yet. Just a fleeting thought because…”

“It’s that time…” the other three said in unison, snickering as they toasted Michael with their drinks, beer for Kyle and soda for the hybrids since their systems still couldn’t handle alcohol. Michael tossed them another grin, shrugging once more.

“Yeah, don’t say anything though,” he agreed, looking around nervously. As far as they knew, the women weren’t aware that, not only were the men in tune with their mates’ bodies, but also that of their brothers’ due to the complex web of connections and ties spanning the group. And they wanted to keep it that way, sparing their wives any potential embarrassment. “She’d kill me if everyone knew.”

“Well, we have the kids if you need some alone time,” Max teased, sharing a grin with his best friend and brother, his brow pinching momentarily as a thought came to mind, prompting him to ask. “So if you haven’t talked about it, why do they know?”

“Maria overheard his thoughts,” Rath explained, shrugging his shoulders and scratched his brow thoughtfully, wondering if the baby was displaying powers early or if Maria was finally getting more complex powers. She’d been able to do the basic, easier powers but hadn’t yet developed a unique power.

“New power?” Max asked, his brows quirking in surprise as they had figured that despite her healing after she lost the baby, she wouldn’t develop full, active powers since both Kyle and Liz came into their full powers a year and a half after being healed and it’d been three years since the miscarriage. But then again, she always did develop a bit different from the other two as evidenced by how long her and Rath’s bond lie dormant.

“Not sure if it’s hers or the baby’s yet” Rath admitted, turning to Max with a ‘your guess is as good as mine look,’ looking towards the door when he heard shuffling steps and he saw Michael’s face brighten as his head popped up, smirking when Liz came into view. “I guess we’ll find out in the next couple of weeks.”

“Keep us posted,” Max replied, clambering out of his chair and walking towards the door, squeezing Liz’s shoulder as he passed on his way into the house, knowing that his brother and wife would need a little privacy. Shaking his head, he went in search for his wife and had a feeling he was going to be losing a bet tonight.

“Hey daddy, the new mama’s looking for you,” Liz smiled, squeezing Max’s hand as it slid over her shoulder and sent a light, teasing smile over at Rath before turning to her husband with a smile and headed his way.

“Later guys,” Rath replied as he shoved off the railing, ruffling Liz’s hair as he passed to check on his wife and biting back a chuckle as he caught his brother’s absorbed, heated expression when Liz slid seductively into his lap. Alien hormones were such a bitch.

“Wait up, I’ll come with you,” Kyle called, climbing off the bench and hurrying after Rath, shooting a wary glance at Liz and Michael, not really wanting to be privy to another the couple’s ‘sessions,’ grimacing as their soft laughter chased him into the house. “I haven’t had a chance to hold my niece yet.”

“So, baby number five…” Liz drawled softly after they had left, looping her arms around his neck as she straddled his lap and leaned over to brush her lips over his, humming with pleasure when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. “You sure you want to go through that?”

“You know, Rath just asked the same question,” he teased, rubbing his nose against hers softly as he placed soft, sweet kisses over her lips as he dragged his fingers over the back of her neck softly, tangling them in the silky strands kissing her nape. “I don’t know, you going to pull a Maria on me.”

“Oh, I think I can refrain from zapping you into unconsciousness,” she snickered softly as she pressed her forehead to his, running her fingers through his shoulder-length waves, an ‘innocent’ smile sliding over her lips. “Remember, I’m the nice one.”

“Right,” he lofted dryly, cocking his brow in disbelief as he recalled her last birth, chuckling when she scowled at him playfully and he caressed her cheek softly, tipping her chin up so he could place a gentle kiss on her slightly pouting lips.

“So, Ava said she’d watch the kids tonight,” she murmured, her voice low and sultry as she slid her hands over his chest, enjoying the slight hitch in his breath when she toyed with the edge of his t-shirt, slipping her hands under the thin cotton to splay against warm, taut golden skin.

“Really?” he husked, a slight shudder rippling over his body as she drew abstract designs over his stomach and crushed her against him, trapping her hands against his body as he nipped at her bottom lip lightly, laving the sting away with the tip of his tongue.

“Uh huh…” she mumbled almost inaudibly as his mouth pressed to hers, a soft play of lips that deepened every time their mouths met, a slow progression of caresses that built in heat and intensity. Burying her hands into his hair she sighed as his lips slid over her jaw, tracing a hot path over the curve of her neck. “Think of anything you might want to do?”

“Well, Mrs. Guerin, I can think of one or two things,” he whispered, pulling back to rub his nose against hers, flashing her a wicked grin as he stared at the lake in the distance, nodding over to it, waggling his brows salaciously. “You up for a night under the stars.”

“I don’t know,” she demurred playfully, fixing him with a look of wide-eyed innocence as she toyed with a strand of her hair and chewed on her bottom lip, furrowing her brow thoughtfully, her eyes alight with mischief. “It gets kind of cold at night out here. I might need something to warm me up.”

“Oh, I think I’ve got you covered,” he murmured huskily, running his hands over her body softly, pulling her against him once again and captured lips, sliding his tongue between her lips to stroke hers languidly as he fused their mouths together. Drawing back, he grinned at her flushed cheeks and promised wickedly. “Just put yourself in my hands and I’ll take good care of you.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Mr. Guerin,” she whispered breathlessly between fevered kisses, her body humming under his skillful hands and lips, biting back a moan as heat pooled in her body, seeping into her blood and catching every nerve on fire, completely lost in the feel, scent and taste of him.

“You do that Mrs. Guerin,” he teased, gripping her around the waist as he got up, his body tightening as she slid down it. Grunting he walked them back towards the door, pinning her against wall and his strong frame, kissing her soundly before he snickered and pinned her with a mischievous glance.

“Wait…Michael…what are you doing?” she asked warily, shivering at the wicked light dancing in his eyes, squealing when he suddenly dipped, sliding his arm around the back of her knees and slung her over his shoulder. “Michael! Put me down!”

“Nothing doing, woman,” he snickered, stooping once more to grab the sleeping bag his brother had quietly set outside the door when they’d been otherwise occupied and turned, jogging down the steps quickly and headed toward the lake. “You’re mine tonight.”