Yay! I have internet access again! And in celebration of that fact, I have a new part for you guys!
Thank you to everyone for sticking with me and continuing to read this story, despite everything. I'm going to try to start to answer some questions so... let me know about anything you want answered, so I don't forget about anything! I don't have a beta for this story, so it's a little difficult for me to keep track of what I have and haven't answered. So throw as many questions at me as you can possibly think of!
Part 19
Michael hesitated outside of the door for a moment, still unwilling to disturb him. But he had been asleep for a long time, he reasoned, and Isabel was getting worried, despite the fact that Liz said that it was perfectly normal for him to sleep for a long time after a healing.
God how weird was that? How could Liz know stuff like that? He still didn’t trust Liz, or rather, he didn’t want to trust her. But he did, even if he wouldn’t admit it to anybody else. Ever since she was shot and he had that weird flash or whatever of... something. Of whatever she had been talking about before, about her getting shot in “a different time” or something crazy like that.
But he saw it. He saw her standing in the Crashdown, he saw Max heal her, he remembered how afraid and angry at Max he had been.
It was crazy. It seemed like it was like something one of those wacked out hypnotists talk about, about seeing past lives and all that. But he didn’t suddenly remember something from a past life, the life of Rath of Antar.
No he remembered a life that didn’t happen.
Not all of it. Just more images of him and Maria, a weird building and a key, Isabel pregnant, Tess pregnant, some lab, Max dying, and Liz and the other humans saving his ass more than once. They didn’t really make sense, but he could piece some of it together.
And the result was that he found that Liz was probably telling the truth.
Which kind of sucked. Because it screwed up everything and made it so much more complicated.
If she had been a skin, he could have just found out what she knew, and blasted her. Now he’d actually have to listen to her, and figure out what the hell actually happened then and what was going on now. And now he might not have somebody to blame for the mess they were in, at least not someone he wanted to blame.
So he needed answers and he wanted them now. They all did, actually. Which is why everybody was downstairs in Langley’s living room waiting for Max to join them so that they could have their little pow wow.
Michael knocked on the door, and then entered without waiting for a response. He entered the large, opulent bedroom only to find Max sprawled on top of the bed, still dressed. He hadn’t even taken off his shoes.
Michael sighed, and then hesitated only momentarily before rough shaking Max’s shoulders. “Max, are you awake?”
Max groaned before turning over, opening one eye and then squeezing it shut again. “Now I am. What time is it?”
“Six thirty.”
Max shot up so fast that Michael, who had been leaning over him, momentarily lost his balance and almost fell. “Six thirty?!? Why did you let me sleep so long? Where’s Liz?”
“Why did I wake you up? I did try, right after you fell asleep! But we couldn’t wake you! It seemed like you were in a coma or something.”
“Oh.” He looked embarrassed. “I probably needed to rest after using so much energy to heal Liz,” Max mused.
“That’s what Liz said,” Michael responded shortly.
“Oh. Where’s Liz? Did she sleep?”
“Liz is downstairs with everyone else, which is where you should be. And I don’t know if she slept or not, do I look like Maria?”
Max ignored Michael’s last comment and hurriedly got off of the bed, readjusting his clothing and smoothing his hair down at the same time. He moved towards the door and was nearly out of the room when Michael asked, “Hey, where’s the fire?”
Max shot Michael a dirty look. “Hurry up, Li- everyone is waiting!” He turned and exited the room, and his heavy footsteps could be heard going down the stairs.
Michael just stared after Max openmouthed. “Yeah, like I’m one who delayed the little gathering downstairs... Who decided to take a nap instead of joining the interrogation, again?” he muttered, annoyed, as he stalked out of the room and down the stairs.
* * *
Liz felt Max’s presence exactly three breaths before he entered the room. Well, it would have been three breaths if she had been breathing at all. She felt different now, freer. And not just because of Tess’ death, which, she was ashamed to say, played a small part in her newfound outlook. She was just happy because everyone was going to finally know everything.
She’d finally have her friends back.
Of course, there was some things she still couldn’t shake. The knowledge that she and Max couldn’t be together, for example. In the last two time lines, after Tess had departed they were together. Tess was not the deciding factor, obviously, because in one time she was alive, and in another she was dead.
She had orchestrated it so that the shooting would never happen, yet Maria and Alex still found their way into the alien abyss. Apparently that was unpreventable. And Tess was still a traitor, and still dead.
Did they trust Cal to take care of the body? She did, at least. Cal would know how to best dispose of it, and he wouldn’t backstab them and give it to the Special Unit because that would just be shooting himself in the foot. He’d go down with them.
Besides, Cal had to protect her, since she was Queen. She still wasn’t sure how that happened, or what it meant exactly but... wow.
When had she become Queen? Was it something that carried over from the other time? If so, when did she become Queen in that time? Nasedo had certainly never listened to her, or tried to protect her. Where did he fit into all of this?
These were some of things that she had been wondering about as Max slept. She had so many questions, and she didn’t know if all of them could be answered. She was nervous, and felt like their wasn’t enough oxygen in the air. Had it all been for nothing?
Then Max entered the room, and his eyes sought hers out. When he found her, he smiled shyly, and she finally remembered to breathe. He crossed the room and sat on the couch next to her, their legs touching. Electricity shot through Liz at even that slight touch, and she bit her lip in an effort to remind herself to stay focused on the task at hand.
She was sitting on one side of the couch, and Isabel was sitting on the other, with Max in the middle. Maria and Alex sat in nearby chairs, and when Michael finally entered the room, he remained standing, with his arms folded defensively over his chest.
Everyone was silent, and Liz realized that they were waiting for her to begin. “Um, Cal’s going to be late, so I guess since everybody’s here, we can start.” Ok, so it wasn’t exactly a brilliant opening line, but in her defense she was having trouble concentrating! Between Max’s close proximity, Maria and Alex’s betrayed and curious looks, and Michael glowering at her, it all was a bit much to handle. It had been a long day.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions Liz,” Max said gently. “Why don’t we start by trying to answer some of them.” He grabbed her hand then, squeezing it reassuringly. Liz turned to smile at him.
“What?!? Why doesn’t she answer some questions first?” Isabel said, turning to face Max.
“Iz, I trust Liz. I know her story is true. She’s answered some of our questions already, so it’s only fair that we answer some of hers. And everyone is fine with that, right?” Max turned to glare at each face in the room, daring them to voice any opposition.
They kept their mouths shut.
“Good. Then Liz, go ahead.” Max squeezed her hand again, and a delicious warmth spread through her, soothing her frazzled nerves.
“Ok,” she said, clearing her throat. She put her hand in her pocket, and pulled out a small piece of paper. She missed the amused and adoring look that Max gave her when he saw her list. “One, how did Maria and Alex find out about you guys, and how long have they known?”
“That’s actually two questions,” Alex said helpfully, before Maria gave him a withering look.
Maria seemed unwilling to answer, as she was still mad at Liz for keeping secrets from her. Michael seemed unwilling to speak, period, and as Max knew that Isabel wasn’t going to be very cooperative with this portion of the Q&A’s, Max realized he would have to answer most of Liz’s questions.
“Um, well, after you left, Maria and Michael got assigned to work together on some school project, somehow they ended up... well not dating exactly. But they were ‘involved’ I guess. We got Michael emancipated from Hank, and he began to work at the Crashdown as a cook, just like he did before. Maria saw Michael using his powers to put out a fire in the kitchen one day, and we convinced Michael to tell her the truth about us. I got... well not a flash, but more like, I just suddenly knew that it would be ok to tell her, that she could help us. So Michael, Isabel and I sat down with her and told her the truth.”
Liz’s eyes were wide. “You just told her? W-wow. That’s kind of surprising.” She turned to Maria. “And you! You didn’t tell me you were with Michael!”
Maria shrugged. “Well, I wasn’t *with* with him, and ... it was kind of embarrassing. You know, with his hair, and his attitude, I didn’t exactly want to go around announcing the fact that I was with Michael Guerin.” Michael scowled at her. “But I would now in a heartbeat,” she quickly amended. Michael looked slightly pacified, but not very.
“Still, how could you not tell me? I’m your best friend!” Liz exclaimed.
“I didn’t even let Alex know. And Michael didn’t really tell Max and Isabel until right before they told me the truth. Besides, I was mad at you for leaving. And it’s not exactly like you weren’t keeping secrets either,” Maria finished.
Liz turned to Max again. “Did she run screaming out of the room?”
Max smiled wryly. “I assume that happened last time too? It kind of threw Michael into a panic, and he wouldn’t talk to her for weeks after, even though she came to me a few hours later and told me that she was ok with the fact that we were ‘a little green around the gills.’ She also informed me that she told Alex.”
“I still can’t believe that you just told Maria... you guys would have never done that!” Liz said, still amazed.
“Yeah well, Isabel kind of didn’t want to, and Michael wasn’t exactly keen on the idea either. But he really liked Maria, and Isabel didn’t want to leave Roswell unless we had to. So, we decided that we would take our chances and tell Maria. If we had ended up having to leave town anyway, at least we would have tried every last option.”
“Ok... well I guess that answers question 1. Question 2: Does anyone else know about you guys, besides Maria and Alex?”
“Kyle Valenti,” Isabel said, sighing. “And this one’s kind of my fault. Um, I was kind of hanging out with Maria and her place, and I was changing Maria’s hair for her while her parents were away for the weekend. We kind of forgot about Kyle, and he got home early from football practice. We had music on, so we didn’t hear him and... well, he kind of saw me messing around with Maria’s hair, giving her a blonde beehive type ‘do, a Marge Simpson hairstyle, and a bunch of others.”
“When did this happen?” Liz still was having trouble wrapping her head around the fact that they had all become friends and knew the truth, despite the fact that the shooting hadn’t happened.
“Oh, around last August. Max didn’t really want to tell him, but well... I had this odd vision of me discussing wedding plans with Kyle.” Isabel blushed. “I figured if I trusted him enough to help him with my wedding, I could trust him enough to keep out secret.”
“Isabel! You didn’t tell me that you were getting visions!” Max said.
“Well, I didn’t get them that often. But the ones I did get were... kind of embarrassing. I figured it was related to my dream-walking ability or something, and since it only happened a few times... I decided to keep it to myself.”
“Michael, were you getting any visions or flashes?” Max demanded.
“A couple,” Michael said, flushing guiltily. “But just lately,” he hastened to add, “and I didn’t think that they were visions. Just... daydreams or fantasies or something. But now I think they might be something more than that.”
“What kind of fantasies?” Maria asked, her eyes narrowing.
“Oh, you know... um, owning my own big screen tv... stuff like that,” Michael said innocently, unable to meet Maria’s eyes.
“Ok! So Kyle is in on it... so why isn’t he here?” Liz asked.
“Here?” Alex asked, confused. “Why would he be here?”
“Well, since the rest of you are here, I assume you all came together to try to get information, from either me or Cal or both. Wouldn’t Kyle come along? He is, after all, part of the group, right?”
“Kyle knows, he just isn’t... part of our group I guess. He isn’t an active participant,” Maria supplied.
“Oh.” Liz looked thoughtful. “What about Jim Valenti?”
“The Sheriff?” Isabel asked, her eyes as big as saucers. “Why would he know about us?”
“Well... we told him last time. We kind of had to. He helped us a lot, actually.”
“Well, I guess it would be kind of useful to have him on your side rather than against you,” Alex said. “But I definitely want to hear the story behind that.”
“I’ll tell you guys everything later,” Liz promised. “But I still have a few more questions left.” She looked down at her list, and Max couldn’t help but smile at her. “Now that the first two are answered, we’re on to question three. Where is Nasedo?”
Everyone in the room was silent. “He’s dead,” Max finally said quietly. “The skins killed him.”
“Um, not to interrupt the flow of the questions but... wouldn’t it make more sense if we just tell Liz what’s happened since she left, and then let her ask any remaining questions when we’re done?” Alex offered.
Liz blushed. “Yeah, that sounds like a better idea.”
“Ok, chica, I’ll tell it to you straight.” Maria said brightly. “The morning after you left, Alex and I were all weepy and sad and...”
“Maria, she needs the short version! Not a play by play of every single insignificant detail,” Michael said, interrupting Maria and earning a scowl from her. “In a nutshell, they,” he said, waving his hand toward Maria and Alex, “know that we’re aliens, skins came to Roswell, we realized they weren’t very friendly, we followed them back to Copper Summit, found out what they were up to, destroyed the husks, met Tess and Nasedo there, Nasedo was killed, with Tess’ help we dusted a whole bunch of skins, got the hell out of dodge and went back to Roswell. We knew there was another shapeshifter, Kyle visited his grandpa and he mentioned something about some awful movie where a chick got murdered by aliens, then there was a murder in L.A., we came to investigate, Max got hired, we found you, Tess got killed, and here we are.”
Everyone in the room turned to stare at Michael. There was a very, very long silence.
“What?” he said self-consciously. “She wanted to know!”
“My friend, I think you have been hanging out with Maria waaaay too much,” Alex said, still gaping at Michael.
“I think that is the most words I’ve ever heard you string together in your entire life... and I think that it might be the longest run-on sentence ever,” Isabel said, shaking her head in amazement.
“Thank you Michael. I really appreciate that someone could tell me what happened without making it a five hour story,” Liz said, after seeing that Michael was getting flustered and embarrassed. “I still have some questions though. How did the skins know that you were in Roswell?”
“Actually, they didn’t. A few were passing through on their way back to Copper Summit for the harvest when they must have heard Michael and I talking. I’m not exactly sure, but I know that the next day, a new waitress showed up at the Crashdown, and she seemed kind of suspicious. We found out she was like, a Michael-worshiper, and she told us all this stuff about our past lives, and how the skins knew where we were now and after the harvest they were going to attack us. A couple of skins decided to start the job early, and tried to kill us. We then decided to visit Copper Summit for ourselves and see what was what,” Max said.
“So that’s when you met Tess and Nasedo?” Liz asked.
“Right. And by the way Liz, I never trusted her. Nu uh, no way. Especially not when she was trying to steal your man!” Maria said, standing up during her exclamation.
Liz blushed, and couldn’t look at Max. “He’s not... ‘my man’ Maria.”
“Whatever. I don’t have time to argue with you and convince you otherwise because... I’m still angry at you!” Maria exclaimed, sitting back down in her chair again.
Liz began to rub her temples in exasperation. Her head was beginning to throb, and she quickly healed herself.
“What was that?” Alex questioned, noticing how Liz’s hand had glowed.
“Oh,” Liz said with a sigh. “Headache. I just healed myself.”
“You can heal?” Isabel said, incredulously. “What else can you do?”
“Um, well, I can heal small stuff, but not to the extent of Max’s powers, I’m an empath, sometimes I can read minds, I can blast, I can form a shield, but barely.. Um, I used to get flashes of the future, but I don’t anymore. And I know maybe you might want to start questioning me more, but um... why were Tess and Nasedo at Copper Summit?” Liz finished, ignoring the looks of shock on everyone’s faces at her previous statements.
“Wait wait wait! You can’t just drop a bombshell like that on us, and expect us not to react or have questions!” Maria said.
“You can read minds?” Alex said, wide-eyed.
Just then Cal walked into the room. “I took care of the body, everything is squared away on that. So, did I miss anything?”
Liz shrugged helplessly while everyone else turned to stare at him.
“O-o-o-kay then. Well, I’m going to go order a pizza, because something’s telling me it’s gonna be a long night. Does anyone have a preference? Cheese, pepperoni, veggie?”
There was silence.
“Cheese it is,” Cal said shrugging.
*~*
Reprise (CC,M/L,TEEN) [COMPLETE]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
Yay! I finally have a new part for you guys! Thank you all for all of your fb and bumps... I know I'm not answering all of your questions with this part, and I'm probably raising a few more but... well y'all will just have to read it.
I had originally planned only another part or two for this story but there is so much left to say... I'm either going to have to write a sequel, or make this story longer than originally planned.
Unless I want to be really evil and just leave you with a bunch of unanswered questions
.
If you guys have any questions you want answered, if something doesn't make sense to you, or whatever, please leave fb here or pm me.
Part 20
“So back to the reading minds thing,” Alex said eagerly. “Can you really read minds?” He closed his eyes tightly, as if to prevent any stray thoughts from escaping. “What am I thinking now?”
Liz laughed. “It doesn’t exactly work like that. Generally I just get emotions, or impressions from people. Usually the only time I can catch someone’s thoughts is if they are really projecting them.”
“Ok. Well then...” Alex’s face scrunched up in extreme concentration.
A look of amusement appeared on Liz’s face. “Yes Alex, I can 'hear you now'.”
“How can you do all of this?” Isabel asked, amazed.
Liz shrugged. “We thought that it was because Max healed me. But now I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Why do you think you have powers then?” Max asked, as Cal walked back into the room.
Liz hesitated for a moment, before Cal finally spoke. “It’s because she’s the chosen queen.”
The room was silent. “What do you mean... she’s the chosen queen?” Michael asked.
“In the last timeline, Max healed her. She was queen before, and she was still queen when she played with time. However, things could have gotten really screwed up, because Max could have chosen Tess as queen this time around, and then we’d have two queens. But, since he just healed her again, she is officially queen. Chosen twice now, actually.”
“Wait,” Liz said. “So just because Max healed me, I’m queen? That doesn’t really make sense.”
Cal shook his head. “There’s actually a lot more to it than that. Back in Antar, the king and his bride were bound in a ceremony. Their palms were cut, and then they would join hands so that their blood would mix, as a symbol of their unity. Then the king would heal the queen and himself, but leave the scars as a reminder. Even though it was done mostly to symbolize what happened between the first king and queen, it actually did seal the bride as queen.”
“What happened between the first king and queen?” Liz asked.
“Long long ago, Antar was ruled by many local lords and warriors. One of these lords because much more powerful than the others, and slowly gained control of the kingdom. Some say that a mystical, powerful being was helping him, and that is why the people were so quick to surrender. Regardless, many people pledged their allegiance to this lord, and believed that he should be the one to unite all of Antar.
“The legend goes that this lord had been in love with an orphan peasant girl for all of his life. They had never married because it was against our custom and laws at the time to wed someone who was not of your station. There were two groups, those who had advanced mental capabilities and those who did not. She was of the latter group and he was of the former.
“His enemies knew that he loved her, and knew that this girl was his weakness. They captured her, and held her hostage, promising to let her go unharmed if he would give up his lands.
“He agreed, and they met on a bluff high above the main city, so that all of the people below could see the lord’s surrender. He made a speech to the people officially giving up his title as lord, and his enemies brought out the girl. Just before our hero was able to reach her... they killed her.
“The young lord ran over to her, placing his hand over her heart, willing it to start to beat again. And, amazingly enough... it did.
“Now our mental powers were just beginning to develop back then. We had gotten to the point where the majority of the people had accepted the idea of, say, changing the color of one’s skirt from blue to green. At least, people weren’t being marked as outcasts anymore for their gifts. In fact, only the elite in society had such gifts, and so the Antarian society had been divided into two classes.
“But no one had the ability to do something so advanced as healing, as bringing someone back from the brink of death. Yet this young lord seemed to be capable of doing the impossible. And as he healed her, the couple was bathed in light. The sword that had nearly killed her transformed into a beautiful crystal that glowed with the brightness of their love. The lord was named king, because he was obviously chosen and marked by the gods as special. The young girl’s aura changed, and all the people could see that she was now queen. She gained advanced powers, and was able to aide the king in ruling. They ruled side by side, bringing peace and prosperity to the land.
“When they died, it has been said that their bodies vanished. Some say that they are still living, and will come back some day in a time of need. Others say that the crystal took them, and used their power to aid future kings.
“This crystal is a legend on Antar. The story of the first king and this crystal, has been relegated to myth. It is our ‘holy grail.’ Not everyone believes in its existence, and only a few know the truth about the story, that it is indeed real, and has powers beyond most people’s comprehension.”
“The granolith,” Liz breathed, in awe.
Cal nodded. “Many believe that the granolith is the product of the first king’s love for his queen. Some say that it derives it’s power from it, and that the essence of all of the kings and queens of the past are contained within the granolith. It has been said that fate itself intervened and made that first lord high king of Antar. In fact, in Antarian, the world granolith means - ”
“Destiny,” Max finished quietly.
“Right. So when you healed Liz, because you loved each other, you made her your queen, and your chosen destiny.”
“But I wasn’t in love with Max the first time he healed me,” Liz said, confused.
“Haven’t you learned anything about time by now Liz? Time does not always go straight line, from point A to point B. There are layers upon layers and choices to be made. Since you would love him, the seeds of that love were already planted in your mind. Since you had the potential to love him, that love already existed,” Cal said.
“Couldn’t anyone have the potential to love him?” Liz reasoned.
“No, not in the way that was required to make you queen. Actually, your aura seems to be much stronger than it should be, even before he chose you again.” Cal shrugged. “Your love must be especially powerful.”
“Max,” Michael said firmly, “does not love Liz.”
“Oh yes he does! You know he does! He’s loved her forever. It’s so blatantly obvious, even you can deny it, spaceboy,” Maria said, rolling her eyes.
Max’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, as he looked at the floor. Liz squeezed his hand in reassurance.
“Wait, so if Liz is queen... what does that mean? And what do you mean, her aura?” Alex asked.
“This means that she has the power to rule with the king, which is why I must obey her. She has special powers that few others have, including the ability to see the future. Her aura is... kind of like a signal. It’s something we can not only see, but feel. It’s why the queen must have such tight security, because she is an easy target for our enemies. I don’t know why our enemies on Earth haven’t tried to kill her yet. They must know that she is the queen by now.”
Both Maria and Max paled visibly. “You mean, they might try to kill her?” Maria asked in a small voice.
“I mean that they should have tried, and succeeded, in the last timeline. Tess should have been able to recognize that you were queen too. I don’t know what happened,” Cal said.
“The granolith,” Liz said. “Maybe it cloaked me or something.”
“What?” Michael exclaimed. “That’s ridiculous!”
“I don’t know! It’s the only thing I can come up with. Maybe it figured that it owed me for how much it was going to screw up my life by bringing me Future Max. Or maybe I’m somehow important in the grand scheme of things,” Liz offered.
“So now this... thing. This granolith? It’s a sentient being conscious of making decisions like that?” Isabel said incredulously. “A crystal?”
“Well... actually I had been thinking that it might be sentient for some time now. It felt... alive to me, when I used it. And I heard voices. A lot of them. Laughing, crying, whispering. It was kind of hard to discern what they were saying but... but I kind of got the impression that I shouldn’t screw up, because this was our last chance,” Liz finished.
“Great,” Michael said sarcastically. “Now you’re talking to rocks.”
“Actually, it would seem that the rock is talking to her,” Alex corrected.
“Actually,” Liz said, ignoring the side comments and conversations, “this is beginning to make sense. Cal, if Tess were to have a child, since she hadn’t been chosen as queen, could it be accepted as the heir to the throne?”
Cal shook his head. “No. Only child of the king and queen can inherit the throne.”
“What if the king and queen don’t have a child?” Max asked.
Cal shrugged. “That’s never happened before. That’s why Khivar needs the granolith so badly. If Tess had been the queen, even if he had produced a child with her, it would not be heir to the throne and he would still not be king. He is hoping that he will be able to manipulate the granolith so that he can receive the royal seal.”
“Wait, but if Tess brought... our child,” Max said, wincing at the words, “back to Antar using the granolith... wouldn’t Khivar then have the granolith to use as he wished.”
Liz shook her head. “The crystal, the actual granolith itself, was left behind. Which is why I was able to come back in time.”
“Wait... if you came back in time... what happened to *our* Liz?” Maria asked, suddenly frightened.
“Oh! I’m right here. I didn’t physically come back in time. It’s more like... I suddenly gained all of the memories of what would happen, along with these powers and this connection to Max. It’s like, I became Future Liz.”
“But... that’s not what happened when Future Max came back the first time,” Max said, looking confused. He knew from the flashes from Liz that he had physically come back in time to convince Liz that they shouldn’t be together.
“Right. Which is why I’m even more convinced that the granolith is a conscious being. The more I thought about it over the years, the more I realized that there was a reason I gained the memories in the way I did. After all, if I had come back and just prevented the shooting, it didn’t mean that I wouldn’t end up with Max at some point in the future. Or that we wouldn’t get involved in the alien abyss regardless. I think there was a reason,” Liz said.
“Future Max? Future Liz? You used the granolith to travel back in time? I thought you just received memories. Can someone please explain to me what is going on?” Isabel cried, exasperated.
“I think that it’s time for me to start my story. It’s a long one, so you guys better get really comfortable,” Liz said with a sigh. Cal, who had left sometime in the last few minutes, walked back in carrying pizzas. “Perfect timing.”
“Please, no interruptions. It’s going to be hard enough to get out without being interrupted every five seconds by a million different questions. As I said earlier,” she started, “it began with a boy who loved a girl, and a hand print.”
The group listened to her tale wide eyed as she talked about a white room, a message in a desert, and a man from the future. She told them about evil alien crystals, dupes, and the time when the entire town of Roswell was wiped out of all the humans. She talked about Vegas, Alex’s death, and the events that happened after. She talked about robbing a convenience store, Max’s death and resurrection, baby Zan and graduation. She talked about Isabel’s capture and rescue, and Kyle’s death. She told them how the first place that Khivar attacked was Roswell, New Mexico. There was nothing left when he was finished.
Liz told them how Khivar promised that whether he found them and the granolith or not, he would destroy Earth. She told them how Serena found them shortly after, and agreed to help them, as had Ava. How within a few days the group had been found and was surrounded. That they killed Maria first as they were running away, and how Michael carried her body, running with her in his arms, refusing to leave her. How Michael flung himself in front of Isabel as they tried to blast her. That they managed to kill Isabel anyway. She told them how Max had died in her arms only moments before she had gone back in time.
She told them that everyone they’d ever loved had been killed.
Then she told them about her life since then, about how she moved the gun in the Crashdown. That she left Roswell because the memories were haunting her. That she wrote down her memories of that other life, and how Cal found them and created the tv show.
She told them everything, and as she finished, there was a cold silence broken only by the sounds of Maria and Isabel crying.
No one spoke as the minutes passed.
Finally, Michael broke the silence. “Why didn’t you tell us all of this before?” he demanded.
“If I told you, then I didn’t think that I would have enough self control to stay away from Max. And I needed to. Max and I being together was what caused the end of the world, both times.”
“Sounds to me like Khivar is the one that caused it, chica,” Maria said as she angrily swiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I can’t believe that you had to go through that all alone!” She rushed over to Liz and hugged her tightly. “Don’t ever do that again!”
Liz laughed bitterly. “I don’t really plan on going back in time again. Besides, I don’t think the granolith will let me.”
“You really think that us being together will cause the end of the world?” Max asked quietly.
Liz nodded. “I do.”
Cal looked at Liz strangely. “Now what would make you think that? That has to be the craziest idea I’ve ever heard, and believe me, I’ve heard some crazy shit. I do work in Hollywood.”
Maria threw her hands up in the air. “Thank you Cal! I’m glad someone here agrees with me.”
“I don’t care if you guys believe me or not. I know that we can’t be together. I just know it.”
Cal looked thoughtful. “Liz, is it ok if I have a look around your head for a minute? I think I have an idea as to why you feel this way.”
“I know why I feel this way! It’s because it’s the truth!” Liz cried.
Cal turned to Max. “You know I can’t hurt her. I just think that Tess might have done something to her, put this idea into her head.”
“You think Tess mindwarped me somehow?” Liz asked, incredulously.
“Not exactly. This isn’t really a mindwarp, so it’s harder to detect. It can’t kill you, or even hurt you. I just want to check,” Cal said.
Max turned to Liz. “Please Liz? If you have something in your head that isn’t supposed to be there, don’t you want it gone?”
Liz sighed. “Fine,” she conceded. If there was any way that she and Max really could be together, she’d be willing to find it.
Cal sat next to her, placing his hand on her head. He began to glow slightly as he began to shake. Liz remained seated quietly, almost as if in a trance.
Cal pulled back with a gasp, and Liz blinked twice as if she was slowly coming back from someplace far off. “It seems that when Tess came to town the first time, she must have placed an idea in Liz’s head, the idea that Liz and Max didn’t belong together. She put it among the insecurities that already existed in Liz’s head about her relationship with Max. But when things were good between Liz and Max, this thought was in the background and ignored. After hearing the message from Zan and Vilondra’s mother, her insecurities intensified, and that idea got caught in the web of doubts that surrounded it. The idea grew in strength as each doubt accumulated, becoming especially strong after Future Max showed up. After, when times were good with Max, she could ignore it, but it was always there.”
“Did you remove it?” Max asked.
Cal nodded. “I removed the original thought that Tess had put there, but all of the doubts that surrounded it is still there. Liz will have to overcome those on her own.”
“We still can’t be together,” Liz said. “Not until we have a plan to defeat Khivar.”
Cal nodded. “I know. I have something here that may or may not help you. I haven’t been able to decipher it, and I’ve hired the best experts. Which is how you probably originally found me,” Cal said, looking at Max and Michael. “After I found Liz, I decided to once again try to decode it. Unfortunately, the man I hired asked a few too many questions, so I had to eliminate him.”
Isabel stared at Cal in horror. “You murdered him?”
Cal gave her a hard look. “I am programmed to do what I have to do to protect my king and queen. This includes eliminating any and all threats.”
“Why were you willing to get involved anyway Cal? I know that you aren’t too keen on helping us. In fact, last time you wanted nothing to do with us,” Liz said.
Cal shrugged. “When I first felt the ripple in time a few years ago, I was... intrigued. Especially after realizing that there was suddenly a queen, even though I hadn’t felt the bonding ritual.”
“But that still wasn’t enough for you to join our side again,” Liz pointed out.
“True. But then I met you. And your aura was so... well, let’s just say if I could capture it and make it into a movie, I would have the biggest tearjerker of all time. Then I read your story... wow, what a tale! Besides the fact that it would make a great tv show, I also wondered how you ended up here. I could tell that you’d been queen for a long time, long before I even felt that there was a new queen. So I assumed that you were the one that messed with time. And, based on what I knew about you... the only way you’d do that is if something really terrible had happened... like say, world war three, the end of the world, armageddon,. Besides, I think that’s probably the only way the granolith would let you do that, from what I know about it. So I figured I owed ya.” Cal looked away, deciding that they would buy that excuse. They didn’t need to know the rest of it anyway.
“If you felt me come back in time... then did all of the other aliens?” Liz asked.
“No, I don’t think so. The one you call Nasedo, the other protector, he would have, because we were both connected to the granolith when we came here. But no one else should have.”
“So what about this coded thing,” Michael said impatiently.
Cal walked over to the wall, and removed a picture that was hanging there, revealing a safe. “As we were leaving Antar, the granolith gave us this. I don’t know what it means, but I held onto it because I figured that we might need it some day. Maybe you guys can figure it out.” He pulled out a scroll from the safe, and set it on the table on a pizza box.
“It’s that important and you’re just putting it on a greasy pizza box?” Alex asked.
“It’s indestructible. It can’t be stained or ruined either,” Cal said with a shrug.
Max carefully unrolled the scroll. “It’s blank.”
“Yeah, I know. Sometimes it has symbols and words on it, and sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t really know why. Right now I guess it’s blank,” Cal said.
Max placed his hand on the scroll, trying to find away to reveal the words. Liz placed her hand on his shoulder in support.
Suddenly, as if by magic, figures began to appear in shimmering, silver letters on the page. It obviously wasn’t in English, or in any other human language.
Liz put her hand to her mouth in surprise. The words disappeared, leaving the scroll a smooth and creamy white.
“Max, do that again!” Michael said eagerly.
Max once again placed his hand over the scroll and concentrated.
Nothing happened.
Maria looked at the scroll intently. “Maybe it needs both Liz and Max to work. Liz, why don’t you put your hand on Max’s shoulder again, and then try it.”
Liz hesitated for a moment, before slowly bringing her hand to Max’s shoulder. The scroll began to once again fill with characters.
The group let out a breath, as Max moved his hand away from the scroll, and put it in Liz’s. The glimmering figures stayed on the page.
“I guess the King and Queen need to be touching in order for it to work,” Cal mused.
Maria looked over, and noticed Liz’s pale face. “Chica, are you ok?”
Liz looked at her for a moment, and then turned back to the scroll. “I can read what it says.”
“What do you mean you can read what it says?!” Isabel asked.
Max squeezed Liz’s hand tighter. “I just can,” Liz said quietly.
“What does it say,” Max asked gently.
Liz took a deep breath. “It says:
From the ash and smoke and sin
What was once shall be again,
Arise our valient sovereign sent,
Then reborn, in worlds of men.
Finding such his chosen queen,
Doth the cloth of time unseam.
Heal her from a fated wound
Binding in a world soon ruined
Two again be bound as one
Joining then the moon and sun
Back and forth in time again
Until the point when thread shall rent.
Save one who shall stop the horr’r,
From great love a greater pow’r
Shall be born to save us all
And through her the wicked fall.”
“Ok... and that means... what exactly?” Maria asked.
“It sounds like,” Alex said, his brow furrowing, “there is a way to prevent the end of the world.”
“A daughter,” Liz whispered.
Isabel turned to Liz. “What?”
“If I’m right... Max and I are going to have a daughter. She is going to be our savior.”
“See chica! That info right there definitely blew your ‘Max and I are the ingredients for an apocalypse’ theory right out of the water!” Maria said happily.
“Is it even... you know... possible?” Michael asked.
Liz gave him a knowing smile. “Though I’m not positive that Max and I can biologically have children... I am positive that we can try without anything blowing up.”
Maria narrowed her eyes. “Just because we can doesn’t mean we will, spaceboy.”
Liz turned to Max. “Are you ok with all of this? I mean, we haven’t even gone on a date yet and here we are, married by Antarian custom and talking about having children.”
He smiled at her, as he reached up to touch her face. “This only tells me what I’ve always known.”
Liz smiled back at him. “And what’s that?”
“You’re my destiny Liz Parker. And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”
Liz smiled as he kissed her. There was nothing in the world that could ever make her want to change that.
*~*
I had originally planned only another part or two for this story but there is so much left to say... I'm either going to have to write a sequel, or make this story longer than originally planned.
Unless I want to be really evil and just leave you with a bunch of unanswered questions
. If you guys have any questions you want answered, if something doesn't make sense to you, or whatever, please leave fb here or pm me.
Part 20
“So back to the reading minds thing,” Alex said eagerly. “Can you really read minds?” He closed his eyes tightly, as if to prevent any stray thoughts from escaping. “What am I thinking now?”
Liz laughed. “It doesn’t exactly work like that. Generally I just get emotions, or impressions from people. Usually the only time I can catch someone’s thoughts is if they are really projecting them.”
“Ok. Well then...” Alex’s face scrunched up in extreme concentration.
A look of amusement appeared on Liz’s face. “Yes Alex, I can 'hear you now'.”
“How can you do all of this?” Isabel asked, amazed.
Liz shrugged. “We thought that it was because Max healed me. But now I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Why do you think you have powers then?” Max asked, as Cal walked back into the room.
Liz hesitated for a moment, before Cal finally spoke. “It’s because she’s the chosen queen.”
The room was silent. “What do you mean... she’s the chosen queen?” Michael asked.
“In the last timeline, Max healed her. She was queen before, and she was still queen when she played with time. However, things could have gotten really screwed up, because Max could have chosen Tess as queen this time around, and then we’d have two queens. But, since he just healed her again, she is officially queen. Chosen twice now, actually.”
“Wait,” Liz said. “So just because Max healed me, I’m queen? That doesn’t really make sense.”
Cal shook his head. “There’s actually a lot more to it than that. Back in Antar, the king and his bride were bound in a ceremony. Their palms were cut, and then they would join hands so that their blood would mix, as a symbol of their unity. Then the king would heal the queen and himself, but leave the scars as a reminder. Even though it was done mostly to symbolize what happened between the first king and queen, it actually did seal the bride as queen.”
“What happened between the first king and queen?” Liz asked.
“Long long ago, Antar was ruled by many local lords and warriors. One of these lords because much more powerful than the others, and slowly gained control of the kingdom. Some say that a mystical, powerful being was helping him, and that is why the people were so quick to surrender. Regardless, many people pledged their allegiance to this lord, and believed that he should be the one to unite all of Antar.
“The legend goes that this lord had been in love with an orphan peasant girl for all of his life. They had never married because it was against our custom and laws at the time to wed someone who was not of your station. There were two groups, those who had advanced mental capabilities and those who did not. She was of the latter group and he was of the former.
“His enemies knew that he loved her, and knew that this girl was his weakness. They captured her, and held her hostage, promising to let her go unharmed if he would give up his lands.
“He agreed, and they met on a bluff high above the main city, so that all of the people below could see the lord’s surrender. He made a speech to the people officially giving up his title as lord, and his enemies brought out the girl. Just before our hero was able to reach her... they killed her.
“The young lord ran over to her, placing his hand over her heart, willing it to start to beat again. And, amazingly enough... it did.
“Now our mental powers were just beginning to develop back then. We had gotten to the point where the majority of the people had accepted the idea of, say, changing the color of one’s skirt from blue to green. At least, people weren’t being marked as outcasts anymore for their gifts. In fact, only the elite in society had such gifts, and so the Antarian society had been divided into two classes.
“But no one had the ability to do something so advanced as healing, as bringing someone back from the brink of death. Yet this young lord seemed to be capable of doing the impossible. And as he healed her, the couple was bathed in light. The sword that had nearly killed her transformed into a beautiful crystal that glowed with the brightness of their love. The lord was named king, because he was obviously chosen and marked by the gods as special. The young girl’s aura changed, and all the people could see that she was now queen. She gained advanced powers, and was able to aide the king in ruling. They ruled side by side, bringing peace and prosperity to the land.
“When they died, it has been said that their bodies vanished. Some say that they are still living, and will come back some day in a time of need. Others say that the crystal took them, and used their power to aid future kings.
“This crystal is a legend on Antar. The story of the first king and this crystal, has been relegated to myth. It is our ‘holy grail.’ Not everyone believes in its existence, and only a few know the truth about the story, that it is indeed real, and has powers beyond most people’s comprehension.”
“The granolith,” Liz breathed, in awe.
Cal nodded. “Many believe that the granolith is the product of the first king’s love for his queen. Some say that it derives it’s power from it, and that the essence of all of the kings and queens of the past are contained within the granolith. It has been said that fate itself intervened and made that first lord high king of Antar. In fact, in Antarian, the world granolith means - ”
“Destiny,” Max finished quietly.
“Right. So when you healed Liz, because you loved each other, you made her your queen, and your chosen destiny.”
“But I wasn’t in love with Max the first time he healed me,” Liz said, confused.
“Haven’t you learned anything about time by now Liz? Time does not always go straight line, from point A to point B. There are layers upon layers and choices to be made. Since you would love him, the seeds of that love were already planted in your mind. Since you had the potential to love him, that love already existed,” Cal said.
“Couldn’t anyone have the potential to love him?” Liz reasoned.
“No, not in the way that was required to make you queen. Actually, your aura seems to be much stronger than it should be, even before he chose you again.” Cal shrugged. “Your love must be especially powerful.”
“Max,” Michael said firmly, “does not love Liz.”
“Oh yes he does! You know he does! He’s loved her forever. It’s so blatantly obvious, even you can deny it, spaceboy,” Maria said, rolling her eyes.
Max’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, as he looked at the floor. Liz squeezed his hand in reassurance.
“Wait, so if Liz is queen... what does that mean? And what do you mean, her aura?” Alex asked.
“This means that she has the power to rule with the king, which is why I must obey her. She has special powers that few others have, including the ability to see the future. Her aura is... kind of like a signal. It’s something we can not only see, but feel. It’s why the queen must have such tight security, because she is an easy target for our enemies. I don’t know why our enemies on Earth haven’t tried to kill her yet. They must know that she is the queen by now.”
Both Maria and Max paled visibly. “You mean, they might try to kill her?” Maria asked in a small voice.
“I mean that they should have tried, and succeeded, in the last timeline. Tess should have been able to recognize that you were queen too. I don’t know what happened,” Cal said.
“The granolith,” Liz said. “Maybe it cloaked me or something.”
“What?” Michael exclaimed. “That’s ridiculous!”
“I don’t know! It’s the only thing I can come up with. Maybe it figured that it owed me for how much it was going to screw up my life by bringing me Future Max. Or maybe I’m somehow important in the grand scheme of things,” Liz offered.
“So now this... thing. This granolith? It’s a sentient being conscious of making decisions like that?” Isabel said incredulously. “A crystal?”
“Well... actually I had been thinking that it might be sentient for some time now. It felt... alive to me, when I used it. And I heard voices. A lot of them. Laughing, crying, whispering. It was kind of hard to discern what they were saying but... but I kind of got the impression that I shouldn’t screw up, because this was our last chance,” Liz finished.
“Great,” Michael said sarcastically. “Now you’re talking to rocks.”
“Actually, it would seem that the rock is talking to her,” Alex corrected.
“Actually,” Liz said, ignoring the side comments and conversations, “this is beginning to make sense. Cal, if Tess were to have a child, since she hadn’t been chosen as queen, could it be accepted as the heir to the throne?”
Cal shook his head. “No. Only child of the king and queen can inherit the throne.”
“What if the king and queen don’t have a child?” Max asked.
Cal shrugged. “That’s never happened before. That’s why Khivar needs the granolith so badly. If Tess had been the queen, even if he had produced a child with her, it would not be heir to the throne and he would still not be king. He is hoping that he will be able to manipulate the granolith so that he can receive the royal seal.”
“Wait, but if Tess brought... our child,” Max said, wincing at the words, “back to Antar using the granolith... wouldn’t Khivar then have the granolith to use as he wished.”
Liz shook her head. “The crystal, the actual granolith itself, was left behind. Which is why I was able to come back in time.”
“Wait... if you came back in time... what happened to *our* Liz?” Maria asked, suddenly frightened.
“Oh! I’m right here. I didn’t physically come back in time. It’s more like... I suddenly gained all of the memories of what would happen, along with these powers and this connection to Max. It’s like, I became Future Liz.”
“But... that’s not what happened when Future Max came back the first time,” Max said, looking confused. He knew from the flashes from Liz that he had physically come back in time to convince Liz that they shouldn’t be together.
“Right. Which is why I’m even more convinced that the granolith is a conscious being. The more I thought about it over the years, the more I realized that there was a reason I gained the memories in the way I did. After all, if I had come back and just prevented the shooting, it didn’t mean that I wouldn’t end up with Max at some point in the future. Or that we wouldn’t get involved in the alien abyss regardless. I think there was a reason,” Liz said.
“Future Max? Future Liz? You used the granolith to travel back in time? I thought you just received memories. Can someone please explain to me what is going on?” Isabel cried, exasperated.
“I think that it’s time for me to start my story. It’s a long one, so you guys better get really comfortable,” Liz said with a sigh. Cal, who had left sometime in the last few minutes, walked back in carrying pizzas. “Perfect timing.”
“Please, no interruptions. It’s going to be hard enough to get out without being interrupted every five seconds by a million different questions. As I said earlier,” she started, “it began with a boy who loved a girl, and a hand print.”
The group listened to her tale wide eyed as she talked about a white room, a message in a desert, and a man from the future. She told them about evil alien crystals, dupes, and the time when the entire town of Roswell was wiped out of all the humans. She talked about Vegas, Alex’s death, and the events that happened after. She talked about robbing a convenience store, Max’s death and resurrection, baby Zan and graduation. She talked about Isabel’s capture and rescue, and Kyle’s death. She told them how the first place that Khivar attacked was Roswell, New Mexico. There was nothing left when he was finished.
Liz told them how Khivar promised that whether he found them and the granolith or not, he would destroy Earth. She told them how Serena found them shortly after, and agreed to help them, as had Ava. How within a few days the group had been found and was surrounded. That they killed Maria first as they were running away, and how Michael carried her body, running with her in his arms, refusing to leave her. How Michael flung himself in front of Isabel as they tried to blast her. That they managed to kill Isabel anyway. She told them how Max had died in her arms only moments before she had gone back in time.
She told them that everyone they’d ever loved had been killed.
Then she told them about her life since then, about how she moved the gun in the Crashdown. That she left Roswell because the memories were haunting her. That she wrote down her memories of that other life, and how Cal found them and created the tv show.
She told them everything, and as she finished, there was a cold silence broken only by the sounds of Maria and Isabel crying.
No one spoke as the minutes passed.
Finally, Michael broke the silence. “Why didn’t you tell us all of this before?” he demanded.
“If I told you, then I didn’t think that I would have enough self control to stay away from Max. And I needed to. Max and I being together was what caused the end of the world, both times.”
“Sounds to me like Khivar is the one that caused it, chica,” Maria said as she angrily swiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I can’t believe that you had to go through that all alone!” She rushed over to Liz and hugged her tightly. “Don’t ever do that again!”
Liz laughed bitterly. “I don’t really plan on going back in time again. Besides, I don’t think the granolith will let me.”
“You really think that us being together will cause the end of the world?” Max asked quietly.
Liz nodded. “I do.”
Cal looked at Liz strangely. “Now what would make you think that? That has to be the craziest idea I’ve ever heard, and believe me, I’ve heard some crazy shit. I do work in Hollywood.”
Maria threw her hands up in the air. “Thank you Cal! I’m glad someone here agrees with me.”
“I don’t care if you guys believe me or not. I know that we can’t be together. I just know it.”
Cal looked thoughtful. “Liz, is it ok if I have a look around your head for a minute? I think I have an idea as to why you feel this way.”
“I know why I feel this way! It’s because it’s the truth!” Liz cried.
Cal turned to Max. “You know I can’t hurt her. I just think that Tess might have done something to her, put this idea into her head.”
“You think Tess mindwarped me somehow?” Liz asked, incredulously.
“Not exactly. This isn’t really a mindwarp, so it’s harder to detect. It can’t kill you, or even hurt you. I just want to check,” Cal said.
Max turned to Liz. “Please Liz? If you have something in your head that isn’t supposed to be there, don’t you want it gone?”
Liz sighed. “Fine,” she conceded. If there was any way that she and Max really could be together, she’d be willing to find it.
Cal sat next to her, placing his hand on her head. He began to glow slightly as he began to shake. Liz remained seated quietly, almost as if in a trance.
Cal pulled back with a gasp, and Liz blinked twice as if she was slowly coming back from someplace far off. “It seems that when Tess came to town the first time, she must have placed an idea in Liz’s head, the idea that Liz and Max didn’t belong together. She put it among the insecurities that already existed in Liz’s head about her relationship with Max. But when things were good between Liz and Max, this thought was in the background and ignored. After hearing the message from Zan and Vilondra’s mother, her insecurities intensified, and that idea got caught in the web of doubts that surrounded it. The idea grew in strength as each doubt accumulated, becoming especially strong after Future Max showed up. After, when times were good with Max, she could ignore it, but it was always there.”
“Did you remove it?” Max asked.
Cal nodded. “I removed the original thought that Tess had put there, but all of the doubts that surrounded it is still there. Liz will have to overcome those on her own.”
“We still can’t be together,” Liz said. “Not until we have a plan to defeat Khivar.”
Cal nodded. “I know. I have something here that may or may not help you. I haven’t been able to decipher it, and I’ve hired the best experts. Which is how you probably originally found me,” Cal said, looking at Max and Michael. “After I found Liz, I decided to once again try to decode it. Unfortunately, the man I hired asked a few too many questions, so I had to eliminate him.”
Isabel stared at Cal in horror. “You murdered him?”
Cal gave her a hard look. “I am programmed to do what I have to do to protect my king and queen. This includes eliminating any and all threats.”
“Why were you willing to get involved anyway Cal? I know that you aren’t too keen on helping us. In fact, last time you wanted nothing to do with us,” Liz said.
Cal shrugged. “When I first felt the ripple in time a few years ago, I was... intrigued. Especially after realizing that there was suddenly a queen, even though I hadn’t felt the bonding ritual.”
“But that still wasn’t enough for you to join our side again,” Liz pointed out.
“True. But then I met you. And your aura was so... well, let’s just say if I could capture it and make it into a movie, I would have the biggest tearjerker of all time. Then I read your story... wow, what a tale! Besides the fact that it would make a great tv show, I also wondered how you ended up here. I could tell that you’d been queen for a long time, long before I even felt that there was a new queen. So I assumed that you were the one that messed with time. And, based on what I knew about you... the only way you’d do that is if something really terrible had happened... like say, world war three, the end of the world, armageddon,. Besides, I think that’s probably the only way the granolith would let you do that, from what I know about it. So I figured I owed ya.” Cal looked away, deciding that they would buy that excuse. They didn’t need to know the rest of it anyway.
“If you felt me come back in time... then did all of the other aliens?” Liz asked.
“No, I don’t think so. The one you call Nasedo, the other protector, he would have, because we were both connected to the granolith when we came here. But no one else should have.”
“So what about this coded thing,” Michael said impatiently.
Cal walked over to the wall, and removed a picture that was hanging there, revealing a safe. “As we were leaving Antar, the granolith gave us this. I don’t know what it means, but I held onto it because I figured that we might need it some day. Maybe you guys can figure it out.” He pulled out a scroll from the safe, and set it on the table on a pizza box.
“It’s that important and you’re just putting it on a greasy pizza box?” Alex asked.
“It’s indestructible. It can’t be stained or ruined either,” Cal said with a shrug.
Max carefully unrolled the scroll. “It’s blank.”
“Yeah, I know. Sometimes it has symbols and words on it, and sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t really know why. Right now I guess it’s blank,” Cal said.
Max placed his hand on the scroll, trying to find away to reveal the words. Liz placed her hand on his shoulder in support.
Suddenly, as if by magic, figures began to appear in shimmering, silver letters on the page. It obviously wasn’t in English, or in any other human language.
Liz put her hand to her mouth in surprise. The words disappeared, leaving the scroll a smooth and creamy white.
“Max, do that again!” Michael said eagerly.
Max once again placed his hand over the scroll and concentrated.
Nothing happened.
Maria looked at the scroll intently. “Maybe it needs both Liz and Max to work. Liz, why don’t you put your hand on Max’s shoulder again, and then try it.”
Liz hesitated for a moment, before slowly bringing her hand to Max’s shoulder. The scroll began to once again fill with characters.
The group let out a breath, as Max moved his hand away from the scroll, and put it in Liz’s. The glimmering figures stayed on the page.
“I guess the King and Queen need to be touching in order for it to work,” Cal mused.
Maria looked over, and noticed Liz’s pale face. “Chica, are you ok?”
Liz looked at her for a moment, and then turned back to the scroll. “I can read what it says.”
“What do you mean you can read what it says?!” Isabel asked.
Max squeezed Liz’s hand tighter. “I just can,” Liz said quietly.
“What does it say,” Max asked gently.
Liz took a deep breath. “It says:
From the ash and smoke and sin
What was once shall be again,
Arise our valient sovereign sent,
Then reborn, in worlds of men.
Finding such his chosen queen,
Doth the cloth of time unseam.
Heal her from a fated wound
Binding in a world soon ruined
Two again be bound as one
Joining then the moon and sun
Back and forth in time again
Until the point when thread shall rent.
Save one who shall stop the horr’r,
From great love a greater pow’r
Shall be born to save us all
And through her the wicked fall.”
“Ok... and that means... what exactly?” Maria asked.
“It sounds like,” Alex said, his brow furrowing, “there is a way to prevent the end of the world.”
“A daughter,” Liz whispered.
Isabel turned to Liz. “What?”
“If I’m right... Max and I are going to have a daughter. She is going to be our savior.”
“See chica! That info right there definitely blew your ‘Max and I are the ingredients for an apocalypse’ theory right out of the water!” Maria said happily.
“Is it even... you know... possible?” Michael asked.
Liz gave him a knowing smile. “Though I’m not positive that Max and I can biologically have children... I am positive that we can try without anything blowing up.”
Maria narrowed her eyes. “Just because we can doesn’t mean we will, spaceboy.”
Liz turned to Max. “Are you ok with all of this? I mean, we haven’t even gone on a date yet and here we are, married by Antarian custom and talking about having children.”
He smiled at her, as he reached up to touch her face. “This only tells me what I’ve always known.”
Liz smiled back at him. “And what’s that?”
“You’re my destiny Liz Parker. And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”
Liz smiled as he kissed her. There was nothing in the world that could ever make her want to change that.
*~*
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
Hey, I didn't have time to edit this because I wanted to put this up before the weekend was over, and not break my promise, so this might not be up to the usual par... and, another note, if I fail my Macbeth test tomorrow, it's all your fault 
And actually... funny, but way back in the day, I was a girl scout
So I can actually say that!
Anywho, here's the new part. I think that there is probably only going to be a couple of more parts before we get to the end.
Enjoy!
(Previously)
Liz turned to Max. “Are you ok with all of this? I mean, we haven’t even gone on a date yet and here we are, married by Antarian custom and talking about having children.”
He smiled at her, as he reached up to touch her face. “This only tells me what I’ve always known.”
Liz smiled back at him. “And what’s that?”
“You’re my destiny Liz Parker. And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”
Liz smiled as he kissed her. There was nothing in the world that could ever make her want to change that.
*~*
Part 21
“So... even though this whole prophecy thing says that you two need to have a kid... I shouldn’t expect to be an uncle any time soon, should I?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. “Need I remind you that some of us are still in high school? I plan to be at least a high school graduate before I earn the title ‘uncle.’”
Liz blushed. “Um, well, Max and I have a lot to talk about before we even consider... anything.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “This is ridiculous... I mean, one broken condom, and we could have saved the world two tries ago, right?”
Maria gasped, and then elbowed Michael directly in the stomach, effectively shutting him up. “Excuse space boy here, his manners were lost somewhere near Saturn.”
“Though he does have a point,” Alex said, as he edged a little farther away from Maria. “I mean, if Max and Liz were meant to have a daughter, you think it would have happened in the first two timelines. The world ended, simply because they didn’t find this scroll? Though it’s possible... it just doesn’t make sense.”
“Maybe it happened the way it did for a reason,” Cal mused. “I mean, maybe they had to learn something. It seems like maybe the Granolith has some kind of plan.”
Liz looked surprised. “I wouldn’t think that you believed in something like, fate, or a divine plan.”
Cal shrugged. “Well, people aren’t always as they appear to be.”
“What purpose could the Granolith have? I mean, what have we learned?” Maria asked.
“We know that Tess is not and has never been on our side. We learned that Liz is Queen, and that our daughter will somehow save us all. We also learned that for some reason, we all are supposed to be together. Even when I didn’t save Liz in the Crashdown, we still all ended up here, together.”
“I think Cal and Max are right,” Liz said. “It seems like the Granolith knows what it’s doing... it gave me memories and powers from the previous timeline, and took away my ability to see the future... it seems like there is a purpose to that.”
“Maybe we should continue discussing this in the morning,” Isabel said with a yawn.
“Actually, it’s already morning,” Alex said wryly as he looked at his watch. “I say we get some rest and then figure out what we’re going to do in the morning.”
“The guest bedrooms are already made up. We’ll have a late breakfast, since you guys are probably going to want your sleep. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m needed elsewhere. If you have any problems, press two on the phones in each room, and you’ll reach my secretary. You can contact me through her.” Cal hesitated for a moment, and seemed as if he was going to say something, but he left the room without another word.
“So... how are we going to divi up the sleeping arrangements?” Michael asked, with a slight smirk on his face.
“Forget it space boy. Liz and I are going to share a room, Max and Alex can share a room, and Isabel can get her own room,” Maria said sweetly, as she began to walk out of the room, dragging Liz behind her.
“Wait!” Michael called after her. “Where am I going to sleep?”
Isabel tried to hide her smile as Maria turned around to look at Michael. “The couch,” she said primly. Maria nodded to Isabel, and Isabel tossed the pillow she was holding into Michael’s hands.
“Wait! Why can’t Isabel sleep on the couch?!” Michael cried, as Maria, Liz, and Isabel walked out of the room laughing.
“Tough break man,” Alex said, as he slapped Michael on the back. Michael shot him a death glare.
“Why don’t YOU sleep on the couch?” Michael grumbled.
“Can’t.” Alex replied.
“Why not?!” Michael asked.
“Because,” Alex said, giving him a sympathetic look, “Maria would kick my ass if interfered or overrode her punishment. I’m not eager to invoke the wrath of Hurricane Deluca.”
“Punishment? What did I do?”
Max shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what you did, it’s that you did it.”
“Oh yeah, that’s real helpful guys!” Michael said, as they too left the room.
He swore under his breath. Just because they were whipped, doesn’t mean he was too. He’d be damned if he was going to sleep on that couch.
Michael looked around, desperately searching for some place else to sleep, only to find some doors locked. Sighing in annoyance, he returned back to the common room that they had all met in before.
He glared at the offending piece of furniture. He tossed his pillow on the floor next to the couch, and laid on the floor, feeling like he had won a small victory.
Isabel was definitely wrong. He definitely was not becoming whipped...
he was sleeping on the floor because he wanted to.
* ~ *
“Mmm, that smells good,” Liz said, as she entered the dining room. The table was set with a full breakfast buffet, and nearly everyone was already there, helping themselves.
“Ohh chica, they have every food imaginable... and it’s sooo good,” Maria said brightly between bites.
Liz laughed. “I can see that,” she said as she watched everyone shovel food into their mouths. Her stomach grumbled loudly. She had been so busy talking the night before she had eaten very little of the pizza they ordered.
Smiling at Maria, she filled her plate, and then went over to sit next to Max.
“Good morning,” she said shyly.
“‘Morning,” he said with a slow smile. “How did you sleep?”
“I slept ok. You?”
“I slept pretty well.” There was an awkward lull in the conversation, and Liz began to blush.
“Um, listen Max. I know you had to take in a lot yesterday, and we should probably discuss... everything.”
“We probably should,” he said smiling.
“The thing is... we barely know each other. I mean, I don’t know exactly who you are now, and you don’t know me, not the way we should... I mean, we were kind of forced together by everything, and I know I don’t have a problem with that, because well, I have all these memories, and I know that there is no one else for me... so I’m willing to wait, for you know, however long you need, and we can go slow until you feel comfortable...” She trailed off as she saw the amused expression on his face. “I’m rambling aren’t I?” Liz said, looking embarrassed.
“Just a little,” he said gently. “But, I want you to know... I’m in this all the way. I’ve dreamed of being with you since the moment I saw you. That’s not going to change now that I know that my feelings for you are reciprocated. Now I know that you’re worried that you’re pulling a Tess on me.” Liz looked surprised, as he paused with a grin gracing his face.
“See, I know you better than you think. But this is different. The fact that we have a history, or a future, or whatever you want to call it... the fact that you are my destiny, only reinforces everything I’ve ever wanted and hoped for.”
Liz smiled at him, relieved. “We can go slowly and get to know each other... maybe we can go on a date once we go back to Roswell.”
“You’re going back to Roswell?” Maria squealed in delight, not even pretending that she hadn’t just been eavesdropping.
“Well,” Liz said slowly, “there really isn’t anything keeping me from Roswell anymore. Besides, with everything that’s going on, I probably should go back to Roswell anyway.”
“Ah, so my stars are leaving me!” Cal said, as he entered the room.
“Oh!” Liz cried in realization. “I completely forgot about the show!”
“They can’t go on the show, it’s too risky,” Michael said with his mouth full of food.
Maria was about to protest, when Cal opened his mouth. “Michael is right. I knew it would be way too risky to have Max and Liz on something with that much exposure. Our enemies might be able to see that Liz was queen, and she is already in a vulnerable position as it is. Even if they didn’t know of her status, they would be able to recognize that she was important to Max.”
“Wait,” Max said, “if you knew all this, why did you give us the parts?”
Cal rolled his eyes. “I have other people already cast and we start shooting in a few weeks. I just needed to get you two to be honest with each other, and that was one step closer to you your reunion.”
Liz shook her head. “I still don’t understand why you wanted us to be together. You hate Max. You hate everything related to Antar, or at least you did in the last timeline. You didn’t know what was in the prophesy either. I don’t buy that you felt that you owed us... you never felt any loyalty to your king or your queen.”
Max looked thoughtful for a moment. “Cal, tell me why you helped Liz.”
Cal looked taken aback that he had just been given an order. “I had my own flashes of memory of the other timeline, just like you guys did. Only, my memories extended farther into the future, to about the time when Liz must have come back. I was a traitor. I was deep in the enemies camp, and I supplied a lot of the information that led to your deaths. I went through Liz’s memories to see what I could learn from her... what I saw was, horrific. I was a soldier back on Antar, and I had been in war before I had been promoted to royal guard. I’ve seen some pretty terrible things before but... I’ve never felt so much pain in my life. Plus, I kind of have a soft spot for Liz anyway. She reminds me a lot of my daughter back on Antar.”
Isabel whipped her head around to look at Cal so quickly that she almost got dizzy. “You have a daughter?”
“Yes. She was younger than you when I left, still a child. I didn’t want to leave her or my wife, but it was an honor to be chosen to guard the royal four on their journey to the new planet. We were all very involved in the resistance movement against Khivar, and we hoped that this would be the answer to our problems.”
“So, you just... said goodbye to your family, knowing that you would never see them again?” Maria asked, with an edge to her voice.
“No! I thought I was going to see them again! That was the plan! Until I got stuck on this godforsaken rock with no way home.”
Liz frowned. “But... it’s been over 50 years since you came to Earth. Didn’t you think that your family...” she hesitated, “might not be the same when you got back?”
Cal sighed. “Time moves differently here than it does on Antar. It’s probably been only about... the span of three earth years, on Antar.”
The group sat in silence, too shocked to speak.
“You’re telling me that... Khivar only took over Antar three years ago?” Max said in surprise. Cal nodded.
“But at the summit, they said that it had been 50 years since Khivar took the throne!” Liz said.
“Who said at what summit?” Cal asked suspiciously.
“The leaders of the other planets, at a meeting to make a deal with Max about handing over the granolith and returning home.”
“Um... no that wouldn’t have happened, sweet. See, the leaders of the other planets wouldn’t get involved. What’s happening on Antar is a civil war, babe. For the most part, the other planets are trying to stay out of it, especially since the leaders of the resistance are in a galaxy far, far away... here to be exact. And they would have no use for the granolith. They know that they would never be able to use it. It was probably all a set up, and I’m sure Khivar was behind it.”
“So... so what does this mean for us?” Isabel asked.
Max turned to Isabel. “This changes everything.”
*~*
And actually... funny, but way back in the day, I was a girl scout
So I can actually say that!Anywho, here's the new part. I think that there is probably only going to be a couple of more parts before we get to the end.
Enjoy!
(Previously)
Liz turned to Max. “Are you ok with all of this? I mean, we haven’t even gone on a date yet and here we are, married by Antarian custom and talking about having children.”
He smiled at her, as he reached up to touch her face. “This only tells me what I’ve always known.”
Liz smiled back at him. “And what’s that?”
“You’re my destiny Liz Parker. And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”
Liz smiled as he kissed her. There was nothing in the world that could ever make her want to change that.
*~*
Part 21
“So... even though this whole prophecy thing says that you two need to have a kid... I shouldn’t expect to be an uncle any time soon, should I?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. “Need I remind you that some of us are still in high school? I plan to be at least a high school graduate before I earn the title ‘uncle.’”
Liz blushed. “Um, well, Max and I have a lot to talk about before we even consider... anything.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “This is ridiculous... I mean, one broken condom, and we could have saved the world two tries ago, right?”
Maria gasped, and then elbowed Michael directly in the stomach, effectively shutting him up. “Excuse space boy here, his manners were lost somewhere near Saturn.”
“Though he does have a point,” Alex said, as he edged a little farther away from Maria. “I mean, if Max and Liz were meant to have a daughter, you think it would have happened in the first two timelines. The world ended, simply because they didn’t find this scroll? Though it’s possible... it just doesn’t make sense.”
“Maybe it happened the way it did for a reason,” Cal mused. “I mean, maybe they had to learn something. It seems like maybe the Granolith has some kind of plan.”
Liz looked surprised. “I wouldn’t think that you believed in something like, fate, or a divine plan.”
Cal shrugged. “Well, people aren’t always as they appear to be.”
“What purpose could the Granolith have? I mean, what have we learned?” Maria asked.
“We know that Tess is not and has never been on our side. We learned that Liz is Queen, and that our daughter will somehow save us all. We also learned that for some reason, we all are supposed to be together. Even when I didn’t save Liz in the Crashdown, we still all ended up here, together.”
“I think Cal and Max are right,” Liz said. “It seems like the Granolith knows what it’s doing... it gave me memories and powers from the previous timeline, and took away my ability to see the future... it seems like there is a purpose to that.”
“Maybe we should continue discussing this in the morning,” Isabel said with a yawn.
“Actually, it’s already morning,” Alex said wryly as he looked at his watch. “I say we get some rest and then figure out what we’re going to do in the morning.”
“The guest bedrooms are already made up. We’ll have a late breakfast, since you guys are probably going to want your sleep. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m needed elsewhere. If you have any problems, press two on the phones in each room, and you’ll reach my secretary. You can contact me through her.” Cal hesitated for a moment, and seemed as if he was going to say something, but he left the room without another word.
“So... how are we going to divi up the sleeping arrangements?” Michael asked, with a slight smirk on his face.
“Forget it space boy. Liz and I are going to share a room, Max and Alex can share a room, and Isabel can get her own room,” Maria said sweetly, as she began to walk out of the room, dragging Liz behind her.
“Wait!” Michael called after her. “Where am I going to sleep?”
Isabel tried to hide her smile as Maria turned around to look at Michael. “The couch,” she said primly. Maria nodded to Isabel, and Isabel tossed the pillow she was holding into Michael’s hands.
“Wait! Why can’t Isabel sleep on the couch?!” Michael cried, as Maria, Liz, and Isabel walked out of the room laughing.
“Tough break man,” Alex said, as he slapped Michael on the back. Michael shot him a death glare.
“Why don’t YOU sleep on the couch?” Michael grumbled.
“Can’t.” Alex replied.
“Why not?!” Michael asked.
“Because,” Alex said, giving him a sympathetic look, “Maria would kick my ass if interfered or overrode her punishment. I’m not eager to invoke the wrath of Hurricane Deluca.”
“Punishment? What did I do?”
Max shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what you did, it’s that you did it.”
“Oh yeah, that’s real helpful guys!” Michael said, as they too left the room.
He swore under his breath. Just because they were whipped, doesn’t mean he was too. He’d be damned if he was going to sleep on that couch.
Michael looked around, desperately searching for some place else to sleep, only to find some doors locked. Sighing in annoyance, he returned back to the common room that they had all met in before.
He glared at the offending piece of furniture. He tossed his pillow on the floor next to the couch, and laid on the floor, feeling like he had won a small victory.
Isabel was definitely wrong. He definitely was not becoming whipped...
he was sleeping on the floor because he wanted to.
* ~ *
“Mmm, that smells good,” Liz said, as she entered the dining room. The table was set with a full breakfast buffet, and nearly everyone was already there, helping themselves.
“Ohh chica, they have every food imaginable... and it’s sooo good,” Maria said brightly between bites.
Liz laughed. “I can see that,” she said as she watched everyone shovel food into their mouths. Her stomach grumbled loudly. She had been so busy talking the night before she had eaten very little of the pizza they ordered.
Smiling at Maria, she filled her plate, and then went over to sit next to Max.
“Good morning,” she said shyly.
“‘Morning,” he said with a slow smile. “How did you sleep?”
“I slept ok. You?”
“I slept pretty well.” There was an awkward lull in the conversation, and Liz began to blush.
“Um, listen Max. I know you had to take in a lot yesterday, and we should probably discuss... everything.”
“We probably should,” he said smiling.
“The thing is... we barely know each other. I mean, I don’t know exactly who you are now, and you don’t know me, not the way we should... I mean, we were kind of forced together by everything, and I know I don’t have a problem with that, because well, I have all these memories, and I know that there is no one else for me... so I’m willing to wait, for you know, however long you need, and we can go slow until you feel comfortable...” She trailed off as she saw the amused expression on his face. “I’m rambling aren’t I?” Liz said, looking embarrassed.
“Just a little,” he said gently. “But, I want you to know... I’m in this all the way. I’ve dreamed of being with you since the moment I saw you. That’s not going to change now that I know that my feelings for you are reciprocated. Now I know that you’re worried that you’re pulling a Tess on me.” Liz looked surprised, as he paused with a grin gracing his face.
“See, I know you better than you think. But this is different. The fact that we have a history, or a future, or whatever you want to call it... the fact that you are my destiny, only reinforces everything I’ve ever wanted and hoped for.”
Liz smiled at him, relieved. “We can go slowly and get to know each other... maybe we can go on a date once we go back to Roswell.”
“You’re going back to Roswell?” Maria squealed in delight, not even pretending that she hadn’t just been eavesdropping.
“Well,” Liz said slowly, “there really isn’t anything keeping me from Roswell anymore. Besides, with everything that’s going on, I probably should go back to Roswell anyway.”
“Ah, so my stars are leaving me!” Cal said, as he entered the room.
“Oh!” Liz cried in realization. “I completely forgot about the show!”
“They can’t go on the show, it’s too risky,” Michael said with his mouth full of food.
Maria was about to protest, when Cal opened his mouth. “Michael is right. I knew it would be way too risky to have Max and Liz on something with that much exposure. Our enemies might be able to see that Liz was queen, and she is already in a vulnerable position as it is. Even if they didn’t know of her status, they would be able to recognize that she was important to Max.”
“Wait,” Max said, “if you knew all this, why did you give us the parts?”
Cal rolled his eyes. “I have other people already cast and we start shooting in a few weeks. I just needed to get you two to be honest with each other, and that was one step closer to you your reunion.”
Liz shook her head. “I still don’t understand why you wanted us to be together. You hate Max. You hate everything related to Antar, or at least you did in the last timeline. You didn’t know what was in the prophesy either. I don’t buy that you felt that you owed us... you never felt any loyalty to your king or your queen.”
Max looked thoughtful for a moment. “Cal, tell me why you helped Liz.”
Cal looked taken aback that he had just been given an order. “I had my own flashes of memory of the other timeline, just like you guys did. Only, my memories extended farther into the future, to about the time when Liz must have come back. I was a traitor. I was deep in the enemies camp, and I supplied a lot of the information that led to your deaths. I went through Liz’s memories to see what I could learn from her... what I saw was, horrific. I was a soldier back on Antar, and I had been in war before I had been promoted to royal guard. I’ve seen some pretty terrible things before but... I’ve never felt so much pain in my life. Plus, I kind of have a soft spot for Liz anyway. She reminds me a lot of my daughter back on Antar.”
Isabel whipped her head around to look at Cal so quickly that she almost got dizzy. “You have a daughter?”
“Yes. She was younger than you when I left, still a child. I didn’t want to leave her or my wife, but it was an honor to be chosen to guard the royal four on their journey to the new planet. We were all very involved in the resistance movement against Khivar, and we hoped that this would be the answer to our problems.”
“So, you just... said goodbye to your family, knowing that you would never see them again?” Maria asked, with an edge to her voice.
“No! I thought I was going to see them again! That was the plan! Until I got stuck on this godforsaken rock with no way home.”
Liz frowned. “But... it’s been over 50 years since you came to Earth. Didn’t you think that your family...” she hesitated, “might not be the same when you got back?”
Cal sighed. “Time moves differently here than it does on Antar. It’s probably been only about... the span of three earth years, on Antar.”
The group sat in silence, too shocked to speak.
“You’re telling me that... Khivar only took over Antar three years ago?” Max said in surprise. Cal nodded.
“But at the summit, they said that it had been 50 years since Khivar took the throne!” Liz said.
“Who said at what summit?” Cal asked suspiciously.
“The leaders of the other planets, at a meeting to make a deal with Max about handing over the granolith and returning home.”
“Um... no that wouldn’t have happened, sweet. See, the leaders of the other planets wouldn’t get involved. What’s happening on Antar is a civil war, babe. For the most part, the other planets are trying to stay out of it, especially since the leaders of the resistance are in a galaxy far, far away... here to be exact. And they would have no use for the granolith. They know that they would never be able to use it. It was probably all a set up, and I’m sure Khivar was behind it.”
“So... so what does this mean for us?” Isabel asked.
Max turned to Isabel. “This changes everything.”
*~*
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
Some news, some news! Yes, I am back. Sorry for the delay, I know I promised I'd have this up a gazillion years ago. My only excuse is that RL doesn't always go as planned.
You also need to know that this is the last part to the story, and I will not be writing a sequel in the near future, despite the fact that the whole purpose of this story was the events of the sequel. Unfortunately, a lot of things that went unexplained or seemed pointless in this story actually had a reason, but as of right now, I do not plan on writing a sequel, and I am not sure if I ever will. If my muse moves me and RL allows it, then perhaps I may, but as of right now, this is it.
I really can not express my gratitude and appreciation to you all. I mentioned before that this is my first story, and I realize now that I was a bit too ambitious when I undertook it. Taking into consideration the fact that the most I had ever written before this was a 4 page unfinished story, it's quite a feat that I finished this at all. Still, I made many mistakes that did not do the idea behind the tale justice, and I basically butchered it and made the finished story something unrecognizable compared to my original goal.
And yet you all supported me and stuck with this story, and I am so extremely grateful. You put up with the long delays, plot holes, poor pacing, and many, many other problems. You guys are angels, and I would not have completed this without you all.
I am not sure if I am going to post any more stories in the near future. I have an AU story that I am currently ever so slowly working on, but it's going to be another long one, and I don't want to post it until I'm completely done, so that may take awhile.
So this is it. Thank you so much for your feedback, and I hope that you all enjoyed the ride.
~Meghan
ETA: If you guys want to know what my soundtrack was for this story was, here it is.
You are Not Alone - Patty Griffin
Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
Angels or Devils - Dishwalla
Perfect Memory - Remy Zero
I Will Remember You - Sarah McLachlan
Do What You Have to Do - Sarah McLachlan
Ghost in You - Counting Crows
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
The Background - Third Eye Blind
Your Winter - Sister Hazel
Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
You also need to know that this is the last part to the story, and I will not be writing a sequel in the near future, despite the fact that the whole purpose of this story was the events of the sequel. Unfortunately, a lot of things that went unexplained or seemed pointless in this story actually had a reason, but as of right now, I do not plan on writing a sequel, and I am not sure if I ever will. If my muse moves me and RL allows it, then perhaps I may, but as of right now, this is it.
I really can not express my gratitude and appreciation to you all. I mentioned before that this is my first story, and I realize now that I was a bit too ambitious when I undertook it. Taking into consideration the fact that the most I had ever written before this was a 4 page unfinished story, it's quite a feat that I finished this at all. Still, I made many mistakes that did not do the idea behind the tale justice, and I basically butchered it and made the finished story something unrecognizable compared to my original goal.
And yet you all supported me and stuck with this story, and I am so extremely grateful. You put up with the long delays, plot holes, poor pacing, and many, many other problems. You guys are angels, and I would not have completed this without you all.
I am not sure if I am going to post any more stories in the near future. I have an AU story that I am currently ever so slowly working on, but it's going to be another long one, and I don't want to post it until I'm completely done, so that may take awhile.
So this is it. Thank you so much for your feedback, and I hope that you all enjoyed the ride.
~Meghan
ETA: If you guys want to know what my soundtrack was for this story was, here it is.
You are Not Alone - Patty Griffin
Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
Angels or Devils - Dishwalla
Perfect Memory - Remy Zero
I Will Remember You - Sarah McLachlan
Do What You Have to Do - Sarah McLachlan
Ghost in You - Counting Crows
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
The Background - Third Eye Blind
Your Winter - Sister Hazel
Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
Last edited by RedRoze68 on Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
Part 22
“Well... it makes sense I guess,” Liz said. “I mean, not on a scientific level. I have no idea how that is possible... of course, I never used to believe in aliens or time travel either. But, I mean, think about it. If it really had been 50 years, that means that Khivar would be an old man now. A lot of the original supporters of Zan and the royal family might have died by now. Khivar himself would not be orchestrating all of this, there would be no need for it.”
Alex made a face. “Ew, I just thought of something. Why didn’t we all wonder why Khivar ‘came for Vilondra’ at Isabel’s wedding? I mean, even if he just took that guy’s form, or made himself appear younger... that would be one old dude that was trying to mack on you, Is.”
“You did not just say ‘mack’ and ‘dude’ in the same sentence. Forget the same sentence, how about at all!” Maria shook her head sadly. “Alex, I think those words alone have negated our umpteen trillion years of best friendship.”
“I don’t know whether I’m relieved that some perverted, old, Hugh Hefner wanna be wasn’t trying to convince me to be his bride, or disgusted at the prospect of having to face a young, seriously disturbed man who wants to try to convince me to be his bride. Which is the lesser of the two evils?”
“Isabel! Shut up! All of you! Do you know what this really means?” Michael asked, jumping in agitation.
“It means that your families could be still alive,” Maria said quietly. Michael turned to her in surprise, and she gave him a small smile.
“Our family is still alive,” Max said quietly. “Our family is in this room, and back home in Roswell.”
“Max, I know that’s true but, we haven’t considered all the ramifications of what we just found out. Or really, any of what we found out. We need to decide what we are going to do with this information.” Liz bit her lip, her thoughts whirling.
“We aren’t going to anything with this information.” Max saw Michael open his mouth in protest, so he quickly continued. “At least not yet. I think we need to digest all of this first, and then come up with a plan of action. But even after we devise this plan, it’s not going to be carried out immediately. Before we even start this, I think we need help.”
“Ah,” Cal said, re-entering the conversation. “This is where I come in. Obviously you know that we have a network of both alien and human allies working on this planet and others. You used this network last time... in the last wa- ... Ok, does anyone else think that all this time travel stuff is just complete bull shit? I mean,”
“Langley,” Max warned.
“Hey, I believe it! I believed it before any of you did, remember. Well before everyone but this lovely lady over here, who got the ball rolling to begin with.” He nodded to Liz. “It’s just talking about it... man, it sounds like one of the movie pitches my less-than classy writers come up with. All cheese and special effects, with ridiculous plots that can make your head spin trying to keep track of it all.”
Maria raised an eyebrow. “But, aren’t those the type of movies you make?”
“That is entirely besides the point,” Cal said, dismissing her.
“Do you, um, by any chance, have a point?” Alex asked. Maria rolled her eyes, kicking him from under the table. “Oww! Is there any reason for such violence?”
“You were being rude,” Maria said sweetly. She turned back to Cal. “So anyway... what’s your point again?”
“Can we just cut through all this bull shit and get back to this network thing?” Michael glared at Maria.
“Ooo, someone’s cranky,” Alex whispered dramatically to Maria. “That’s got to put a crimp in your ‘yay we survived another potential evil alien who could kill me with his thoughts’ celebration plans.”
“Ha ha laugh now, but keep it up and I’ll make you sit next to him on the way home.” Maria snickered as Alex immediately fell silent. She turned her focus back to Cal.
“Right, so as I was saying, we can use this network to not only receive intel, but also as a trained army. With the right plan, we can win this war. I have people everywhere. I don’t usually tap into the network, but I guess I’m going to have to start. I do, however, know that they are well-organized and equipped, and more than willing to fight on your behalf.”
“I still don’t know how so many humans got involved, or why,” Liz said.
“Well,” Cal began. “We’ve been visiting this planet for years, and have gained support among some select humans and their families. We chose to send the Royal Four to this planet for many reasons, among which was the fact that we had a loyal human contingent here. We even have some other hybrids, people who are both Human and Antarian.”
Isabel started. “There are others out there like us? How?”
“Well, they aren’t exactly like you. Unlike you, they weren’t genetically engineered. They were made the fun way.”
“How is that even possible?” Liz asked.
“Well, you see, when two people love each other very much...” He stopped, noticing the death glares he was receiving. “Kidding. I always hated that line anyway. Well see, though Antarians are obviously not exactly the same as humans, they are technically the same species, because they can mate, and produce fertile offspring. It’s a beautiful thing, I know.”
“But we’re different than humans. I know it,” Max insisted.
“Yeah, you are. It’s kind of complicated. Antarians and humans are different enough where you could obviously tell the two apart, but their DNA is still compatible. I don’t really understand it completely myself, I was never really interested in it, seeing that I already had a family so I wasn’t looking to take a wife here anyway.”
“But, even as hybrids we’re different! We can’t even go to the doctor without fearing for our lives,” Isabel said, her voice growing louder.
“Yeah, see, that’s the thing. Like I said, you two aren’t exactly alike. But you can produce children, and that’s kind of the key thing.”
“But, why -”
“Isabel, sweetie, haven’t you had your fill of the Q and As for now? We know that we have a force on Earth. That these two lovebirds,” Cal said, pointing to Max and Liz, “have to produce an heir to save us all, sometime in the near future. At least we know the war is coming, and what Khivar did in the last time line. And to top it all off, we’ve reunited the Scooby Gang, and ding dong, Tess is dead. Right now, seems like a ‘happily ever after’ ending might be within reach.” Cal sat down in a chair next to Liz, and proceeded to eat the plate of food set out for him.
“You watch Buffy?” Alex asked, his eyes wide.
“No. But I’ve been talking to Sarah quite a bit lately, and I’m hoping to have her in my next project,” Cal said between bites of his lemon-and-tabasco laden pancakes.
“Oh, will she play me?” Liz asked hopefully.
Cal looked at her, and then laughed. “No, my dear, she’s got her own TV show. That is an interesting idea though.”
“So... that’s just it?” Michael asked. “‘We’ll worry about the details later kids, and let you know if anyone starts to attack?!?’ Sounds like a pretty crappy plan to me.”
Cal put down his fork, and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “No, Michael, our plan is only slightly more advanced than that. I’ve already set up a meeting with the leaders of the network, particularly those skilled in military strategy. We’ll meet next week, about an hour from Roswell, for your safety and convenience. We will, of course, discuss further plans and strategies then, but for now I think it best that you head home from your camping trip.”
“So that’s it, we’re just supposed to go home and pretend like none of this happened?” Michael asked angrily.
“No,” Liz said quietly. “We’re supposed to go home and prepare ourselves. We need to practice and strengthen our powers, so we’ll be ready when it’s time to fight. You should know better than anyone Michael, that it’s not all about strategy. We need to be prepared for the actual fighting, should it come to that.”
“I’ll keep in touch with Max and Liz, and we’ll meet every other week, more if necessary. I’m going to send someone to you to help you train. I think that covers it for now, we’ll talk more next week.” Cal nodded and stood up. “Well kids, I have to go take care of my business, so I won’t see you before you leave. Oh, Maria, remind me to hook you up. I know J Lo’s people. I helped her out with Selena and she owes me a few favors anyway.”
“Thank you, Cal, for everything you’ve done,” Liz said warmly as she stood up. “Take care.” Impulsively, she hugged him.
“Yeah well... you too kid. I’ll see you soon. Don’t do anything stupid, and that goes for all of you. Especially you Michael.”
Michael glared at his back as Cal left the room. “I don’t like him.”
“You don’t have to like him Michael. You just have to trust him.” Isabel smiled at him. “Come on, I’ll let you help me carry my bags to the car.”
“Oh, you’ll let me,” he mimicked, even as he got up to leave.
“So... we’re leaving then. I’m glad. Not that I don’t appreciate the digs of course, much better than the sleazy places we’ve stayed at before. I’m always afraid there really is a monster under the bed or in the closet. My fears are usually justified,” Maria said, as she threw down her napkin.
“So, what are you doing Liz? I mean... you’re living here now. Are you coming back with us right now, or getting your stuff in order...” Alex asked.
“I asked Cal this morning if he would arrange to send my stuff to me, and settle everything, and he said it wouldn’t be a problem. Um, I think I want to stop by the apartment to get some things, but then I’ll be good go back with you guys.”
“Aw, this is so great! The three musketeers back together again!” Maria squealed as she squeezed Liz and Alex tightly. “All for one?”
“And one for all,” Liz and Alex returned, slightly less enthusiastically, but just as happily.
Liz turned to Max. “Do you think you could bring me over to my apartment?”
He smiled at her. “Sure. You can come with me on the way home, so we can have the chance to talk.”
Her smiled widened as she grabbed his hand. “I’d like that.”
Maria sighed happily as Max and Liz walked out of the room, oblivious to everyone else. “They’re so beautiful together.”
“It’s crazy how everything is working out, you know?” Alex said, in awe.
“Yeah, well I’m still stuck with Spaceboy. How’s that for a happy ending?” she said, with a long-suffering sigh. “You know, despite the fact that they constantly need us to save their royal alien butts, I’m starting to think that we’re pretty lucky.”
“Well, at least life is never boring.”
* * *
“Shh! Shh! It’s starting!” Liz said as she snuggled closer to Max. She sighed happily, breathing in his scent. Yup, she could get used to this again.
“Shove over Spaceboy, you’re too close”
“Does anyone want popcorn? I can make some.”
“Be QUIET Alex, I can’t hear!”
“Hey, Motormouth, maybe if you’d stop talking, you’d be able to hear!”
“Shove it Spaceboy!”
“He’s supposed to be playing me? I think I’d be a much more...I don’t know, the strong yet sensitive guy, who understands women and knows how to treat them the way they deserve. I wouldn’t be the popular jock and bully, would I?”
“It is so weird to hear you say ‘I’d be a better man than he is!’”
“Can it Michael. How soon you forget that your character is, well... kind of unattractive, and not just physically. She’s a bit brutish for a girl, don’t you think?”
“Isabel, at least you weren’t cast as the ‘desperate computer geek who is funny in a self-deprecating way.’”
“Aw, sweetie, they didn’t mean it. Besides, at least you’re pretty. She’s such a cute girl, in a not obvious way.”
“Well I’m pretty in an obvious way right?”
“Everyone, stop!” Five heads turned to look at Max, which was a little difficult for some of them, due to the positions they were all seated in. They were sprawled across the Evans’ living room, Isabel lying down, head on Alex’s lap on one couch, and Michael and Maria fighting for dominate position on the love seat. Liz and Max were very comfortably sharing the big recliner chair in the center, and everyone was now directing their attention there.
“Good. Now, stop talking. And yes Alex, of course you are pretty in an obvious way,” Liz said, hiding a smile. “Now, can we puh-lease just sit here nicely and watch Kismet? We’re almost up to my favorite part.”
“You just want to see it because it’s your scene,” Michael grumbled.
“Sh!” Maria said, as she slapped the back of his head.
It had been five months since Liz had moved back to Roswell. Life had almost gotten back to normal, the way it was in the second timeline, (2nd TL as they now referred to it.) They had begun training, and so far had made a lot of progress. Their trainer - their dear friend Serena - was currently at a meeting, so she couldn’t watch the show with everyone. Max had been at a lot of meetings, everyone had, but so far no definite plan had been determined besides preparation. That’s all anybody had been doing, practicing and training, strengthening and conditioning. Even Alex and Maria had participated, and could now run 10 miles easily. Not to mention their martial art skills were wicked, and they had become pretty accurate in shooting, much to the relief of Michael, who somehow almost always ended up getting nearly shot. On certain days Liz couldn’t help but wonder if Maria was aiming for Michael purposefully.
Those two were the same as always. Michael and Maria constantly bickered and made up, and then fought again, until one day, after Maria almost put a bullet in Michael’s leg, a huge fight broke out, and this somehow led to Michael accidentally admitting that he loved her. At that point they quickly made up, and then promptly disappeared, only to resurface days later with sappy grins on their faces.
Isabel and Alex had become even closer than before. Isabel had been afraid that Alex would be scared or intimidated by her increasing powers, but once he reassured her that it only made him love her more, she melted into a puddle of Izzy goo, and all was right again. Liz was very surprised to find out that of the couples, they had been the strongest of the group, and they only continued to grow in strength. They had none of Michael and Maria’s explosiveness, and were not ‘star-cross’d lovers’ like Liz and Max. They did have, however, perhaps the most solid and comfortable relationship of them all.
Another interesting development was that Kyle became a full-fledged active member of the Pod Squad, in part due to Liz’s return and his closer bond with Maria, and in part because of Serena, his new love interest. While the two had yet to make anything official, Liz had it on good authority that they didn’t have long to wait until the couple would announce that they were finally together.
Of course, since Kyle became involved, that meant that Jim Valenti had to be told, which in turn meant that Maria’s mom had to be told (Michael had to hide from her for a week) the Evans’ were told, as were the Parkers and Whitmans. Max and Liz decided that their parents should know what was going on and what their kids were involved in, especially since it was an intergalactic war that would affect the entire world.
As strangely as it felt, everyone had to continue to live their lives normally. Max, Isabel, Michael, Kyle, Maria, and Alex had to finish their senior year, all the while attending war meetings and practicing combat skills in the desert. Everybody still worked, Maria sang with the Whits, Liz began to take classes at the Community College so she could stay nearby, and life went on.
Life went on for Max an Liz too. Things were awkward at first, but eventually they found each other again, though they were often timid and needed the intervention and persuasion of their friends. Each had been afraid that they weren’t what the other was expecting or hoping for, and they also had a lot of baggage and expectations placed upon them. They gradually overcame these obstacles, and were happily and most blissfully in love with each other, the Max and Liz that they were at the present.
All in all, despite the shadows of both the past and the future, life was, in some ways for the first time, good.
“Oh, sh, it’s ending,” Liz said, as she pulled Max closer. He smiled, tightening his arms around her.
“I never got a chance to thank you, for saving my life.”
“Thank you,” Liz whispered as Marianna spoke the same words to Leo.
It's September 24th. I'm Leo Piazza and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened.
I came to life.
The End.
“Well... it makes sense I guess,” Liz said. “I mean, not on a scientific level. I have no idea how that is possible... of course, I never used to believe in aliens or time travel either. But, I mean, think about it. If it really had been 50 years, that means that Khivar would be an old man now. A lot of the original supporters of Zan and the royal family might have died by now. Khivar himself would not be orchestrating all of this, there would be no need for it.”
Alex made a face. “Ew, I just thought of something. Why didn’t we all wonder why Khivar ‘came for Vilondra’ at Isabel’s wedding? I mean, even if he just took that guy’s form, or made himself appear younger... that would be one old dude that was trying to mack on you, Is.”
“You did not just say ‘mack’ and ‘dude’ in the same sentence. Forget the same sentence, how about at all!” Maria shook her head sadly. “Alex, I think those words alone have negated our umpteen trillion years of best friendship.”
“I don’t know whether I’m relieved that some perverted, old, Hugh Hefner wanna be wasn’t trying to convince me to be his bride, or disgusted at the prospect of having to face a young, seriously disturbed man who wants to try to convince me to be his bride. Which is the lesser of the two evils?”
“Isabel! Shut up! All of you! Do you know what this really means?” Michael asked, jumping in agitation.
“It means that your families could be still alive,” Maria said quietly. Michael turned to her in surprise, and she gave him a small smile.
“Our family is still alive,” Max said quietly. “Our family is in this room, and back home in Roswell.”
“Max, I know that’s true but, we haven’t considered all the ramifications of what we just found out. Or really, any of what we found out. We need to decide what we are going to do with this information.” Liz bit her lip, her thoughts whirling.
“We aren’t going to anything with this information.” Max saw Michael open his mouth in protest, so he quickly continued. “At least not yet. I think we need to digest all of this first, and then come up with a plan of action. But even after we devise this plan, it’s not going to be carried out immediately. Before we even start this, I think we need help.”
“Ah,” Cal said, re-entering the conversation. “This is where I come in. Obviously you know that we have a network of both alien and human allies working on this planet and others. You used this network last time... in the last wa- ... Ok, does anyone else think that all this time travel stuff is just complete bull shit? I mean,”
“Langley,” Max warned.
“Hey, I believe it! I believed it before any of you did, remember. Well before everyone but this lovely lady over here, who got the ball rolling to begin with.” He nodded to Liz. “It’s just talking about it... man, it sounds like one of the movie pitches my less-than classy writers come up with. All cheese and special effects, with ridiculous plots that can make your head spin trying to keep track of it all.”
Maria raised an eyebrow. “But, aren’t those the type of movies you make?”
“That is entirely besides the point,” Cal said, dismissing her.
“Do you, um, by any chance, have a point?” Alex asked. Maria rolled her eyes, kicking him from under the table. “Oww! Is there any reason for such violence?”
“You were being rude,” Maria said sweetly. She turned back to Cal. “So anyway... what’s your point again?”
“Can we just cut through all this bull shit and get back to this network thing?” Michael glared at Maria.
“Ooo, someone’s cranky,” Alex whispered dramatically to Maria. “That’s got to put a crimp in your ‘yay we survived another potential evil alien who could kill me with his thoughts’ celebration plans.”
“Ha ha laugh now, but keep it up and I’ll make you sit next to him on the way home.” Maria snickered as Alex immediately fell silent. She turned her focus back to Cal.
“Right, so as I was saying, we can use this network to not only receive intel, but also as a trained army. With the right plan, we can win this war. I have people everywhere. I don’t usually tap into the network, but I guess I’m going to have to start. I do, however, know that they are well-organized and equipped, and more than willing to fight on your behalf.”
“I still don’t know how so many humans got involved, or why,” Liz said.
“Well,” Cal began. “We’ve been visiting this planet for years, and have gained support among some select humans and their families. We chose to send the Royal Four to this planet for many reasons, among which was the fact that we had a loyal human contingent here. We even have some other hybrids, people who are both Human and Antarian.”
Isabel started. “There are others out there like us? How?”
“Well, they aren’t exactly like you. Unlike you, they weren’t genetically engineered. They were made the fun way.”
“How is that even possible?” Liz asked.
“Well, you see, when two people love each other very much...” He stopped, noticing the death glares he was receiving. “Kidding. I always hated that line anyway. Well see, though Antarians are obviously not exactly the same as humans, they are technically the same species, because they can mate, and produce fertile offspring. It’s a beautiful thing, I know.”
“But we’re different than humans. I know it,” Max insisted.
“Yeah, you are. It’s kind of complicated. Antarians and humans are different enough where you could obviously tell the two apart, but their DNA is still compatible. I don’t really understand it completely myself, I was never really interested in it, seeing that I already had a family so I wasn’t looking to take a wife here anyway.”
“But, even as hybrids we’re different! We can’t even go to the doctor without fearing for our lives,” Isabel said, her voice growing louder.
“Yeah, see, that’s the thing. Like I said, you two aren’t exactly alike. But you can produce children, and that’s kind of the key thing.”
“But, why -”
“Isabel, sweetie, haven’t you had your fill of the Q and As for now? We know that we have a force on Earth. That these two lovebirds,” Cal said, pointing to Max and Liz, “have to produce an heir to save us all, sometime in the near future. At least we know the war is coming, and what Khivar did in the last time line. And to top it all off, we’ve reunited the Scooby Gang, and ding dong, Tess is dead. Right now, seems like a ‘happily ever after’ ending might be within reach.” Cal sat down in a chair next to Liz, and proceeded to eat the plate of food set out for him.
“You watch Buffy?” Alex asked, his eyes wide.
“No. But I’ve been talking to Sarah quite a bit lately, and I’m hoping to have her in my next project,” Cal said between bites of his lemon-and-tabasco laden pancakes.
“Oh, will she play me?” Liz asked hopefully.
Cal looked at her, and then laughed. “No, my dear, she’s got her own TV show. That is an interesting idea though.”
“So... that’s just it?” Michael asked. “‘We’ll worry about the details later kids, and let you know if anyone starts to attack?!?’ Sounds like a pretty crappy plan to me.”
Cal put down his fork, and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “No, Michael, our plan is only slightly more advanced than that. I’ve already set up a meeting with the leaders of the network, particularly those skilled in military strategy. We’ll meet next week, about an hour from Roswell, for your safety and convenience. We will, of course, discuss further plans and strategies then, but for now I think it best that you head home from your camping trip.”
“So that’s it, we’re just supposed to go home and pretend like none of this happened?” Michael asked angrily.
“No,” Liz said quietly. “We’re supposed to go home and prepare ourselves. We need to practice and strengthen our powers, so we’ll be ready when it’s time to fight. You should know better than anyone Michael, that it’s not all about strategy. We need to be prepared for the actual fighting, should it come to that.”
“I’ll keep in touch with Max and Liz, and we’ll meet every other week, more if necessary. I’m going to send someone to you to help you train. I think that covers it for now, we’ll talk more next week.” Cal nodded and stood up. “Well kids, I have to go take care of my business, so I won’t see you before you leave. Oh, Maria, remind me to hook you up. I know J Lo’s people. I helped her out with Selena and she owes me a few favors anyway.”
“Thank you, Cal, for everything you’ve done,” Liz said warmly as she stood up. “Take care.” Impulsively, she hugged him.
“Yeah well... you too kid. I’ll see you soon. Don’t do anything stupid, and that goes for all of you. Especially you Michael.”
Michael glared at his back as Cal left the room. “I don’t like him.”
“You don’t have to like him Michael. You just have to trust him.” Isabel smiled at him. “Come on, I’ll let you help me carry my bags to the car.”
“Oh, you’ll let me,” he mimicked, even as he got up to leave.
“So... we’re leaving then. I’m glad. Not that I don’t appreciate the digs of course, much better than the sleazy places we’ve stayed at before. I’m always afraid there really is a monster under the bed or in the closet. My fears are usually justified,” Maria said, as she threw down her napkin.
“So, what are you doing Liz? I mean... you’re living here now. Are you coming back with us right now, or getting your stuff in order...” Alex asked.
“I asked Cal this morning if he would arrange to send my stuff to me, and settle everything, and he said it wouldn’t be a problem. Um, I think I want to stop by the apartment to get some things, but then I’ll be good go back with you guys.”
“Aw, this is so great! The three musketeers back together again!” Maria squealed as she squeezed Liz and Alex tightly. “All for one?”
“And one for all,” Liz and Alex returned, slightly less enthusiastically, but just as happily.
Liz turned to Max. “Do you think you could bring me over to my apartment?”
He smiled at her. “Sure. You can come with me on the way home, so we can have the chance to talk.”
Her smiled widened as she grabbed his hand. “I’d like that.”
Maria sighed happily as Max and Liz walked out of the room, oblivious to everyone else. “They’re so beautiful together.”
“It’s crazy how everything is working out, you know?” Alex said, in awe.
“Yeah, well I’m still stuck with Spaceboy. How’s that for a happy ending?” she said, with a long-suffering sigh. “You know, despite the fact that they constantly need us to save their royal alien butts, I’m starting to think that we’re pretty lucky.”
“Well, at least life is never boring.”
* * *
“Shh! Shh! It’s starting!” Liz said as she snuggled closer to Max. She sighed happily, breathing in his scent. Yup, she could get used to this again.
“Shove over Spaceboy, you’re too close”
“Does anyone want popcorn? I can make some.”
“Be QUIET Alex, I can’t hear!”
“Hey, Motormouth, maybe if you’d stop talking, you’d be able to hear!”
“Shove it Spaceboy!”
“He’s supposed to be playing me? I think I’d be a much more...I don’t know, the strong yet sensitive guy, who understands women and knows how to treat them the way they deserve. I wouldn’t be the popular jock and bully, would I?”
“It is so weird to hear you say ‘I’d be a better man than he is!’”
“Can it Michael. How soon you forget that your character is, well... kind of unattractive, and not just physically. She’s a bit brutish for a girl, don’t you think?”
“Isabel, at least you weren’t cast as the ‘desperate computer geek who is funny in a self-deprecating way.’”
“Aw, sweetie, they didn’t mean it. Besides, at least you’re pretty. She’s such a cute girl, in a not obvious way.”
“Well I’m pretty in an obvious way right?”
“Everyone, stop!” Five heads turned to look at Max, which was a little difficult for some of them, due to the positions they were all seated in. They were sprawled across the Evans’ living room, Isabel lying down, head on Alex’s lap on one couch, and Michael and Maria fighting for dominate position on the love seat. Liz and Max were very comfortably sharing the big recliner chair in the center, and everyone was now directing their attention there.
“Good. Now, stop talking. And yes Alex, of course you are pretty in an obvious way,” Liz said, hiding a smile. “Now, can we puh-lease just sit here nicely and watch Kismet? We’re almost up to my favorite part.”
“You just want to see it because it’s your scene,” Michael grumbled.
“Sh!” Maria said, as she slapped the back of his head.
It had been five months since Liz had moved back to Roswell. Life had almost gotten back to normal, the way it was in the second timeline, (2nd TL as they now referred to it.) They had begun training, and so far had made a lot of progress. Their trainer - their dear friend Serena - was currently at a meeting, so she couldn’t watch the show with everyone. Max had been at a lot of meetings, everyone had, but so far no definite plan had been determined besides preparation. That’s all anybody had been doing, practicing and training, strengthening and conditioning. Even Alex and Maria had participated, and could now run 10 miles easily. Not to mention their martial art skills were wicked, and they had become pretty accurate in shooting, much to the relief of Michael, who somehow almost always ended up getting nearly shot. On certain days Liz couldn’t help but wonder if Maria was aiming for Michael purposefully.
Those two were the same as always. Michael and Maria constantly bickered and made up, and then fought again, until one day, after Maria almost put a bullet in Michael’s leg, a huge fight broke out, and this somehow led to Michael accidentally admitting that he loved her. At that point they quickly made up, and then promptly disappeared, only to resurface days later with sappy grins on their faces.
Isabel and Alex had become even closer than before. Isabel had been afraid that Alex would be scared or intimidated by her increasing powers, but once he reassured her that it only made him love her more, she melted into a puddle of Izzy goo, and all was right again. Liz was very surprised to find out that of the couples, they had been the strongest of the group, and they only continued to grow in strength. They had none of Michael and Maria’s explosiveness, and were not ‘star-cross’d lovers’ like Liz and Max. They did have, however, perhaps the most solid and comfortable relationship of them all.
Another interesting development was that Kyle became a full-fledged active member of the Pod Squad, in part due to Liz’s return and his closer bond with Maria, and in part because of Serena, his new love interest. While the two had yet to make anything official, Liz had it on good authority that they didn’t have long to wait until the couple would announce that they were finally together.
Of course, since Kyle became involved, that meant that Jim Valenti had to be told, which in turn meant that Maria’s mom had to be told (Michael had to hide from her for a week) the Evans’ were told, as were the Parkers and Whitmans. Max and Liz decided that their parents should know what was going on and what their kids were involved in, especially since it was an intergalactic war that would affect the entire world.
As strangely as it felt, everyone had to continue to live their lives normally. Max, Isabel, Michael, Kyle, Maria, and Alex had to finish their senior year, all the while attending war meetings and practicing combat skills in the desert. Everybody still worked, Maria sang with the Whits, Liz began to take classes at the Community College so she could stay nearby, and life went on.
Life went on for Max an Liz too. Things were awkward at first, but eventually they found each other again, though they were often timid and needed the intervention and persuasion of their friends. Each had been afraid that they weren’t what the other was expecting or hoping for, and they also had a lot of baggage and expectations placed upon them. They gradually overcame these obstacles, and were happily and most blissfully in love with each other, the Max and Liz that they were at the present.
All in all, despite the shadows of both the past and the future, life was, in some ways for the first time, good.
“Oh, sh, it’s ending,” Liz said, as she pulled Max closer. He smiled, tightening his arms around her.
“I never got a chance to thank you, for saving my life.”
“Thank you,” Liz whispered as Marianna spoke the same words to Leo.
It's September 24th. I'm Leo Piazza and five days ago I died. But then the really amazing thing happened.
I came to life.
The End.
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)
~ A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 134)