You Can't Go Home Again (CC,M/M Mature) Ch17 (4/21/05) (WIP)

[area52]

Title: You Can't Go Home Again
Author: area52
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Roswell whatsoever...I'm just borrowing the characters, but I promise that I'll give them back eventually.
Summary: This is a sequel to "Without a Fight" which is located in the Complete fanfic section. You should read that before reading this, or you won't know what's happening. In short, Maria didn't leave with the gang in "Graduation." Now the gang, especially Michael, have to deal with what happened to the loved one's they left behind.

Author's Note: I hope you guys like it. I need a lot of response to continue, okay? Please?

You Can’t Go Home Again

Liz Parker, wait, Liz Evans walked into the quiet post office of a small town in North Dakota with her newly packaged journal in her hand and a big smile plastered over her face. Quickly running through the small velvet rope maze, she eagerly awaited for the teller to ring her up to the window.

Ding!

Liz scooted over to the window. The teller was a short, plump woman, maybe in her late 40’s, with a gray streak running through her hair and a terrible disposition. She stared a Liz through rectangular frames that seemed too small for her face. Liz smiled anyway. Nothing could break her mood.

“Good morning,” Liz said chirpily. The lady only seemed to yawn in return. Liz slipped the package through the little hole under the window. While the lady inspected it, Liz played with her wedding ring happily.

In typical disgruntled worker fashion, the lady seemed to shout, “Where is this going?”

“Roswell, New Mexico.” Liz was sure she put the address to her father’s restaurant on the package.

The lady lowered her glasses and gave Liz as look as if to say, you’re kidding me. And that was exactly what she said.

“You’re kidding me. Is this a joke?”

Liz faltered a bit. “No, why?”

“Where are you from?”

“Um…Roswell, New Mexico?”

“Roswell.”

“Yeah.”

“Roswell, New Mexico.”

“Yes.”

“Well, it seems that you got out just in time.”

Liz smiled nervously. “I…I don’t understand.”

The lady rolled her eyes. “Haven’t you heard the news yet sweetie?”

Liz shook her head. “I…well, my husband and I, and a few friends decided to go on a road trip. You know, tour the country. Our radio’s broken and we haven’t really stopped to get a newspaper…”

The lady shook her head in pity and slipped both Liz’s package and a crinkled, folded newspaper through the little space between the window and the counter. “Here darling, you need this more than I do. I’m sorry.”

Liz took the package and newspaper from the lady and slowly walked away. Puzzled, she unfolded the paper while walking out the door. She nearly fell to the ground when she saw the headline.

``````````````````````````````````````````

Isabel rolled her eyes and sighed loudly as Kyle and Michael continued to bicker.

“Three weeks! Three weeks in a van with you and no radio!” Michael shouted through a whisper.

Kyle hissed back. “Please, like this has been any easier for me. You aren’t the easiest person to get along with, despite your sunny disposition.” The sarcasm seemed to stab at Michael. “Besides, Mikey, you were the one that broke the radio.”

Max gripped the steering wheel of van, silently trying to calm himself.

“Only because I couldn’t listen to one more second of your stupid country music junk.”

“Oh, the sports station that barely came in without a horrible buzzing noise was better?”

“Better than listening to the whining of those dickless pansies.”

“Here’s an idea MG, why don’t you go ‘puck’ yourself.”

“Why don’t you go meditate into the middle of traffic, Buddha Boy?”

“That’s it Guerin!”

Kyle was about to pounce on Michael, who was willing to fight back, when Isabel snapped. “Okay, both of you shut up before I’m forced to kill you! God, you bicker like a couple. Hurry up and get married already!”

And with that, Isabel threw the door to the van open and jumped out, leaving a shocked Michael and Kyle, and a snickering Max inside.

The brisk air was what she needed right now. Three weeks in a stuffy van was too long for her. And she missed Jesse. She dream walked him once, and found out that he went to Boston, but she hadn’t done it again. The risk was too great.

She heard a car door slam and didn’t even bother to acknowledge Max’s presence when he walked up to her. He seemed to be reading her thoughts.

“Isabel…”

Max was about to continue when Liz suddenly appeared beside them, panting heavily and sobbing loudly. Max pulled Liz into a hug.

“What’s wrong Liz? What happened?”

Liz dropped the package and the newspaper on the ground as Kyle and Michael jumped out of the van in worry. Isabel bent down and picked up the newspaper.

“What is it?” Max continued to ask, but Liz couldn’t even seem to bring herself to speak. She just kept crying.

Michael was about to yell, which is what he did when he panicked, but Isabel’s loud gasp stopped him. Everyone looked at her. All of the color seemed to have drained from her face and tears were beginning to form in her eyes as well.

“Dammit Isabel, what is it?” Michael asked firmly.

Isabel looked at the paper and then turned it around for everyone to see.

A TOWN WIPED OUT!
The residents of Roswell, New Mexico have disappeared overnight, and nobody seems to know how or why.

TBC…


So, how was it? Should I go on?

[area52]

You Can’t Go Home Again

Chapter 2

The gang had found an empty rest spot by the side of the highway to collectively think and discuss what was happening. Liz was still crying. Isabel had started to cry as well. Max just held Liz while she sobbed. Kyle leaned against the van squeezing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. Michael had quietly walked away from the group, with little protest from the others. He sat on the cold, damp grass, newspaper in hand, and began to read the article.

Michael scanned the newspaper over and over again. It seemed that the “disappearance” of everyone in town took place just a day or two after they left. He read the same few lines over and over again:

Local authorities in the New Mexico area are completely stumped as to how such a large number of people could disappear in such a short amount of time. Roswell, New Mexico, a town made famous in 1947 because of a supposed UFO crash, has now become a ghost town.
In a recent interview, Sheriff John Duncan of Las Cruces states, “We have searched every inch of Roswell, and not one person, living or deceased, has been recovered. It is truly one of the most bizarre occurrences this nation has ever seen.”

Throwing down the paper and taking deep breaths, Michael felt the threat of hot tears spilling down his face. That happened once before, but it was because of the Skins. Was this alien related? That was unlikely.

The Special Unit must have evacuated or detained everyone. But how was that possible? How was it possible that not one living soul remained in Roswell?

Suddenly, his thoughts went back to that night he and the others left. The night he left Maria in Roswell…

“I don’t want you to come. It’s safer here in Roswell.”

What a fool he had been. He had left Maria to God knows what in Roswell, and he would probably never see her alive again. He didn’t even want to think about what would be happening to her if the Special Unit were indeed responsible. The thought of Maria being strapped to some chair in an all white room made him nauseous with terror.

Michael shook those thoughts from his head, stood up, and rejoined the group. They were already in the middle of an intense discussion. Liz was sitting on the bumper of the van, appearing to have calmed slightly. Kyle, Max and Isabel debated.

Max was calm but firm. “We cannot go back to Roswell. It’s too soon.”

“We have to Max! I have to know if my dad’s okay!” Kyle spat.

Isabel shook her head. “Max is right Kyle. We can’t go back. What if the Special Unit is responsible? What if they’re still waiting for us there?”

“I don’t care.”

“Well you better start to care. This is not a game Kyle. This is our life now. We cannot go back and that is final.”

Michael watched, angered, as Max began to walk away. But Kyle yelled at him.

“Well, look who finally decided to play the King card. I have news for you Max! You are not MY KING!”

Max stopped, but he didn’t turn around. Kyle continued. “Finally I see you for what you are! A heartless, spineless alien! We ruined our lives for you. Me, Liz, Maria and Alex ruined our lives! Alex even lost his life because of you and now Maria, along with everyone else in Roswell, is missing! Do you care Max?”

“Kyle, stop it!” Isabel yelled through tears.

“No,” Kyle continued, quickly filling the space between him and Max, whose back was still turned. “You don’t care about my father, even though he helped you. He kept your damn secret, we all kept your goddamn secret. But you don’t care, as long as your ass is safe-“

Max turned around and punched Kyle square in the jaw, causing him to stumble backwards. “You think I don’t care? You think that I don’t want to go back home just as much as you do? My parents are back there! Yes Kyle, I had parents here and I loved them just as much as you loved your father. And it’s because I care that I can’t go back! If we go back there and we’re caught, how does that help anyone?”

Kyle just looked at Max, astonished. Everything seemed to calm down. Max took a deep breath. “I can’t change what happened in Roswell, I wish to God that I could. But I can’t. All I can do is make sure that you are safe. The occupants of this van are all I can care about right now.”

Kyle finally found his voice, and it cracked with high emotion. “I’m sorry Max. But I have to go back.”

Isabel, being the reluctant problem solver, turned to Max. “Can we take a vote?”

Max sighed heavily and nodded. “But whatever we vote on is final. You can’t take it back and you can’t go off on your own.” Everyone nodded in agreement.

“I want to keep going.” Max said.

Kyle shook his head. “I want to go back.”

Isabel looked at Max. “We can’t. We have to keep going.”

They turned to Michael. Michael looked at Kyle and then at Max. “I have to go back Maxwell. I made a mistake.”

Max wasn’t surprised. Maria was Michael’s everything, no matter how much he tried to deny it.

Kyle raised his hands in the air in frustration. “Great. A tie. But we still have one more vote.” Kyle and Max quickly walked over to Liz, who was still sitting on the bumper of the van. She seemed lost in her thoughts.

“Liz, it’s your vote that decides whether we keep going or go back.” Max said tenderly.

Liz’s big tear-filled eyes met Kyle’s and she shook her head. “We can’t go back.”

“WHAT!” Kyle and Michael asked in unison. Kyle was sure that Liz wanted to go back as much as he did. “How can you say that?”

Liz didn’t move. “It’s too soon. Even with my parents and Maria gone…we can’t go back.”

The last statement brought one a fresh wave of tears. Max gently lifted Liz and brought her to the side of the van. He kissed her on the forehead and helped her inside. Then, he turned back toward the group. “We’ll go to the next town and find some more newspapers. See if there were any new developments. Agreed?”

Kyle reluctantly nodded and hopped into the van. Michael just angrily jumped into the van. Isabel hugged Max before getting into the van herself. Max closed the doors and ran over to the driver’s door, sick with himself.

Together they drove to the next town, hoping to find some good news.

TBC…

Sorry there's no M/M right now. But I promise that there will be. So, how is it so far?

[area52]

You Can’t Go Home Again

Chapter 3

The door to the basement slammed open and a man in a black suit stepped inside. Before he even had time to react, Maria shot him. Bang! He flew backward, yelping in pain.

“Come on you sons of bitches.” Maria whispered to herself.

More entered. She fired two more shots. Bang! Bang! She hit another man, but not before he fired. There was a hot pain in her right shoulder and suddenly the world went black…

The low, quick clapping of her bare feet against the linoleum floor wasn’t the only sound that Maria DeLuca could hear. She could hear the loud thumping of her heart, the buzz of the fluorescent lights above her, and the whisper of the two guards playing poker by the thick metal door, her only escape.


The shoulder where she was shot ached, the gauze pad was soaked and her paper-thin gown was slowly turning red. She was dizzy from whatever it was that they gave her. But she only had one chance to get out, and she wasn’t going to lose it. She closed her eyes and thought about him.

“Maria, listen to me. At 9:30, the guards will change shifts. You have 30 seconds. That’s all I can wait. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“9:30.”

Looking at the clock, she slowly chanted, “At 9:30, the guards will change shifts. You have 30 seconds. At 9:30, the guards will change shifts. You have 30 seconds…”

It was 9:28.

One of the guards burst out in hysterical laughter and Maria flinched, but she didn’t make a sound. If she did, she would be dead. Taking deep breaths, she mentally counted backward from ten to keep herself from having a breakdown. She couldn’t afford a breakdown.

Whispering very lowly, she tried to calm herself. “Get a grip DeLuca. You can do this. All you have to do is make it out the door. That’s all.”

Suddenly, the guards started to get up. Maria looked at the clock. It was 9:30. Both men carelessly walked off down the hallway. Maria crouched, looking from behind the counter she took cover under and then sprinted toward the door. She quickly thrust it open and ran out onto the wet pavement.

A black SUV was waiting with the door open. She jumped inside, slammed the door, and the car sped off.

Panting, she looked at her savior and smiled. The driver gently pushed her hair back with his finger and said, “Relax now. You’re safe.”

The car sped through the metal gates and onto the highway. Maria looked back with tears in her eyes. She did it. She had escaped.

----------------------

Doctor Gordon Sumner was a scientist at Harvard University before he began work at his current job. And after thirty years of research, he had never come across a case like this one. As he walked down the hall, his white lab coat flapping behind him, he scanned through all of his notes on Maria DeLuca. She seemed like a normal, healthy teenage girl. But her skin and blood samples told a different story.

Two weeks ago, when Maria was first brought in for testing, she produced mostly normal skin cells. There was a strange abnormality with one of the samples, a skin cell that Dr. Sumner had never come across before. He had figured that the sample was contaminated, so he didn’t take too much care to note it.

After a few more tests, it seemed that the skin abnormality was growing. Suddenly, that strange skin cells were mulitplying. It appeared in every sample.

It wasn’t skin cancer. With skin cancer, the cells have no, “contact inhibition,” which means that the cells rapidly grow on top of one another without stopping. These cells stopped growing when coming in contact with one another. But they weren’t normal human skin cells. They were…alien.

Dr. Sumner was briefed on the case. He knew that he would be searching for anything that would give his superiors reason to believe that aliens roamed this earth. He knew of the status of Max and Isabel Evans, and Michael Guerin. They were supposedly alien-human hybrids. But Maria DeLuca was not one of the aliens in question. Which made Dr. Sumner take some blood samples.

The blood tests were abnormal as well, but there was something else. There was a reason why Dr. Sumner was reviewing his notes on Maria DeLuca. There was a reason why he was traveling down the hall to see her. Maria DeLuca was two months pregnant. Maria had gone out with one of the aliens in question, Michael Guerin. Was it possible that she was having an alien-human hybrid child? And if so, was this child changing Maria? It looked as if it were.

Sumner knocked on Maria’s door, surprised to see it fly open.

“Ms. DeLuca…I have some startling infor…”

He stepped inside. Nobody was there. He looked around. Suddenly, it hit him. She had escaped.

“Shit.”

His boss wasn’t going to like this.

TBC…


So, how are you guys liking the story so far?

[area52]

Chapter 4

Liz and Isabel sat on the hard, lumpy mattress of the cheap motel they were staying at for the night. Maria would have called it a, “nookie motel.” The guys were out buying food and every newspaper available.

Liz pulled a picture out of her purse. It was one of Liz, Maria and the Parkers. The summer before the infamous shooting at the Crashdown, Jeff and Nancy had taken Liz and Maria to an amusement park. Liz had her arm wrapped around Maria’s shoulder and was smiling. Maria was holding a hand up to her forehead, apparently trying to block the sun. Jeff seemed to have pulled Nancy quickly to his side because they were touching hips and Nancy was laughing out loud. Liz remembered that day. It was one of the best days of her life. It was a nice picture.

It was folded in half and crumpled around the edges. It looked like Liz had pulled that picture out a lot.

Liz handed it to Isabel. “Try Maria first.”

Isabel studied the picture and smiled. Putting her pointer finger on Maria, she closed her eyes and concentrated…

Then, she opened them. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. Nothing. “I couldn’t get anything.”

“Nothing?”

“No. Do you still want me to try your parents?”

“No. If you can’t get Maria, you probably won’t get them…” The last part escaped Liz’s mouth in a whisper.

They sat there for a minute in uncomfortable silence. Even if they were now sisters-in law, the closeness wasn't really there. And now with the whole Roswell disappearing act, it seemed that it would be a while before they could get used to being related.

Finally, Liz spoke up. “Did you try your parents?”

Isabel nodded. “At least fifteen times since we found out. I can’t get them either. I’m not sure why…”

“How about Jesse?”

Isabel sighed. “I think he’s okay. I did it once, I saw him in Boston.”

“Maybe you should dream walk him again. He might know what happened.”

Isabel looked at Liz. Maybe she should try. But what if Jesse were dreaming about another girl? What if he had moved on? It scared Isabel. Liz took notice of the sudden change in Isabel’s face.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Isabel got up, walked over to her purse and pulled out a picture of Jesse. She had to do this. Even if it was scary. Closing her eyes, she took a few nervous breaths before entering Jesse’s mind.

Jesse closed the door to Maria’s car and slowly made his way to the house. Once inside, he walked over to the lamp table and picked up a picture frame. It was a picture of him and Isabel on their wedding day. They were holding each other tightly, cheek to cheek, smiling brightly into the camera. A few tears rolled down his cheeks.

Isabel stood in the background, crying slightly at the sight of her broken husband.

Suddenly, Jesse threw the picture fiercely against the wall. The glass in the frame shattered, sending pieces everywhere. Jesse grabbed the lamp on the table and flung it. It hit the floor, shattering as well.

“God Dammit!" He turned the lamp table over and screamed, "ISABEL!"


Then, Jesse’s mind seemed to flicker, like a television with a bad antennae. The scene changed from their Roswell home to Jesse walking down the street in Boston.

Isabel glanced around, disoriented, but quickly focused herself when Jesse walked by her, oblivious to her presence.

“Jesse, wait!”

Isabel ran to catch up with Jesse. In his mind, everything seemed to slow down. Suddenly, it flickered again.

Isabel became confused. What was happening? “Jesse. Jesse!” She called out. But nobody answered. Suddenly, everything went black.

Isabel looked around. She was…nowhere. Everything was dark.

“Jesse?”

And then she saw him. Everything was dark but one place. It seemed as if a spotlight were shining down on Jesse. He was trapped inside a glass booth. He pounded on it, screaming, but no sound came out.

Isabel cautiously walked over to Jesse and he noticed her. He stopped pounding long enough to point behind Isabel.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

Isabel turned. “Hello?”

“Get out.”

“Who’s there?”

“Get out…you were not invited.”

Isabel spun around in the darkness. Where was the voice coming from? It wasn’t Jesse’s voice. But it sounded familiar. Before she could answer, she felt a push, like she was being tossed out of the dream.

“Get out…Vilan…”

-------------

Isabel gasped as she sat up on the bed. Liz was looking over her, worried.

“Are you okay Izzy? You were crying?”

Isabel got up. “We have to call Max. Jesse’s in trouble.”

“What do you mean? What happened?” Liz asked, alarmed.

“He’s not in Boston. That was planted in his mind for me.” Isabel was frantically searching for her cell phone.

Liz followed Isabel around the room. “What do you mean?”

“Something happened. Something happened to him the day we left. Where is my phone!”

Liz shook her head. She was at a loss. “Isabel—“

Suddenly the door opened and Max, Michael, and Kyle walked through. Max and Michael carried food and Kyle was carrying about ten newspapers. Isabel ran to them.

“Max, thank God! Jesse’s in trouble.”

Max put the food down. “What do you mean?”

“I think he’s back.”

Michael, Kyle, and Liz looked on, worried.

“Who?” Max asked.

“Kivar.” Isabel said through tears.

TBC…


I hope I haven't lost anyone yet. Don't worry, this is all connected. That is, if you guys are still interested.

[area52]

You Can't Go Home Again

Chapter 5

She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Everything was fuzzy, but bright. As her vision snapped into clarity, Maria realized that she was in a big, white room. She tried to lift a hand to her throbbing head, only to find it strapped down. Both of her hands and her legs were strapped down.

“Oh God.” Maria mumbled. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t happening.

“Well, it’s nice to see you’re finally awake.” A voice behind her said. She turned, but couldn’t see beyond the chair she was strapped to.

“Let me out of here.” Maria said, trying her best not to scream. She struggled with the straps, but it was no use.

“Now don’t struggle. I don’t want to have to sedate you. We need you competent.” It was a male’s voice. But, he didn’t show himself.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“Information.”

“On what?”

“On Max Evans, Isabel Evans, and Michael Guerin.”

“I-I don’t know anything.”

The man snorted. “We have pictures of you with them. We know that you have been cavorting with them. Tell me where they are.”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying.”

Maria shook her head. Laughing bitterly, she said. “I don’t know where they are. They left me behind.”

There was a moment of complete silence. Then, one of the walls opened and two men dressed in black suits entered.

“Bring her to the others.” The man said.

The two men promptly unstrapped Maria and dragged her out of the room.

---------------------------
Maria awoke with a start. She was still in the SUV, but it wasn’t moving. Suddenly, there was a hamburger coming at her face.

“Thanks.” She mumbled, grabbing the burger. Opening it, she took a huge bite. She was starving. But the burger needed something. “Got any tobasco sauce?”

“What?”

Maria shook her head. “Nothing. Nevermind.” Where had that craving come from?

Finally taking in her surroundings, Maria looked around puzzled. “Where are we?”

“Roswell.”

Maria looked around and finally realized it was Roswell. But it wasn’t her Roswell. It was dark…and deserted. Maria opened the car door and stepped out.

“What happened?” She asked.

“Everyone’s gone.”

“Where did everyone go?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did you guys do this?”

“No.”

Maria remembered this happening once before. The Skins had used some big, green, electric rod that literally wiped out everyone in town. Everyone that wasn’t alien, that is.

“It’s not the same as before.” He said, as if reading her mind.

“What?”

“You can’t bring them back…I don’t think.”

"How did you know about that?" Maria asked, puzzled.

"I have my ways."

Maria looked around solemly one last time before getting back in the car.

“I have some good news.”

Maria turned to face her driver.

“What is it?”

“I found them.”

Maria looked at him, unmoving. “Where are they?”

“Just outside of North Dakota. If we head out tonight, we can probably catch up with them.”

Maria nodded. Suddenly, she pulled her hero into a hug.

“Thank you Daddy.”

“Anytime baby girl. Anytime.”

------------------------

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

Sumner gulped a little. He, along with the two guards watching the door were inside the boss’ office. The leather chair he sat in was turned. They were staring at the back, but he was in there, looking out the window. The boss was a little too calm. Sumner thought that he would be furious. “She must’ve escaped sir.”

One of the guards that were on duty the night Maria escaped, Agent Johnson, spoke up quickly. “I don’t know how she would have escaped sir.”

“Somebody must have helped her.” The boss muttered. “Somebody from the inside.”

“What do you want us to do sir?” Johnson asked, looking at his partner, Agent Frye.

“Find them. Follow them. They will lead you right to the aliens.”

“Them? Who do you think is with her sir?” Johnson asked.

“Agent Larry Henderson.”

“Larry Henderson sir? Why him?” Sumner asked, curious. Henderson had worked closely with Sumner whenever he dealt with Maria.

“Because, Larry Henderson isn’t Larry Henderson.”

“I don’t understand sir.”

“His name is Brian DeLuca.” The voice said, holding up a file for everyone to see.

Johnson and Sumner looked at each other in shock.

TBC…


So, how do you guys like it so far? Any idea who the boss might be? Should I continue or should I just stop and find a nice hole to live in?

[area52]

You Can't Go Home Again

Chapter 6


People from all across America, some from other countries, flocked to Roswell, New Mexico in search of their loved ones, only to find that they cannot enter.

“We are still trying to secure the area,” the sheriff of Las Cruces stated, “We aren’t sure what caused this mass disappearance, and we aren't certain that it is entirely safe. Once we are absolutely certain that the area is secure, the public may enter Roswell. Until then, Roswell, New Mexico is off limits.”

Great, even if we wanted to go back, we couldn’t, Michael thought miserably. Throwing the paper on his bed, he got up, left his room, and went for a walk.

The parking lot of “Rocket’s Motel” was large, but empty. The loose gravel crunched under his large boots. Slowly walking with his hands in his pockets, he thought about Maria.

“I’m sorry.” He said aloud to no one.

Now spaceboy, are you going to give up on me that easily?

“I want to find you. But I don’t think I can.”

There’s no place I could hide that you wouldn’t find me.

“I can’t. We…we took a vote. I can’t leave.” Michael laughed a little that the ridiculousness of his excuse. Michael had never imagined Maria talking to him before, but somehow he knew what she was going to say.

Funny, you always seemed to leave me whenever you wanted to.

“I thought you would be safer in Roswell, away from me.”

Well, I guess you were wrong then Michael, on both counts.

“It’s my fault. It’s my fault you’re dead.” Michael said, tears beginning to pool in his eyes.

What makes you think I’m dead?

“Everyone in Roswell is gone. That means you too.”

Do you believe that?

“I don’t know.”

Seems like you left your brain with me in Roswell. Don’t you think you would have felt it if I died?

“I guess.”

So, do you think I’m dead?

“No.”

“Michael”

Michael turned, thinking for a second that Maria would be behind him. But it was Kyle. Michael sighed in disappointment. Kyle walked over to him and handed him a can of cherry cola.

“Who were you talking to?” Kyle asked.

“No one.”

“Talking to Maria?”

Irritated, Michael growled, “Yes.”

“You miss her?”

“Yes.”

“Sorry about leaving her behind?”

“Kyle!”

“Sorry, jeeze.” Kyle sipped his soda. “Find anything in the newspapers?”

“Yeah, just the same old thing. Nobody’s allowed in Roswell, and all that crap.”

Kyle nodded.

Michael walked around, frustrated for a moment, and then stopped. Staring at an exposed light bulb, Michael lifted his hand and it immediately exploded, sending small shards of glass and sparks into the night air. Kyle looked at him.

“Feel better?”

“No.”

Kyle scoffed. “Maybe we should just go. The two of us.” Kyle leaned in toward Michael and whispered, “To Roswell, tonight.”

Michael looked at Kyle and then promptly walked away from him, his mind working a mile a minute.

“Come on Michael. Just think about it!”

“No need to.” Michael muttered. He closed his eyes and pictured Maria smiling at him.

“I’m coming Maria.” Somehow, some way, he would get her back.

I love you spaceboy.

“Ditto.”


TBC…


That's all the chapters I had written down already. I'll still try to drum out chapters daily, but there's so much schoolwork...I hope you guys are still enjoying it. Just stick with me, it'll be all right.

a52

[area52]

You Can't Go Home Again

Chapter 7

Maria seemed to struggle the whole time the men were dragging her. “Get off of me you fucking bastards! Let me go!”

“Fine.”

A door opened and the men literally dropped Maria into another room, where she was met with loud gasps and hushed talking. Suddenly, a voice she recognized, called out to her.

“Maria! Oh my baby!”

Maria lifted her head to find her mother, The Parkers, and the Evans’ looking down at her. Amy helped Maria up and hugged her, crying. “Are you all right sweetheart? Oh my God, look at your arm!” Amy cried, inspecting her daughter’s fresh bullet wound.

“It’s okay Mom. I’m fine.” Maria said, tightly hugging her mother.

When her mother finally let go, Maria took a look around. It looked like a waiting room in a hospital. Every wall was white, except for one that seemed to hold a two-way mirror. Several chairs were lined up against the walls. A coffee table sat in the center of the room.

Maria looked at the hopeful faces of her friends’ parents, and suddenly thought that this interrogation was going to be much worse than the one she had just come from.

“Maria, where’s Lizzy? Where’s my baby girl?” Mr. Parker said, near tears.

Maria looked into the two-way mirror before looking back at a hopeful Mr. Parker.

“I don’t know Mr. Parker.”

------------------------------

Maria assessed her appearance in the small motel bathroom mirror. Steam from the hot water running in the faucet rose up around her face. Groaning, she muttered, “God, I look like crap.”

Pulling off her grungy hospital-like gown, she inspected the large, bloodied gauze pad covering her right shoulder. “It doesn’t hurt…”

Maria pulled off the old gauze and gently cleaned off the dried blood with a hot face cloth. She expected at least a sting, but there was nothing. No pain at all. Quickly soaking the facecloth in more water, she rung it out and wiped her shoulder again. There was no pain because…because the wound was gone.

Rubbing the front part of her shoulder with her hand, she nimbly felt the back of her shoulder with her fingers. Turning sideways so that just enough of her back could be seen, Maria looked at her shoulder, puzzled.

There was no wound. There wasn’t even a scar. How was that possible? Maria was pretty sure that she escaped from the facility with a bullet wound. Somewhere between there and this motel, her wound had healed. But how?

“What…the…hell?”

“Maria! Are you okay in there?” Her father called from outside the door.

It took a minute for Maria to find her voice, but then she called out. “Um, yeah, just a sec.”

She threw on a pair of loose jeans and a black sweatshirt that her father had gotten for her, fixed her hair to the best of her abilities and opened the door.

Brian had been reading the newspaper and looked up. He smiled. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay.”

Maria sat down on the bed. “What are you reading?”

“Oh, the latest news on Roswell.” He hands her the paper. “They closed it down. Nobody’s allowed in.”

“Great.” Flinging the paper aside, Maria looked at her father in hopes of some news she actually wanted to hear.

Brian nodded in understanding. “They’re still outside of North Dakota. They haven’t moved yet.”

“How do you know this again?” Maria asked.

“Well, somebody has been using their ATM card…and they’re leaving a pretty heavy trail.”

“Let me guess…Kyle.”

“Kyle Valenti.”

“Ass…”

“I’m guessing nobody knows, or else the trail would have gone cold. So, let’s just keep hoping that Kyle continues to be an…ass.”

“Don’t worry.” Maria said, rolling her eyes. Then, she got up. “So, are we going?”

Brian looked at her, worried. “No. You should rest.”

“Dad, I’m fine.”

“You should really try to sleep, and let your arm rest a while…” Brian said, in fatherly worry, which made Maria slightly uncomfortable. She looked away from him.

“Dad, I said I’m fine. Let’s go. I don’t want to lose them.”

Brian hesitated for a moment, and then relented. “Okay, but you’re sleeping in the car.”

Maria rolled her eyes and nodded. Grabbing his jacket and keys, they headed out the door. Maria opened the side door to the SUV and jumped in. Brian went to return the key to the front desk.

Maria sat in the car, smiling.

“I’m coming spaceboy…and you’re gonna be fucking sorry you ever left me behind.”

Brian soon hopped into the car with Maria. Soon they were off, not noticing the black Lincoln Towncar following them.

TBC...

Hey guys, I would just like to thank all of you who keep sending me feedback. You guys are the reason I keep writing. So, thanks...

[area52]

You Can't Go Home Again

Chapter 8

Isabel opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of Roswell. Surprised, she looked around. People were walking by her, some saying hello, others just walking.

“How did I…”

Then she saw him, standing in the middle of Roswell too, smiling. It was Jesse.

No, it was Khivar.

His eyes were fully blackened; no whites were showing. And that half-smile that Isabel had loved seemed so sinister that she almost cowered in fear.

Nobody really noticed him. Suddenly, he turned and started walking down the street.

“Jesse, wait!” Isabel screamed, running after him.

In a flash, Isabel was standing behind Jesse on a cliff overlooking Roswell. I’m dreaming, she thought to herself. He turned his head around to look at her.

“It’s not a dream my love.” It was Jesse’s voice, but Khivar was speaking.

Jesse opened up his right hand. A blue light shown down from above them, and a small, thin, purple rod suddenly appeared. Then, the blue light disappeared.

The rod was only about a foot long, but the way it glowed in Jesse’s hand showed that it was capable of immense power.

“I have a present for you Vilandra.”

Isabel seemed rooted to the spot. Not taking her eyes off the rod, she muttered, “I’m not Vilandra…I’m Isabel.”

Stepping back to increase momentum, Jesse retracted and then flung his right arm forward, throwing the rod as far and as high as he could over the town.

“No!” Isabel screamed, but she still didn’t move.

There was a bright blue-violet flash, but it was gone in an instant. Isabel finally found the ability to move her legs, and she almost ran right off the edge of the cliff. Looking down upon the town, she could see that it was empty. The buildings still stood, but an unsettling quiet fell over Roswell. Not a soul remained.

Turning, she screamed, “What did you do to them!”

“Roswell belongs to us now.” Khivar said, moving to touch her face. Isabel hesitated for a moment. It looked like Jesse, but it wasn’t. She slapped his hand away.

He stepped back. “You come back to me…or he dies.”

Her heart leapt up into her throat. “Jesse.”

Walking away, he confidently stated, “I’ll be waiting.”

Isabel woke up in her motel room gasping.

-------------------------------------

In a separate room, Max and Liz lied on the bed together, facing one another, holding each other. Max gently brushed a stray hair from Liz’s tear-stained face.

“How are you feeling?”

“I don’t know.” Liz said shakily. She had stopped crying, but the threat of more tears was there.

“Do you regret not voting with Kyle and Michael?”

“No. I trust your decisions Max. And I know that if we go back…there’s a chance we can get caught.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I want to go back as much as anyone else wants to.”

“I know.” Liz said, gently kissing Max on the lips.

Max pulled Liz closer to him. Sighing, he gingerly touched Liz’s face. “I don’t know what I would do if you were gone.”

“I love you Max Evans.” Liz said, almost smiling.

“I love you too Liz Parker Evans.” Max said, kissing Liz on the mouth.

The kisses at first were gentle, but then became more passionate. Pulling Max closer, Liz kissed Max roughly. Suddenly, she had a flash.

*Flash*

Liz watching a tired and grungy Maria screaming and struggling with two men dressed in black.

“No! Please don’t take me back there! I can't go back there!”

*Flash*

Max cowering in the corner of a white room, a shadowy figure standing over him.

“Welcome back.”


Liz pulled back from Max, moaning in terror and Max grabbed onto her.

“Liz, what is it? Are you okay?”

“No.” Liz said, new tears starting to spill down her face.

“What happened, did you have a vision?”

Liz nodded. “Maria’s alive…and you were back in the white room.”

Max was about to respond when there was a loud pounding on the door.

“Max! Max!” It was Isabel.

Max jumped up out of bed and quickly opened the door. Isabel rushed past him into the room. Liz sat up in the bed, still reeling from her vision. Max closed the door.

“Isabel, what’s—“

“Max, we have to go back to Roswell. Khivar is there and he’s going to kill Jesse if we don’t.”

Max looked at Isabel and then at Liz. Maria, The Special Unit and Khivar? This was all getting to be too much…


TBC…

Once again, thanks for the feedback, especially to AngelicFairy and xmag...whether you know it or not, every feedback helps shape my story. Until next time...

a52

[area52]

You Can't Go Home Again

A.N. I just want to let you know that the italics can mean one of several things...1) Flashback of Maria in facility 2)Isabel's dream world or 3)Michael imagining that Maria is talking to him. The italics below are scenario # 1...just in case you guys get confused...


Chapter 9

Maria sat in one of the chairs in the room. Her mother was sitting next to her, holding her hand. Nancy Parker was two seats away, biting her nails, lost in thought. Mr. and Mrs. Evans were on the opposite side of the room, huddled together, just staring at Maria.

Jeff Parker, was pacing back and forth in front of Maria and Amy, close to losing his cool.

“I don’t understand it Maria,” Jeff stated firmly, “How could you call yourself Liz’s best friend if you don’t know what’s been going on in her life?”

Maria cringed and closed her eyes. This was not what she needed right now. She wanted to tell everyone the whole story, but she couldn’t. They were in the Special Unit’s hands, and if Maria blurted out everything, the others would definitely be exposed.

Jeff stared at Maria, waiting for an answer.

“For the last time Mr. Parker, I don’t know.” Maria said, putting her face in her hands. Amy wrapped her arm around Maria and stared up at Jeff.

“That’s enough Jeff. If Maria says she doesn’t know what’s been happening, she doesn’t know. She’s tired, and hurt. So would you please…”

Jeff shook his head. “You’re right. You’re right Amy.” Sighing, he said, “I’m sorry Maria. I’m just scared and confused.” Jeff placed a hand on Maria’s other shoulder.

Philip, for the first time since Maria came in, spoke up. “I think we’re all a little scared and confused.”

Philip stood up and walked over to the two-way mirror. “Can somebody please tell us what the hell we’re doing here?”

Maria looked at the two-way mirror. They were watching, she was sure of it. Suddenly the door opened up and two men appeared. Philip walked over to them.

“Finally. Could you please tell us what you want with us?”

Suddenly, behind the men, a doctor walked in, holding a chart. Smiling, he held out his hand. “Mr. Evans, I’m Dr. Sumner.”

Philip shook his hand. Then, Sumner turned to the rest of the group. “I know that you are all a bit confused as to why we have brought you here. And everything will be explained to you shortly. However, I must see a Ms. Maria DeLuca.”

Maria turned her attentions to the doctor. Then, she looked at her mother. Amy’s grip on Maria’s hand got tighter. “What do you want with my daughter?”

Dr. Sumner smiled and stepped over to them. “As you know, you’re daughter was shot in the shoulder…”

Before the doctor could continue, Amy began, in true hurricane DeLuca form, to yell. “I would like to know why my daughter was shot in the first place! I want, we all want answers and we want them now!”

Dr. Sumner kept a smile on his face. “As I said before, everything will be explained to you shortly. But I must get Maria to a clean examining room to redress her wound. We don’t want her to get an infection now do we?”

Taking Maria’s free hand, Sumner began to pull her up. Amy immediately got up and smacked the doctor’s hand away. “Don’t touch her. If she’s going, I’m coming with her.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible Ms. DeLuca…”

“Don’t you dare tell me what I can and can not do!” Amy yelled, staring the doctor down.

Jeff, who up until this moment was just watching the whole thing, went to Amy’s side. Nancy followed.

“Mom. It’s okay. I’ll go.” Maria said. Amy just looked at her in surprise.

Getting up, Maria followed Dr. Sumner to the door, with Amy close behind. “Maria.”

The two guards stopped Amy. “You heard the doctor m’ame.”

Maria heard her mother yelling at the guards just before Dr. Sumner closed the door. Maria looked at him. “We’re not going to an examining room, are we?”

“Your shoulder should be fine. I’m taking you to Agent Henderson for questioning.”

Maria followed Sumner down a long corridor until they reached a door that said, “Agent L. Henderson,” on it.

Sumner knocked, opened the door, and then poked his head inside. “Agent Henderson, sir. I brought you Ms. DeLuca.”

“Send her in.”

Maria knew that voice. She entered the office without Dr. Sumner escorting her inside. Henderson looked her over, his face emotionless, but his eyes pleading with her to keep quiet.

Rage began to build in Maria as she looked at “Agent Henderson.”

Dr. Sumner quickly excused himself and closed the door. Maria stared her her long lost father, her jaw tightening.

“It’s okay Maria. There are no cameras in here.”

She went off. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Brian got up and walked slowly toward Maria. “Now Maria, I know you’re upset, but you have to listen…”

Maria immediately slapped her father across the face, stunning him for a second. “Upset? Upset doesn’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling right now, Agent Henderson.”

Brian just looked at her. She was going to let it all out, whether he liked it or not.

“You left us daddy. You left mom and me. You left me. You didn’t even say goodbye. I waited forever like a moron for you to come back, but you never did. Mom didn’t get out of bed for a month. Do you know what it’s like when you’re seven and you have to take care of your mother?” Maria shouted, tears of anger beginning to pool in her eyes.

“I’m sorry Maria. And no reason or explanation for leaving you that you would accept. All I can do now is hope that you will let go of your anger long enough to let me help you.”

“You bastard.”

“You have to look at the big picture here sweetheart. I know you’re in trouble, and I’m going to get you out of it. You just have to let me help you.” Brian said softly, hoping that Maria would accept.

Maria looked at him for a minute. His face was full of determination and hope, and somehow, she trusted him, just a little bit.

“What are you gonna do?”

Brian smiled, but then his face turned serious. “First, you can’t tell your mother that I’m here.”

“What? Why?”

“If she knows I’m here, she could expose me and then I won’t be able to help you. Okay?”

“Fine.”

“It’s going to take a while, but I promise honey that I’ll get you out of here. You just have to play along and everything will be okay.. Understand?”

Maria looked at her father again. “Fine.”
------------------------------------
Maria heaved again, letting out the contents of her stomach behind a billboard sign on the highway. That burger must’ve been bad, she thought, as her stomach finally relaxed.

Brian walked over to her and handed her a tissue. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” Maria muttered, wiping her mouth.

“I think we should stop for a while, don’t you?”

“No. We have to keep going.” Maria said, straightening up.

“Maria, you’re sick. We have been riding in that car for hours without stopping. We should find a motel and rest.”

“Please dad, I’m okay. It was just a bad burger, that’s it. So let’s just drop it and keep going, okay?”

Pulling out a small notepad, Brian nodded. “There are almost fifteen motels between here and you’re friends. You’re friends are currently staying at ‘Rocket’s Motel.’ Approximately three hundred miles and eight hours away from here is ‘Norman’s Inn.’” That is approximately another six hours away from your friends. I do not care Maria, we are stopping there and that his final.”

Maria looked at Brian, sighing in frustration. “Fine. But can we stop at a quickie mart for some Pepto?”

Brian nodded. They both got into the car and began the long drive.

----------------------------------
Three miles down the road, at an empty rest stop, the black Lincoln town car waited for their SUV to pass by. When it did, Agent Frye radioed in.

“Sir, this is Agent Frye. We have them moving north.”

“Copy that. Follow them. Report back when they stop.”

“Yes sir.”

TBC…


Until next time

a52

[area52]

You Can't Go Home Again

Chapter 10

Max ran his hands up and down his face, rubbing his eyes in frustration. What the hell am I supposed to do now, he thought furiously. Isabel told him and Liz the entire dream, and Liz shared her vision, so now they were stuck. Liz still sat on the bed, and Isabel stood by the door, her arms crossed, waiting for Max to answer.

“Max, what are we going to do?” Isabel asked, finally tired of waiting for her brother.

Max shook his head. “I don’t know. We go back to Roswell, I suppose.”

“But what about my vision?” Liz asked almost frantically.

“We just have to risk it. If Khivar somehow wiped out Roswell, and has taken over Jesse, we can’t just let him die.”

“And what about Maria, Liz. From what you told me, she isn’t doing any better. Don’t you want to help her?” Isabel said.

“Of course I want to help Maria,” Liz spat, offended. “She’s my best friend; she’s like a sister to me.”

“All right, all right. Let's just calm down. Okay, then the chance that I will end up in the white room has to take a back seat.” Max said, running his hand through his hair. “Where are Kyle and Michael? I’m sure they’ll be happy to know we’re going back.”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen them all night.” Isabel said, shrugging.

“Well…come on, let’s get them. Liz, could you start packing everything?”

Liz nodded. Max and Isabel then left the room. They walked two doors down and then Max knocked. “Michael. It’s Max, open up.”

No answer.

Max knocked again. “Michael.”

No answer.

One more door down, Isabel knocked on Kyle’s door. “Kyle! Kyle!”

No answer.

Isabel and Max exchanged looks, and then Isabel stepped in front of Max. Using his powers, he unlocked Michael’s door.

The room was dark. Max flipped the light switch. The bed was made; the room was empty, free of Michael’s usual mess. Max looked at Isabel and her eyes went wide.

Immediately, Max, went charging over to Kyle’s room, doing the same thing and getting the same results. Kyle’s room was empty too.

They had left. They had gone against him and left.

“Fuck.” Max muttered as Isabel came in the room a few seconds later.

“Max, look.” Isabel said, holding a piece of motel stationary.

Max grabbed the paper. Michael left a note:

Maxwell,
I’m sorry, but Kyle and I are going back. Keep going. Be safe.

Michael

Max crumpled the paper and threw it across the room.

“God dammit!”

Isabel flinched. The pressure was getting to her brother, and she didn’t like the way he was handling it.

“What do we do?”

Max looked out Kyle’s window to the parking lot. The van was still there, so they must be walking or hitch hiking.

His voice cracking in stress, Max yelled, “We go back, and hopefully catch up to Kyle and Michael. And when we do, I’m gonna kill them.”

Then, Max stormed over to his room with Isabel in tow.

------------------------------------

“Can we stop?”

“No.”

“Just for a minute? My feet are starting to hurt.”

“No.”

“I think I’m getting a blister.”

Michael turned to Kyle, aggravated, but he kept walking. “Listen up Valenti, you wanted to go back. All you did was bitch about going back. We’re going back, and now all you’re doing is bitching about your feet.”

“All right. I’ll stop.” Kyle said, struggling to keep his duffle bag on his shoulder.

“Good.” Michael said, turning back to the road.

It was cold at night, but not freezing, and the moon lit up the highway just enough to keep Michael on track. They had been walking along the highway for about two hours, and only one speeding truck had passed them.

Michael looked at Kyle’s uncomfortable face and groaned. “Okay, we stop for five minutes. And then we keep going, and I don’t want to hear another word from you. Got it?”

Kyle nodded, throwing his duffle bag down and sitting on top of it. Michael did the same. Kyle took his aching foot out of his shoe and began to rub it roughly. Michael rolled his eyes. Kyle looked at Michael.

“So, how are we going to flag down a car?”

“Maybe you can flash your bra.”

“Funny.”

“How about the old fashioned, ‘stick your thumb out’ way?”

“And that works?” Kyle asked.

“Yes.”

“You know, a lot of hitch hikers turn out to be crazed murderers…”

“Keep annoying me Valenti, and you can add me to that list.”

Kyle chose to ignore that comment, and instead found a new topic. “You think Max knows we’re gone yet?”

Michael shrugged, regretting his decision to take Kyle. The boy was like a male version of Maria. In a more annoying way.

“What do you think he’ll do?”

Michael was about to yell at Kyle again when he saw headlights heading his way. Getting up, he ran to the side of the road and stuck his thumb out. The car sped by without even slowing down.

“Jackass…” Michael muttered.

“Good job.” Kyle said from behind him.

Michael turned and looked down at him. “Time’s up. Let’s go.”

Kyle groaned and started to put his shoe back on. Michael turned back to the road and closed his eyes.

Too bad you don’t have my crappy Jetta to steal, space boy.

Michael smiled.

Keep going; don’t give up. Someone will stop.

“I won’t give up.” Michael whispered.

“What?” Kyle said.

“Nothing.”


TBC…


I hope you all are enjoying this fic, at least, as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks, and keep feedbacking, it boosts my confidence.