Reunion (CC, Mature) Couples: L/M, M/M, I/K - Chapter 71 - Completed - 7/15/2018

[Roswelllostcause]

Why do I have a feeling that either evil aliens or possibly the special unit is behind this?

[RoswellFan68]

Great part. We are getting soooooooooooo close.

Denny was the name of the guy that Khivar took over when he tried to take Isabel back to Antar after wedding to Jesse in the series. I think Khivar was responsible for Liz/Beth's car accidents and kidnapping.

[roswell4life]

Can they please finish this convo at the sheriff's office so they can notify Max ASAP!?!? It's all coming together!! I just hope whoever is responsible for this doesn't intervene!! Please keep these updates coming!!

[keepsmiling7]

As Sandra said......."this gets more thrilling by the minuet".........
So much happening........Grace got a car for her birthday.
The "Nancy Drew" twins are ever onward with their DNA quest.
Good grandparents provided insurance for the car........now that really helps.
Interesting that Jeff's DNA is on file......
Prom is coming up....
And yes Liz had enemies.
I am standing on one foot and the other waiting for the next update.
Thanks,
Carolyn

[Superman86]

Love the update, keep'em comin

[Parker1947]

“I love this car,” Sue was saying as she and Grace drove out to the desert. Occasionally, Grace liked to drive out to where her father, aunt and uncle were born on Earth. The pod chambers. Sue was known to come out, although she never knew the significance of the place. Just that it was a cool bunch of rocks and caves that Grace and Elizabeth liked to investigate every once a while. “You’re so lucky.”

“I am,” Grace said. “In more ways than just this awesome birthday present.” she smiled as she felt the wind and the warmth against her face as they drove.

“You want to visit your mother, don’t you?” Sue asked.

“Yeah,” Grace nodded as she thought of her mother. While her mother was buried in the Roswell Cemetery next to her grandmother Claudia Parker, there was also a memorial tribute to her mother out by the chamber that had defined both her father and mother’s relationship. Grace liked at times to just go to the stone that her father had put near the cave and just spend some time with her mother. “It’s almost fourteen years since my mother died.”

“That sucks,” Sue said as they parked near the chamber caves and walked as Grace led the way. “I can see why you wanted to get out of the house.”

“This time of the year is always bittersweet for me as well as the anniversary of her death,” Grace said. “This brings some meaning to me. I feel connected to her when I come here.”

“Even more so than going to the cemetery to see her stone?” Sue asked.

“Yeah, for some reason I feel Mom is still with me when I come to this area and it’s not just where her memorial stone is but something deeper.” Grace sighed.

“I’ll go back to the car and wait for you to spend some time with your mother,” Sue said as turned around and headed back to the car. “Take as much time as you want.” her friend said.

“Thank you,” Grace said as she continued up down the path towards her destination.

What Grace didn’t tell Sue was there was another reason her mother was given a tribute near the chamber is because she was killed near this section of the desert. Grace didn’t know this because Max told her but something she had overheard over the years. Her mother was still a medical student and part-time intern when she died. Thanks to her smarts, she had been able to start her internship early part time on the weekends but after Grace’s second birthday, she had been days away from starting her full-time internship at Roswell Memorial but had been finishing up part-time duties at a hospital in Carlsbad. One night during a massive storm, she was driving home and crashed near the chamber. And therefore, as a tribute to the place his wife died; Max couldn’t help but put a memorial symbol near where he was born.

She found the mark, where a stone stood.

Elizabeth Parker Evans
Beloved daughter, wife and mother
December 1, 1984 - June 25, 2008

“Hi Mom,” Grace began. “Yesterday was my birthday. I am sixteen years old now. I miss you so much it hurts some days. I know it’s been almost fourteen years since we lost you but sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday.” she sighed. “Dad misses you. He tries so hard to show he’s moved on. But I know he hasn’t. He loved you so much. Aunt Isabel tries to match him up, but he always resists.” Grace said as she sat down in front of the stone and just talked. “I made a stupid mistake. And it cost me big time. Dad has been a saint with me. I know he wanted to strangle me when he found me in the hospital and then to find out I was pregnant but losing the baby,” she sighed. “If the baby; my son is there with you. Can you look after him please?”

“Hey,” came a voice. Shocking Grace out of the silence, she turned, and she saw Jake approach. “I am sorry to intrude.”

“What are you doing here Jake?” Grace asked.

“When Elizabeth called me for a pick up from her interview with Aunt Isabel. She let it slip that she figured you were headed this way.” Jake said as he helped Grace stand up.

“Then I saw Sue waiting at the car.”

“How did she know?” Grace asked. “I didn’t even know I was coming here until we were approaching.”

“She has her ways,” Jake shrugged.

“Right,” Grace smiled as she realized just how Elizabeth would have known. “I might as well get back to Sue. It’s warm today. I don’t want her to be waiting long,” she said as they passed the chamber cave where the pods were located.

“How was the talk?” Jake asked.

“Nice,” Grace said. “Liberating,” she though as she had come to some decisions about the ashes for her baby. She would sprinkle them out here at the cave she though as she saw out of the corner of her eye a sparkle or something. “What is that?” she said as she saw at the cave door.

“I don’t see anything,” Jake said as he looked at what Grace was pointing to. “Nothing is there.”

“But I see it,” Grace said as she went back up a few steps toward the cave door. “Leave me here. Go keep Sue company and tell her I’ll be a few minutes,” she said as she was about to open the door and didn’t need Sue coming and surprising her….

“I should go in there with you,” Jake said. As a mere mortal, he didn’t know how to open the cave door, but he had seen his father and uncle do it on occasion.

“Go Jake,” she said in a sharp tone.

“Fine,” Jake said.

Once gone, and making sure she was alone. Grace lit up the hand print and opened the cave door and went in. Stepping through; she walked in and saw the pods. Still impressive to Grace was the idea her father was born like this and not the regular way still felt odd to her.

Walking around; she saw a piece of metal just lying on the ground. She picked it up and suddenly felt a presence. “Mom?” she whispered.

“No,” came the vision.

“Who are you?” Grace asked.

“My name is Alex,” the vision said.

“Are you that friend of my father and mom who died when he was in high school?” Grace asked as she adjusted to the idea that she was talking to a ghost.

“Yes,” Alex said as he looked at the perfect combination of Max and Liz standing in front of him.

“Are you a ghost?” Grace asked. “Have you always been around?” she asked as he looked relatively young.

“Yes,” Alex said. “I have unfinished business. I can’t move until it’s cleared away,” the vision said to Grace.

“Why?” Grace asked.

“Because I am a guardian angel type of presence, I can’t move until all the ducks are in a row. And they are starting to come together,” the vision said. “And the pieces are starting to attach themselves.”

“How am I a part of this, since you are only appearing to me?” Grace asked.

“You are smart Grace,” Alex smiled. “You are just exactly like your mother. You are very inquisitive and smart, yet compassionate and a strong leader, just like your father. You’re going to need all you have stored up because your life won’t be the same.”

“How so,” Grace asked softly. “Is someone going to be hurt? Because I couldn’t stand to lose anyone else in my life!”

“No,” Alex said. “You don’t have to worry as my message doesn’t involve anything imminent but the “death” of someone close to you is the clue to this. You won’t understand this now. But you will. Tell your father that I came to you. And tell him, to look back to that ‘night’.”

“That makes no sense,” Grace said.

“It will,” Alex said as he faded. “Look down,” were his last words…

Grace looked strangely as the vision faded and all she could do was look down and then suddenly something appeared. “That’s strange, that wasn’t there before.”

Picking it up, she looked at it. It was a wallet. “Why is a wallet in here?” Grace muttered to herself as she opened the door to the cave and stepped out. She walked slowly back to the car and friends Sue and Jake. She paled at when she opened it. It was her mother’s wallet.

She stopped and looked it. Jake and Sue who had been talking saw their friend stop and pale. Jake rushed to Grace. “What is it?”

“I found this,” she whispered and handed it to Jake who frowned when he opened, and his jaw fell open.

“What is it?” Sue asked.

“It is my mother’s wallet. From the time of the crash,” Grace whispered. “See the year 2008 on her license; it should have burned in the crash. Everything about my mother burned in that crash.”

*******

“Sorry for the interruption,” Jim Valenti was saying as he returned to his office. “An issue with a new arrestee needed my attention,” he said as she sat down at his desk and looked over at the two detectives from New Haven who still resided in his office. “But before I answer any more questions about Mrs. Evans, I have to ask; why is it that you need to know so much about Mrs. Evans?” he asked. “And why do you think that she may not be dead. It would make more sense to me if I had some background information on all this”

“You see Sheriff Valenti,” Trevor said as he took the file out of his bag. “We had a tip shall you say. And the facts so far check out. Apparently, the culprit in question was around the Roswell area in the late 2000’s; particularly 2008. He said he was paid by a fellow ten thousand dollars to cause the crash. Make the victim stop. Allow the woman to be taken, with the body to be replaced and to puncture the gas tank. And to walk away,” Trevor said.

“That is crazy,” Jim said.

“It’s actually not that unusual but honestly we would have laughed it off as way of this person to get off on other charges as the guy is a known drug dealer and isn’t the sanest person we’ve come across and he’s going down on his original charges anyways and deep down he knew it. But during our workup of the case, we learned some details that collided right into another case that has some similarities to the Evans crash here in Roswell.”

“How so?” Jim asked.

“A very similar crash that occurred just days after your crash, it took place on June 30, 2008. It was on the outskirts of New Haven, Connecticut. The victim in this case didn’t die but she had amnesia. Complete memory loss. At the hospital, it was discovered she was pregnant.”

“Interesting,” Jim said not really paying attention to all the facts coming at him “Did the memory for the patient come back?” he asked.

“No. To this day, none of her memory from before the crash has come back, including her childhood and memories from her life before she woke up in the hospital. She was comatose for about two months after the crash. But when she woke up, she recovered and went on with her life and took on a new name and identity. She gave birth to twin girls a few months after the crash,” Sandra replied.

“I don’t see how this helps my case?” Jim asked.

“There are certain similarities to the two crashes. Although we admit the body in our case in New Haven was found several feet from the exploding vehicle.” Trevor added. “But the reason for the explosion was a gas tank puncture.”

“And?’ Jim asked.

“We haven’t personally interviewed the woman yet; we wanted to know more about the two cases and see if they connected before going to her and awakening any bad memories she still has of the time in question. But the new name and identity she’s taken on is Beth Evans. She’s a doctor at New Haven Medical. And her daughter’s names are Alexandra and Caroline Evans. Does anything sound familiar of what I am saying?” Trevor asked.

Jim’s eyes popped up at the name of the patient and the name Alexandra and now he was fully paying attention to his visitors. “It could be a coincidence, couldn’t it?” Jim asked.

“Yes,” Sandra admitted. “Which is of course why we didn’t want to go to the victim in this case, Ms. Evans without some proof to back up our suspicions as we did not want to awaken a very traumatic time in her life. So, we wanted more facts.”

“There are many Evans in this country and the name Alexandra isn’t that odd today,” Jim said.

“We realize that Sheriff Valenti,” Casper nodded. “But humor us for a moment. Is there any reason whatsoever why the name Alexandra may not be so coincidental since you did react the mention of the name?”

“Liz, the victim in my case had a best friend in high school die tragically and his name was Alexander Whitman. So, while not completely similar; as you well know the name can easily be used for a girl.”

“Yes,” Sandra said as she and Trevor made notes. “And she and this Mr. Whitman were close friends.”

“Yes, from childhood on. They were very tight. They were also friends with a fellow teenager, Maria Deluca. All three were very tight as I said. Although too many who know the kids, Ms. Deluca would have been classified as Liz’s best friend, but the two girls were extremely close to Alex.” Jim acknowledged. “And they both took it extremely hard when he died.”

“What high school did they attend?” Sandra asked.

“We only have one in our immediate district. It is West Roswell High School.” Jim said. “Alex died in their junior year.”

“Oh, not to even graduate, that would indeed be a tragedy.” Trevor said.

“It was,” Jim said. “Look I don’t want to go to the family and upset them without proof one way or another,” he frowned. “The whole family has worked tremendously hard to move on with their lives after losing Liz. And for her widow; it was soul crushing for him to move on. But he has. Raising their daughter has been a major part of his life. And I would not want to upset either him or his daughter.”

“We don’t either,” Trevor conceded.

“The daughter Grace celebrated her sixteenth birthday yesterday. The party is tomorrow night. So, you can see; it’s a very special time in their lives. And neither should have their lives turned upside down over some rumor that may or may not turn out to be true. Given being sixteen means she’s spent nearly fourteen years without a mother.”

“I understand your concern,” Trevor acknowledged. “I have a son, so I know how much trauma this would provide my own family.”

“Me to,” Sandra said. “I have a son and a daughter.”

“Okay then, so you do know” Jim said.

“We do,” Trevor said. “We want to minimize the intrusion in the lives which is why we haven’t gone to our victim as we really don’t want to intrude if we don’t have to, but we do have to admit that everything we have heard so far makes us believe we might be onto something Sheriff."

*******

“The results will be ready in five to seven days,” Serena was telling Beth and the girls in her office. “But I’ll put a rush on them and maybe we’ll be lucky. The lab here in town isn’t that big. So, we’ll be lucky if they come back before a week. But you never know.”

“Thank you, Serena,” Beth smiled. “Girls, why don’t you go outside, and I’ll say good-bye to Serena and then we’ll head for dinner okay?”

“Yes Mom,” Carrie nodded as she and Alexandra headed out of the office while leaving Beth in with Serena.

“So?” Beth asked.

“It’s hard to tell,” Serena acknowledged. “I can look at it preliminary and get back to you. With my second major in forensics science in university; I’ll be able to look at it. But I can’t get you the in-depth information you need.”

“As much as you can,” Beth said.

“I’ll get back to you tomorrow. Keith is taking the boys to some monster truck show tonight. So, I can work late. But the rest of the blood work won’t be ready for a week.” Serena acknowledged.

“I want you to do the best you can,” Beth said. “I am off this weekend. But I am working nights next week.”

“Right,” Serena smiled. “The girls will be with us during the evenings.”

“Yup,” Beth smiled.

“I can’t wait,” Serena said as she watched her friend leave the office. Taking the vials of blood; she headed for her personal lab.

******

“There is a motel near the edge of town,” Jim was telling the two detectives. “How long do you have to stay?”

“Hopefully not long,” Trevor said. “I was supposed to go on vacation when this case came up. My family is joining me on Sunday. And hopefully we can head to California as soon after that as possible. Sandra needs to get home hopefully on Monday or Tuesday.”

“So yeah, there is a motel. Get the name from my deputy,” Jim said. “Maybe we can talk tomorrow.”

“Sure,” Trevor said. “We appreciate your help Sheriff Valenti.”

“It’s no problem,” Jim nodded. “But a friendly warning, Jeff and Nancy Parker; Liz’s parents still run their café here in town. It has excellent food if you enjoy diner food with little twist to it. Spicy food depending on what you choose to eat. It is run on the alien theme and attracting the tourism and such. But anyway, they still own and run it. So, if you do go there. Be careful with what you ask of them. I wouldn’t want to upset them.”

“We understand,” Sandra said.

“Oh, can we by any chance have a look at the Parker-Evans case from fourteen years, ago?” Trevor asked.

“It’s in our cold storage,” Jim lied. “But I’ll look for it and maybe tomorrow you can continue your investigation.”

“Thank you,” Trevor said. “We are sorry for taking all this time with you.”

“It’s no problem,” Jim smiled and watched the detectives leave. Once the door was closed; he unlocked his desk drawer he kept locked due to some sensitive material of the alien kind that were in it. And took a case file, Parker-Evans, Elizabeth and placed it on his desk.

******

“Where did you find this?” Max Evans asked as he looked up from his desk as his daughter with Jake close behind came barging into his office. He had been doing office work when Grace showed up and dropped something on his desk as she stormed in. After looking at it; he was stunned. “Grace, where?”

“Up at the Chamber Dad,” Grace said.

“You went to the chamber?” Max asked as he saw Jake observe and take a seat, allowing Grace to talk.

“Yeah,” Grace said. “I wanted to see Mom and the cemetery was too uncomfortable for obvious reasons and, so I went to her memorial spot. Plus, I wanted to try out my new car.”

“The drive must have been nice?” Max smiled as he tried to lessen the tension within his daughter.

“It was a break,” Grace acknowledged as she loved the feeling of driving with all the freedom. “I loved it. But anyway, I was talking to Mom. Jake and I were walking back to the car and Sue who was waiting. When I saw some glimmer or something, I don’t know what it was. It was by the cave door. I went into the cave; just to look around. And I saw a vision.”

“What?” Jake piped up. “You saw a vision. You never told me that?”

“Who was it sweetheart?” Max asked as he felt the feeling of doom settle over the office. He had seen his own vision. Only once, maybe twice. It was back in high school when he, Michael and Isabel had set off the orbs that brought knowledge from their birth mother. He had strived for knowledge of his history but then to hear it; it set him off to disaster and made him and Liz separate for months, and then again during the holidays, when he saw his own vision of his inner doubt and burden when it came to his healing power.

“He said he was Alex,” Grace said.

“Alex Whitman?” Max said as his jaw dropped open as he remembered back to that terrible night when Alex died. He’d tried so hard to bring him back but couldn’t. It tore the group apart for weeks and gave lasting complications for many months after that until Max and Liz could reunite and truly commit to each other. “Alex?” he repeated.

“Yes Daddy,” Grace said as silence filled the room. The older kids who of course meant Jake, Grace and Elizabeth had heard the true story of Alex’s death. It hadn’t been a car crash but murder. It had been committed by Tess Harding in her quest to achieve her goal of getting Max. And in trying, she had caused Alex’s death and almost succeeded in getting Max in her claws, but Liz, Maria and Kyle had saved the day with the truth about who really caused Alex’s death, and in the aftermath, the cause went down as an accident and not suicide which it had almost been deemed by the authorities. “He told me to tell you that he talked to me.”

“Why?” Max asked.

“He said he had unfinished business. Which is why he never crossed over if you believe in that kind of thing, so he’s been around all this time. Watching, observing. And something caused him to stay. So instead of leaving, he said to tell you to ‘go back to the night’. The answers lay there. That death is involved. But not the kind that involves any injury to anyone we love in our current lives. He said the pieces were starting to come together.”

“That makes no sense. We solved his death.” Max muttered.

“I don’t think he meant his death but something else. He just said; start with “that night’”.

“It makes no sense,” Max said.

“He said look down as he faded from my view. That is where I found that,” she referred to the wallet. I promise you Dad, it wasn’t there before when I was looking before. It just appeared like on command.” Grace said.

“Grace, did you use your skills. Because there is no reason why this wallet could be inside the cave considering the crash happened about five minutes from the chamber,” Max asked in all seriousness. “Did you use your unique skills?”

“No Dad I promise,” Grace said. “I am very good at keeping those at bay and why would I dream up something like this, when it should have gone up in smoke the night of the crash. Could Alex have been meaning this?”

“I don’t know,” Max said.

******

“We’ll have two Will Smith specials and two cherry cola’s,” Trevor was ordering as he and Sandra had taken a seat at the Crashdown for a late lunch. They had checked into the motel that they had been recommended by the Sheriff. And now they were getting something to eat.

“Quite a place,” Sandra smirked once the waitress was gone. “This would definitely bring in the tourism. A play on the aliens and the crash myths.”

“My son will love this place,” Trevor remarked.

“Definitely,” Sandra smiled as she looked around the restaurant. “It’s a pretty impressive place.”

“Yes, it is,” Trevor nodded.

Just then the door opened and in walked Maria on the cell phone, “Look you promised me a hundred plates and glasses. The whole nine yards; cutlery, knifes and all that to be delivered to the UFO Center across from the Crashdown. I expect them there, and you will deliver them on time tomorrow morning. I need time to set the place up. I have a party tomorrow night. Don’t give me that. Tell them that this is Maria Deluca Guerin. You better have those supplies otherwise I will sue that place to my last breath,” she said sharply as she put down her phone having made a statement as she walked towards Jeff Parker who was smiling.

“If they don’t give me those supplies tomorrow then I’ll stick Michael on them; and they will be sorry.” she said as she hugged Jeff.

“You think that is the Deluca the Sheriff was talking about?” Trevor asked as dug into his burger and fries. “She looks familiar.”

“Yeah, she does,” Sandra said as she saw Maria and Jeff talking. “Wow that is Maria Deluca Guerin; the best-selling writer. Her latest book; Shock and Awe is out in stores.”

“How do you know?” Trevor asked.

“My niece is reading the book,” Sandra remarked. “I have been meaning to catch up on the series of books. But we’ve been so busy.”

******

“I am calling to ask if Sheriff Valenti in his office?” Max was asking as he was looking over his computerized schedule while on his phone. Scrolling through it to see what he had on the docket for Monday. Finally, he’d caught up on the clients and paperwork he had set aside due to his unexpected detour to the East Coast the previous weekend. And now things were settling down; he just had one court appearance at 4 p.m. before he could clock out for the day and go home to his daughter. “This is Maxwell Evans. Yes, that Max Evans. No, it’s not business related. Just some friendly questions I have for him,” he said as he thought of his conversation with his daughter. “This is Deputy Peterson, right?” he asked. “Well hello. So, is the Sheriff in?” he asked. “Oh, okay. He’s at the Crashdown Café for a late lunch with his wife.” he asked. “Thank you,” he said as he put down the phone and picked up the mysterious wallet.

Packing up his office; he collected his briefcase for his slight detour before his court appointment. “Dad, I am headed to the Crashdown,” he said as he popped his head in his father’s office. “Then I am in court for the St. James plea.”

“Is everything alright son?” Phillip asked. He had seen his granddaughter and her best friend Jake storm into the office earlier and headed right into Max’s office. He and his wife still hadn’t gotten the full 911 from their son regarding their granddaughter’s mysterious weekend away but Grace seemed well adjusted and he knew there couldn’t be a cause for concern. “Is it anything regarding Grace?”

“No,” Max smiled. “Everything is fine on that front,” he nodded. He knew his father and mother were curious about what had gone on with Grace, but he knew his daughter wasn’t ready to have it all out. And especially not having her secret in the hands of her grandparents, so for now, he was ready to let Grace handle it.

“Your mother wants you and Grace to come to dinner on Sunday. A family dinner as we are trying to get Isabel and Kyle to come with the kids. Are you and Grace game?” Phillip asked.

“I’ll ask Grace,” Max smiled. “I don’t know when she’s starting back to work at the Crashdown” he frowned thinking of the unexpected vacation his daughter had been on all week from both school and work.

“She’s okay son, right?” Phillip asked.

“She’s fine Dad I promise,” Max said with a smile. “I have to go. I’ll let you know what happens with the St. James plea” he said as he left the office.

*******

“Can I have an autograph for my niece,” Sandra Casper as she walked up to the table that Maria sat at with her planners all over the table. “You are Maria Deluca Guerin, author of Shock and Awe, right?” she asked.

“Yes,” Maria said as she looked up. “I don’t get many autograph seekers here in Roswell,” she smiled. “Most tourists don’t recognize me.”

“I can’t believe that,” Sandra smiled.

“I guess it helps that I have always lived here and try to live a normal life,” Maria smiled. “But yeah, I wrote Shock and Awe,” she smiled. “Your niece you said?”

“Yes,” Sandra said.

“Does she have the book?” Maria asked as she took a piece of paper out of her planner. “Do you have it with you?”

“Sorry, I am from out of town and wasn’t expecting to meet you.” Sandra said. “My niece’s name is Sami.”

“Nice name,” Maria said as she wrote, “To Sami – Always go for your dreams. Maria Deluca Guerin.”

“Thank you very much,” Sandra smiled.

“You’re welcome.”

“You don’t look like a writer. I’d assume you would have manuscripts with you.” Sandra smiled. “You look like a party planner.”

“My goddaughter’s 16th birthday party is tomorrow night. I am trying to finalize all the details so that I don’t have to burden her father with it. A godmother’s work is never finished.” Maria smiled. “I am trying to make it a party that every teenager would dream to have.”

“That sounds marvelous,” Sandra said. “I am sure her parents are thankful for your help.”

“It’s only her dad,” Maria frowned. “Her mother died when she was a toddler. That is why I am trying to help as much as I can. I want to make it as special as possible.”

******

“What am I seeing?” Serena wondered as she looked at the slide under her microscope more closely. “Human blood cells,” she muttered to herself as she looked at Beth’s slide. “But there is something different about them,” she told herself. “What could it be?” she asked as she put down Beth’s slide in a special container. And picked up one of the twin’s slides; Alexandra’s she saw as she read the label. Putting it under the microscope, her eyes opened wide, the same differences that she had seen in Beth’s slide but more pronounced. There were distinct changes in structures of the blood cells. They weren’t normal. Even though the levels looked normal from the printout she had read on both twins.

As she focused on Alexandra’s slide more closely; she felt as drift like a window was opened. She looked behind her, but saw nothing. “Hello?” she called out. “Is there anyone here?”

But silence. “Look I’m armed, so don’t think you can come here for some freebie without my permission,” she called out.

But silence is all she heard. Going back to the slides; she didn’t see that someone was watching over her…

But no one she could see so she went back to her work “Serena, you are the one I need,” said the ghostly presence. “You are the one who will get Max and Liz back together. Whether you know it or not.” he said. “And then my last business on this earth will be completed,” Alex Whitman said as he stood behind Serena as she continued to study the slides and getting closer and closer to the truth.

*******

Sandra was returning to the table she shared with her partner Trevor when she noticed the Sheriff come into the Crashdown and tip his head to her. She nodded as he watched him approach a female by a booth where they shared a kiss and sat down. “Is that his wife?” she asked as she sat down.

“Who knows,” Trevor said. “Did you get the autograph?”

“Yeah,” Sandra said. “And I believe it is the Maria the Sheriff was discussing.”

“You think so,” Trevor said as he picked up the bottom of ketchup for his burger and fries. “What makes you so sure?”

“She’s planning a party. She says it’s for her goddaughter’s 16th birthday party,” Sandra said as she picked up her burger and took a bite. “She said the girl is only being raised by her father and that is why she wants to make the party a success. So, one makes you put two and two together and get it’s possible.”

“Yeah,” Trevor said. “It is certainly interesting all the connections in this case we’re investigating,” he muttered.

Sandra nodded as the door opened and in walked a gentleman in his thirties. He looked around and saw the Sheriff and then Maria. He headed towards Maria’s table.

*******

“Hey stranger,” Max said as he took a seat across from Maria and her mountains of planners in a corner booth. “What brings you here?”

“I am making the final plans for Grace’s party tomorrow night. I needed to get out of the house,” Maria smiled. “I needed diversion to get me away from writing the next complicated chapter in my latest.”

“How is everything progressing?” Max asked. “I assume the plan is for the adults to get together?”

“If that is what you want,” Maria smiled. “Jake and Elizabeth will be at the party. Colin, Liam and Belle have individual sleepovers. I was thinking we could all gather at my and Michael’s place. And just party ourselves into oblivion so not to worry about the trouble our teenagers could be getting into as they celebrate Grace’s birthday.”

“That works,” Max sighed. “She’s 16. Where has, the time gone?”

“I know,” Maria nodded. “Elizabeth is getting there. Jake is well past it,” she sighed. “Life has a habit of going on, doesn’t it?”

“It does, unfortunately.” Max nodded in a reflective way. “I’ll call Isabel and Kyle and see if they are still available. I believe their kids are headed over to Jim and Amy’s for a sleepover if my schedule is up on my sister’s life. My parents want us to all get together on Sunday night.”

“Cool,” Maria said. “You haven’t had an Evans Sunday Night dinner is awhile.”

“No, we haven’t,” Max said as he looked over at Jim and Amy who were sharing their own meal. “I have to get to court but I needed to take a minute to talk with Jim.”

“What is it?” Maria asked, senses suddenly on guard. She never knew when something would go down. “Human or the other kind?” she asked.

“Don’t worry,” Max said as he saw the frown on his friend’s face. “It’s nothing. If it is, you and Michael will be one of the first to know. But right now, it’s just a friendly enquiry.”

“Okay,” Maria smiled…not at all reassured as she watched Max walk over to her mother and Jim’s table and sit down as a red flag awoke in her mind and she worried something of the alien chaos kind was making its way back after many dormant years.

*******

“We need to talk?” Max was saying to Jim as he took a seat at their booth. “Sorry for interrupting your lunch. But your Deputy mentioned you were heading here. I can’t stay long I am expected in court. But I wanted to set up a time to talk.”

“What would it be about?” Jim asked. “Is this about last weekend? And the Ellis kid. You don’t have to tell me anything. I hear things.”

“No,” Max shook his head. “I want to deal with Ellis, but I am not ready to go down that road yet.” he sighed as he though back to all he had learned about his daughter and Tommy Ellis’ association. He knew Grace wasn’t ready for that road to be taken so he was stepping back for the moment. “It’s about something else. Something I want to keep secret for the moment.”

“When do you want to meet?” Jim asked.

“Tonight, I should be home by 6:30. So how about 7 p.m. at my house as I believe Grace is headed to a movie with Jake.”

“You don’t want her to be home?” Jim asked.

“No,” Max said. “She knows a bit about it. But it’s sensitive and I don’t want to get her all emotional ahead of her big party tomorrow night.”

“Sure,” Jim said. “I can stop by.”

“Thank you,” Max said. “Do you guys have Kylie, Michelle and Jamie tomorrow night?”

“You guys planning the adult version of your daughter’s party, are you?” Amy piped in with a laugh. “Yes, the grandkids are coming to spend the night.”

“I couldn’t remember if it was either you guys or my parents,” Max said. “We’re gathering at Michael and Maria’s house. Better to be with friends when worrying about our teenagers.”

“So, it is 7 at your place? Jim asked to confirm their plans to meet.

“Yes.” Max nodded as he rushed off to court.

[Roswelllostcause]

Oh I so miss Alex! Yes the pieces ate coming together!

[L-J-L 76]

Oh wow Alex has been on earth all this time. So the detectives are going to finally help Jim and others about Liz. Can't believe Alex appeared to Grace. Glad that Grace went and told her dad. So Max and Jim are going to meet and talked about what Grace told him. Now that is going to be interesting. So Alex is going to get Serena to help him bring Max and Liz together. Wonder how Alex is going to get Serena to bring Max and Liz together finally.

From:
L-J-L 76

[keepsmiling7]

This is getting a little creepy......
And still so many unanswered questions!
Of course Grace would go to the pod chamber on the anniversary of her mother's death........something is drawing her there?
Alex can't move on until these questions are answered and taken care of.......
Grace finding her mother's wallet is a big, big clue.
Meanwhile back home, the blood test results will be complete in 5-7 days.....
You are killing me,
Carolyn

[roswell4life]

Maybe I missed this detail, but does Liz physically look different now than she did back when she went missing. I know she has aged, but if they showed Sheriff Valenti a present picture of her now would he recognize her?? Please come back soon so Valenti and Max can have that talk!!!!