Roswell Fanatics

The Fate of Destiny Part 99

Oriel looked up from her grade book and welcomed the sight of her children with their half-sister. Little Matthew raced for his mother on little legs. Emily looked exhausted. "I can't take it anymore. The wedding isn't going to happen. This town has no sense of style. I'm never going to find a dress."

"It will happen if it's meant to." Oriel tried to reassure the girl.

"I hope so. Hey, there was a call for you on the machine. Some old man speaking French." She shrugged, she never got the romance with a language that sounded like spitting all the time.

"Really?" Oriel smiled and bent to kiss Stephen's sweaty forehead. "Have you been running your sister ragged?"

"No." Stephen pouted and looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"He's been sulking all day. I think he's till mad that Dad is gone so much." Em shrugged and hopped onto a desk to sit. "Where has she been sending him?"

"Here and there. He'll be back in a few days and he'll be able to stay here for a long time." Oriel lied smoothly. "He won't miss the wedding."

"I can't believe I got talked into this whole big wedding thing. Was I mindwarped? Am I just… warped?" Emily sighed heavily. "I distinctly remember telling my father that I wanted to go to a J.P."

"Your dad was only following your orders. You wanted a chapel wedding… odd for someone who is marrying someone who doesn't believe in God."

"It's Liz. She fed me all these ideas. I'm telling you, she has powers. She weaves a web over everyone, leaving it impossible for anyone to say no to her."

"What about Bethany?"

"She's got the same thing. It doesn't work on each other." She allowed herself a snicker. "I think that's why they fight so much."

"You're probably right."

"So, who's the French dude? You steppin' out on my Dad?"

"No." Oriel rolled her eyes at the girl… woman. She was very much a woman now. "He was my host when I first came to the States. I found him not long ago. We've been playing phone tag all week. He's moving back and he's coming to visit."

"Oooh… So, Dad's gonna meet the parent. Cool. Maybe now he'll ease up on Danny. Get a taste of his own medicine."

"Frank is a nice man. I only lived with him and his wife for two years."

"Still, you think of the guy like a father and thus… My father gets to have the nervous shakes for once. It does him good to be put in his place every once in a while. I gotta get back to work."

"See you at home."

--

"Uncle Max, can I listen to your heart?" Gina hopped up and down in front of him and Max couldn't resist. He unwound his stethoscope from around his neck and knelt to fit the earpieces to her little ears. She made a face at the firm fit but took the knob to fit over her uncle's heart. Her eyes went wide as she heard it. "Buh-boom. Buh-boom."

"Yes." He nodded. "You are my favorite niece."

"How come?"

"Because you're the only one who comes to see me anymore." Max narrowed his eyes at Berty. "Of her own free will."

"Sorry." Berty winced. "You know I love you, Uncle Max."

"Couldn't tell. You don't call, you don't write." Max teased and stared at her and watched as she shifted uneasily. "You look like—"

"Dad. That's what they say."

"Actually… you could go either way. Your dad's eyes, his chin… your mom's nose and her hair." He rose and kissed the top of her head. "Perfect blend. What's up? As I was about to say, you look like you’ve got something on your mind."

The teen hesitated for a few moments more. "Mom said you were writing a medical journal and I was wondering if I could see a copy."

"Is anything wrong?"

"Well… no but my dreaming lately is… like a train wreck." She sighed and sank into a chair and let Gina listen to her heart. "I sleep… I start to dream and I just coast from dream to dream. People I don't know, some I do. I want it to stop."

"I don't know if you can, Berty. When Beth had this happen to her… It got really bad. It took three months of intensive experiments with healing stones and some drugs to find something that worked and I’m not even sure how well it’s lasted. I don't want to mess with sleeping pills."

"I can sleep but I don't feel rested because at the end I'm fighting to get out of the dreaming loop."

"You've talked to your mom?"

"She's busy." Berty rolled her eyes. "She doesn't care anymore."

"Yes, she does." Max crossed his arms over his chest. "She can't know anything's wrong if you don't tell her."

"Well, if you're going to be all logical and sane about it…" She pouted and stared up at her uncle. "The closer the person, the harder it is to break free. There are some dreams I don't want to be in."

"I understand. You just… need to get some control… Tell your mother." He urged her. He hated that the younger kids were having developmental problems as a result of their inherited abilities. {Inherited…} Max's eyes went far away and looked at his nieces. "Alex never had any problems."

"He can't dreamwalk."

"Kyle?"

"Nope."

"When did this start?"

"This year… why?"

"Your mom was 17 when she got pulled into someone else's subconscious. It started in her sleep… as long as it's just dreams, we'll be okay, I think."

"Who was it?"

"Michael's donor's granddaughter."

"These people are mostly strangers… When Sebastien falls asleep at our house, my head goes there, into his dreams without me meaning to. I don't get sucked into Gina or Kyle's that often. Mostly though it's people I've never seen."

"Talk to your mom and then we'll think of something. Okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded and rose to give him a hug. "Thanks, Uncle Max."

--

Alex listened to his boss gripe. He had asked for a vacation and only been given a several thousand mile leash. The mix on the new client was all wrong. Alex found himself fixing it over the phone. If he weren't an alien, he couldn't remember where all the dials were. They had better appreciate with a raise or a bonus. When he hung up, he found himself in the Crashdown, ready for lunch. He nodded to the Parkers and took a seat at the counter. Emily and Lynette were at the other end. He cursed. That wasn't the Lynnette he had wanted to see on this little excursion into town.

"Hey Alex." Lynette smiled at him.

"Hey cuz." Emily motioned him over. "We were going over the procession."

"So the wedding is going on after all. Danny was scared you were going to back out." Alex teased.

"It's a fucking dress. Why can't everyone just leave me alone about it? I'm not getting cold feet… I just… want a good dress." She scowled, suddenly not in the mood to discuss her wedding anymore.

"Okay, okay." Alex surrendered. "What's the deal with the procession?"

"We're trying to get everyone in order of height. You're the last." Emily marked him on her notepad. "Tall guy in the back… so you're paired with…" They glanced at the list of girls. "Beth."

"Beth's the tallest girl?" Alex grabbed the list to see for himself. "Geez… all these girls are the same height. 5'1", 5'3". 5'4". 5'5", 5'4"… Geez… They better be wearing heels. You still making us do those ridiculous dances?"

"I thought it would be fun."

"You who hates to dance?" Alex and Lynette asked at the same time.

"Shut up. My wedding." She grabbed her order pad and wandered away. Leaving the two sitting awkwardly at the counter.

"How long you in town?"

"The summer. I got a nice long vacation ahead of me. I thought I'd spend it here so my mom doesn't freak out." Alex shrugged.

"Listen… a bunch of us from high school were getting together… you know… like old times. Em and Dan…. Jules, America, Darin, Chris. Just to hang out. The old gang."

"Chris is back in town?"

"He never left, man." Lynette stared at him. "Or maybe you and me can find something else to do…"

"I don’t know. My mom has a lot of my evenings scheduled this week. I'm spending time with the grandparents and all." Alex tried to back out gracefully. "Family obligations and all."

"Maybe some other time."

"Maybe." Alex felt bad for lying but this wasn't the girl he wanted to be spending his evenings with. His flirtation with this Lynette was long over. His thoughts were of a Lynnette across town.

--

"Hi Daddy." Kathy hugged her father and planted a kiss on his unshaven cheek. "Ugh. Gravel."

"Hi, kiddo." Max looked her over. She looked tired but not unhappy despite all the ranting Liz was doing about some jerk that had broken their daughter's heart. "It's been a long couple of days. Maybe you can help me out with your sister, huh?"

"Don't count on it." She stepped aside so her father could greet Will with a handshake. "Let's just go home." She ran her fingers through the white on her father's head. "Let me dye this. You're not old enough to have this much gray."

"25 years of worrying after you. I've earned it." Max swatted her behind with a flyer he was holding to get her moving. "Let's get your luggage and get out of here. So, Will. How long are you staying?"

"After the wedding?" Will shrugged and scooped up his suitcase and reached for Kathy's before it spun out of sight. "My charge is here for the summer. Maybe here, she won't give me so much trouble."

"You, sir, exaggerate." Kathy rolled her eyes and led her father away by the hand. "Don't listen to him. I'm a perfect angel."

"From hell." Will snorted.

Max sighed happily. His daughter was home. He had never really gotten used to having her so far away. "Children, behave." He took her bag and led the way to the car. "So, Will… Liz says you've got a girlfriend."

"Had." The agent sighed. "These things don't usually work out for me." He hefted the bag into the trunk when it was opened for him. "How's the groom?"

"Terrified." Max laughed as he got the bags squared away. "He's paranoid. He thinks Emily's suddenly going to change her mind and decide she won't marry him. She's not helping of course, she's been hedging about the dress."

"Still?" Kathy gaped. "I've got my dress picked out already."

"You don't have a groom." Will pointed out.

"But I've got my dress picked out. The groom is minor detail."

"Kat, watch it. You'll give your dad a heart attack."

"He's right. Be kind to your dear old dad." Max held the door open for her to ride shot-gun. "No marriage talk from you until after your brother is squared away. Okay?"

"Geez… You'd swear I'd said I was putting out an ad or something."

"Wouldn't put it past you." Will muttered as he shut the trunk.

"What?" Max didn't hear the comment because of the truck slamming shut.

"He had a hairball. He didn't say anything." Kat glared at him. "Let's get home please." She looked to her father once more as he got the car on the road and pointed toward home. "Come on. Let me fix your hair. I could put some highlights in it. Maybe trim it a little… it's a little long… or maybe just a little red… You really don't want to be all gray-haired in the wedding pictures. You'll look older than you are…"

--

Isabel smiled at Jesse and Gina through the kitchen window. He chased her around the backyard as she squealed. She tried to forget the conversation she had just had with Jim. He had written up a will and he had named her executor. He was only 65. Still, she had agreed and he had let it drop. It was not her favorite subject. He had been doing things like this ever since his ex-wife had died three years earlier. Shaking her head to clear it, she turned when Berty wandered into the kitchen. "The dressmaker says for you to come in with me next time. She thinks my boobs are still growing. Oh. Hi, Grampa."

"I'm suddenly glad I didn't raise my daughter. A conversation like this could have been awkward." Jim mused as he sipped his coffee.

"I love you, Grampa." She hugged him and kissed his cheek noisily. "How's the foot?"

"In there somewhere, I suppose." He glanced down at his cast. "You look like you're going crazy."

"I was just in that dress shop for eons. Next time someone gets married, maybe they can forget to put me in the wedding." She did a shuddery little dance. "Taffeta and lace. Blegh."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind a third out there. Jesse and Gina are playing tag." Isabel gestured.

"I'll pass." Berty snorted but tried to cover it up. "I wouldn't want to intrude." She sank into the chair next to her grandfather. "What's on today? Heston? Wayne? Eastwood?"

"Nope… it's the one with Sharon Stone and I'm not gonna watch it." He checked the time. "Tonight's date night. How are we going to entertain the kids?"

"Ugh." Berty rolled her eyes and turned to her mother. "Mom, I don't mean to criticize but you think maybe you did some things backward? It's not a good example for your impressionable first daughter. This…"

"Is none of your business." Jim cut her off.

"Grampa!"

"You going to be primary babysitter tonight or what?" He ignored her outburst.

"Yes…" She huffed and crossed her arms on the table but she wasn't done. "You date for three years and then you have a baby… preferably with a wedding in between. It's all I'm saying."

"Then you can do it that way. I prefer… if you do it that way." Isabel told her and rinsed out her coffee cup. "You and I need to have a talk."

"So talk."

"Your room. Now. Grampa's comfortable."

"See. If I were a father, I'd have to be in on the talk but I'm the grampa. The world moves around me." Jim smiled broadly at his grandchild.

"As it should." Isabel dropped a kiss on his head. "You've earned it."

"Mom… this is so gross." Berty whined all the way to her bedroom. "Mom… please. Let's not subject ourselves to a meaningless talk."

"It's not meaningless."

"You already gave me the sugarcoated becoming-a-woman-birds-and-bees talk when I got my period. It's enough. I swear." She sank down on the bed and waited as her mother shut the door. "Please… I'm begging."

"We should have done this awhile ago but Sebastien was doing all the work. Keeping his friends in check but he's not going to be here next year."

"Egh… and all his grody friends are going to hit on me." Berty groaned so loud it almost sounded like a belch. She flopped back on the bed with a huff.

"I hate to admit you've got a point about the example I've set recently… but mind you, I wasn't always such a horrible person." She lay out beside her daughter. "My first love would have done right by me but he was killed by evil aliens. Your daddy and I waited a long time to get married. If you follow any example of mine… let it be that."

"You're not a horrible person." Berty felt bad. She knew she had just been manipulated into admitting it but it didn't change the fact she had implied her mother was awful to her face. Alex had always warned her that their mother would do it but, geez, the woman was ruthless. That was why she was the best lawyer in town. "I just miss Dad."

"And so do I." She put her arm around the girl. "I was married to him for… it feels like forever. It was '10 when we got married. June. We were married for ten years. He died the week after our anniversary. We didn't even celebrate because of a whole mess of stuff that actually had nothing to do with Jesse."

"But how can you think about Jesse if you miss Dad?"

"This is what I wanted to talk about. Right now, you hate guys. You think they're stupid and disgusting and for the most part you are right. Eventually, you'll look around and see people together and happy and want that. Someday you'll meet someone who will make you feel special and not lonely."

"I'm not lonely."

"Not now… sometimes you don't realize how alone you are."

Kyle Valenti's eyes stared back at her. "It's not that I don't like guys. I do. There are just none that I'll consider."

"Well, I guess that's a good thing. I cried over Dad for a long time. Even after Gina was born. Jesse's been a good friend. I knew how he felt and I didn't make him stick around. He came by to see her and take care of us because he promised Dad he would."

"Why?"

"Dad asked him to. What we did was wrong but we have to live with the consequences. Gina is a good girl and we all love her. I love all my babies. I've always tried to be careful and sometimes it's not enough. Just… be friends with a guy before you jump into anything. Make sure he really cares about you. I've been lucky. I married my best friend… and I'd like to have that again."

"Did Jesse ask you to marry him?"

"No… and I suspect I'll have to be the one to do the asking. I would like to be happy. That's all. Jesse adores you. You know what he told me?"

"What?"

"He's going to be at your wedding. Like it or not, he's showing up. If you get a restraining order… he'll stand across the street with binoculars or x-ray glasses or something."

"His choice. He's not coming in. He's not walking me down any aisle."

"He didn't say he wanted to. He just wants to be there."

"I was mean to Daddy before he died." Berty admitted finally. “I was a real jerk.”

Isabel took a deep breath. "He knew you loved him. He knew you didn't mean it. The last thing I said to him made him run out the door. I know how it feels to think he died without knowing how you really felt. None of us got to speak to him again. No one got to make it right… so… we have to make it right with ourselves."

"Now you sound like him." She sighed heavily. "I think I liked it better when I thought we were going to talk about sex."

"So… no boys have caught your eye?" She tried to lighten the mood. It had been a long time since Berty had allowed them to have a heart to heart.

"No one I can date." She grumbled almost under her breath.

"Why would you say that?"

Berty let out a harsh laugh and rolled away from her mother. "Sometimes you just can't."

Isabel's mind reeled as her brain fed her everything she hadn’t pieced together in the last few years. "Oh."

"Don't pretend you know. I've been in love since I was ten but… He's never going to look at me that way. Not now.” Berty stuffed a pillow under her head. “I shouldn’t have to dress like a skank to get his attention. He should like me the way I am. Jeans and t-shirts… no make-up.” The tears slipped out but she wouldn’t let her mother see them. “I just… wanted him to see me and now he’s going away… and he’ll never look at me that way… not the way he looks at her.”

“I’m sorry honey.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not a girl to him.”

"Sweetie…"

"Can you leave me alone?" Berty wiped at her eyes. "I'll be out soon. Go… do whatever it is you and Jesse do. I don't care."

"Berty."

"Just go before he dies of a heart attack from chasing after Gina all night."

--

Kathy took the bowl from her mother and played with it for a few moments. Then she peered at it more closely. "What is that?" Cherry? Strawberry? There were several reddish veins running through her chocolate ice cream. Tasting, she dove into the bowl more heartily. "Tabasco!"

"Dad bought me an ice cream maker. I've been experimenting." Liz informed her daughter. Had it been a year? Kathy's hair had finally settled into dark loose curls with only a few trace wisps of blonde at her hairline. Her faced had thinned, making the squint of her eyes less pronounced. "You look healthy."

"I look fat." She rolled her blue eyes. "A guy breaks up with me and I turn to the brownies and the ice cream." She grumbled even as she scooped up a large spoonful. "But not this. It's Mom-ice-cream. No calories counted."

"You look good."

Kathy missed her thinner body but her curves did look good. "Mom… it's just personal."

"Won't you even name the jerk who make you turn to brownies?"

"I… can't." Kathy winced. Will had promised and she didn't want anyone to get in trouble. "We weren't supposed to be together."

Liz took a deep breath and set her bowl down on the coffee table. She could almost feel her hair going gray. "Is it a professor?"

"No… it's not even like that. There's not… I mean.. It was just… a thing." She shook her head. She hated lying but if she told her mother she'd been screwing around with a federal agent, she'd kill her. "And that's not even the reason I'm all…" Kathy couldn't even look at her mother's interested eyes. "I'm on the outs with a friend. I think he's disappointed in me. It just kills me a little to think that…"

"Oh honey…" Liz felt bad for her. Then her ice cream disappeared.

Beth groaned and licked the spoon. "This one is so good, Mom. Can I go to the movies with Gabriel?"

"Who's Gabriel?" Kathy teased her sister. "I've been calling you every week for two months and I've never even heard of him until this week…"

Beth blushed under her glasses. "Gabriel's my boyfriend."

"Aw." She tilted her head at the girl. "You know.. if you got contacts, you could pay up your eyes with some eye shadow."

"Gabriel likes my glasses. It's non-conformist."

"But aren't you just conforming to his idea of beauty?"

"No." Beth cleared her throat and straightened her blouse. "I like my glasses. I like the way I look in them. Gabriel just happens to agree with me that I look good. He respects my loathing of contacts and praises my opinion."

"Don't they get in the way when you kiss?"

"Girls." Liz cut in. The last thing she wanted to think about was that little twirp's hands on her daughter. "Beth, ask Dad."

Beth rolled her eyes and went in search of her father. She'd no doubt find him in the backyard pretending to pull weeds but enjoying a secret smoke. Kathy turned to her mother. "Is he really that bad?"

"You should see him. He's like a caveman. He's an ungrateful little heathen." Liz shook her head. "I'm just afraid she'll let him ruin her. He's disrespectful and infuriating."

When the doorbell rang, Kathy hopped up to get it, leaving her mother to fume alone. She pulled the door open and smiled broadly at the hunk of gorgeousness standing there. "Hello. Please tell me you're here for me."

"Um…" The tall boy pursed his lips and checked the number on the door. "I'm, uh… here for Bethany, actually. I'm Gabriel."

"Bethany!" Kathy turned and shouted. Her jaw had about hit the floor. It couldn't be. There was no way this well-proportioned behemoth was here for her little sister. She thought all the Goth kids at school were underdeveloped, anemic stoners. She shook her head at the boy. "My God… she is too young to know what to do with you."

"Pardon?" Gabriel furrowed his brow but it uncreased when Beth rounded the staircase. "Hey."

"Hey. My dad's still deliberating." Beth reached out for his hand. "Kat, this is my boyfriend Gabriel."

"So, I see." Kat held out her hand. "I'm the big sister." She stood aside. "Well, come in. Dad could take awhile." When he had passed between them, she grabbed her sister. "He is so hot."

"I know." Beth smiled triumphantly at her sister and turned to guide Gabriel to a safe place to wait. Kathy shut the door and found her mother. 'oh my god' she mouthed, to which her mother only rolled her eyes.

tbc

The Fate of Destiny Part 100

Kathy grabbed her future sister-in-law around the waist and pulled her into a booth, laughing. "Hi."

"Hi." Emily giggled. "So you're back…"

"Why haven't you bought a dress yet?" Kathy demanded, cutting right to the chase.

"Ugh. I'm so tired of this dress issue. I just haven't found the right one yet."

"And what if you don't find one before the wedding? You've only got three weeks. This is panic time."

"I'll find one by then. I swear and now that you're here, you can help me look. I think my dad has gotten it in his head to help. You have to stop him." Emily swore at Kathy's incredulous face. "I'm serious. He came in here the other day and took my measurements."

"Your father?"

"Yes. He spent his lunch hour on commute to take my measurements and I know it's for a dress. He's going to insist on some horrid dress but I’m not going to be able to say no because he went through all the trouble."

"Maybe it's not what you think?"

"I don't know and Oriel's not talking either." She sighed heavily. "This is a disaster waiting to happen. Oh… you have to go get fitted for your dress." She smiled broadly. "Bert's been in and out all month trying to get it to fit right, poor thing. I completely forgot that one of the bridesmaids wasn't completely flat-chested."

"Hey!" Kathy sat up. "These are exquisite rare miniatures."

"It wasn't aimed at you. You've got plenty. Beth… I was trying not to embarrass her too much and we ended up with a dress that we had to alter for Bert." Emily started laughing. "Lynette's fits perfect. Your dad's cousin Nate, his daughter's fits great. She is so tiny that it's disgusting. Who knew the men in that family were so handsome? Nate's son? Gorgeous? Remember those pictures of Grampa Evans from way back in college? Like that."

"Danny's crazy. He thinks you've got cold feet but you… are totally smitten." Kathy smiled at her.

"I am." She sighed heavily. "It's not the wedding that scares me."

"Then what?"

"We took a break. You know? The college transition was hard enough for him. Me being me would have killed him. Then he got into a program and I got my B.A. out of the way, finally. It just seemed right to get back into it. I love your brother. I do but these days…" Emily sat up. "We talk on the phone all the time now. He's always doing all the talking. He's got all these friends over there and all my friends are here. Stephen and Matt are so little still… Dad's got that new job. I feel like I'm leaving too fast."

"Em… you're not. You don't think I didn't have anxiety going to Santa Fe?"

"You had Adam."

"Adam who ended up being a cheating bastard, leaving me up in Santa Fe knowing only the federal agent sent to baby-sit me. And yeah, I got Will. Family friend Will and it's still someone but it took me almost two years to get friends of my own up there. When you go to Lubbock, you'll have Danny. You'll have him all to yourself in your own apartment and you can come and see me when you'd had enough of him to last you forever…"

"I knew there was a reason I wanted you to be my maid of honor."

"I am only sorry I had to turn it down. How is Jules holding up?"

"Miserably. But she loves it. She's planning a bachelorette party but I imagine it will be pretty tame." She shrugged. "So, you've been back a whole day. Did you ask about Jacobi?"

"Ugh. I asked about him before I even got here." Kathy rolled her eyes. "I am such a lame person. Every time when I come home."

"I'm still on. Just… do me a favor. Don't call him." Em smirked at her. "And… We've been discussing just how much Beth is allowed to be herself in my bridesmaid dress…"

"I'm on it."

--

Beth sat with Gabriel's brothers and sister at the graduation. His father slipped into the chair they'd saved for him with his suitcase in hand. Her own clan was a few rows back but she wasn't here for Sebastien. She clapped wildly when he crossed the stage though. "Sebastien Jesus Ramirez, honors." The rows behind her erupted with her aunt's yells and cousin's calls, not to mention the rows across from them with the rest of Seb's family. Just a few more people. "Miranda Reynolds." Hurry up. "Loreena Sidney, honors." Come on. "Gabriel Agustín Silerio, honors." Beth shot to her feet as Gabriel bounded up the steps. She whooped as he shook hands with the principal and accepted the diploma. Then she watched as he shook hands with this superintendent and then alumni. She watched as he reached her mother and was shocked into silence when he threw his arms around her, picked her up and swung her around, planting a kiss on her cheek before he descended the steps to retake his seat. Her mother looked like she was in an equal state of shock as she tried to keep up with the remaining students’ handshakes.

Mr. Silerio took a deep breath and let it out. “Tell me, kids. Was my boy wearing cords? Did they really say honors?”

“Yes and yes, Mr. Silerio.” Beth beamed.

“They won’t take them away because he mauled that lady?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Okay.” He seemed like he was out of breath but when Beth looked closer, the older man was trying not to cry. He reached over to greet his children. “You see that. A Silerio high school graduate and I want three more. No GEDs like your old man. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.” They nodded, proud of their big brother.

“Good. Good.”

--

Isabel designated herself camerawoman and watched all the festivities thrown in Sebastien's honor. The teen was appreciative of everything. His other grandparents looked a little lost where they sat with a few of his cousins that had flown in from the East coast. The little diplomat was making his rounds well enough, keeping everyone happy and smiling in his wake. She laughed every time one of his friends got too close to Berty and the teen steered the girl in another direction.

"I'm just glad he's doing it. You know she wouldn't let me." Jesse whispered in her ear, nearly making her drop the camera. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"If they were nice boys, I might not mind but… we both know all those boys over there just want one thing." Isabel shook her head.

"Yeah, well they're not getting it from her. Berty! ¡Venga!" Jesse called over. The couple ignored her roll of the eyes and the attitude as she marched over. Jesse shucked his jacket and put it around her shoulders. "It's cold. You should have brought a jacket."

"Whatever." She bit out as she shoved her arms through the sleeves and pulled her hair from beneath the collar. She scoffed when her mother buttoned the jacket over her middle. "What's going on?"

"You look so pretty, honey. I'm glad you went with that dress but it's chilly tonight." Isabel flashed her daughter a dazzling smile. "Now… how's about you find a nice spot to sit… away from the… "

"Horny brigade of Seb's friends? Just say it. Don't play stupid games." She stalked away.

"That girl." Isabel took a breath and laughed harshly. "I swear. I'm going to kill her one of these days."

"It could be worse." Jesse motioned to where Berty had done just as she was told. "She could have got straight over there and started flirting." He slid his hand around her waist. "She could have run off. She could have… thrown my jacket in a trashcan."

"Seb wouldn’t have let her. They get along okay." Isabel told him even as Berty kicked Seb when he passed beside her. "You got really lucky. He's a really good boy."

"Regina!" Jesse burst out suddenly. Sure enough, their daughter was on top of the fence, getting ready to dive off into the next yard. One of many cousins dove and caught her before she took flight.

Then Sebastien was there, taking over. She had been more scared of the sudden round of outbursts than the leap she had been about to take into the neighbor's yard. "Look at you, stealing my thunder. After a swan dive into the neighbor's pool, no one's gonna think graduating high school is special."

"I just wanted to see if I could make it." Gina pouted.

"Not tonight. You'll give dad a heart attack." He scolded lightly. He handed her off to her parents who were torn between yelling at her and hugging her to death.

"What were you thinking? You don't just climb up on things. You could have gotten hurt." Jesse had decided on a mixture of both. Scolding while hugging her.

"Bastien said I was gonna attack your heart."

That made him smile. "Very nearly. Just… behave. Keep your feet on the ground, please."

"Sweetie, don't scare us like that." Isabel let out a breath and kissed the curly head. It seemed like Gina's purpose since conception was to scare Isabel out of her last wit. Coming into the world early, being the first of the kids to get sick with the chicken pox, being the first child with allergies, having the knack of disappearing on her in public places, climbing onto anything and everything that was bolted down and jumping off of anything and everything bolted down or not.

--

Will rose and pulled out Sydney's chair when she arrived at their table. He had done as requested and done his 'Feebee' thing to get them a nice dinner someplace quiet. He had waited until no one in Roswell would miss him before jetting over to Las Cruces to meet her. Obviously this wasn't strictly a social call. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. And you?" She nodded and took a breath. "Santa Fe alright?"

"It's… Santa Fe." The conversation paused while they gave their orders and it was up to him to get it going again. "So, what brings me to Las Cruces? I sensed you didn't want to have dinner with me just because I'm so handsome."

She had the grace to smile at that and nod to herself. "It's nothing urgent but I got a visit about something that I am not trained to handle. So… I knew I had to talk to you."

"That was vague."

"Isabel Valenti came to see me about a battery of tests and to arrange a hysterectomy in the not so distant future. It's been years since I performed the procedure and I'm a little rusty on her particulars. Her blood chemistry and whatnot as she was only ever admitted to the hospital twice, I believe. The births of her last two children, both delivered naturally and not by me."

"Does Max know?" He waited as she shook her head. He sat in silence for a long time. For a moment, he thought about how strange it was to set up a clandestine dinner meeting to discuss someone else's health issues. Dinner was delivered and it sat in front of him until he could wrap his head around this not necessarily new aspect of his job. "The samples I delivered a few years ago? For the ladies?"

"Well and good at devising effective birth control but… I need Max to do the math without knowing who it's for. Mrs. Valenti was adamant that her brother has nothing more to do with her uterus as strange as that sentence is to say… she's got a point. Her brother was her OB-GYN and that is not his actual job at the hospital."

"Did she say why?" He managed to pick up his fork and start his dinner… and actually taste it.

"She was vague but she gave me a name. Said you had medical records that would be of use. Christine Morton?"

"Penelope Burkhardt. I have them. I'll get you a copy."

"I…" Sydney cleared her throat and sipped her water. "I don't call to his house as a courtesy. Do they need me to do anything?"

Will had to think long and hard about that. How far would Max let him go on this venue? "The girls are 16 and a half. I think their parents are hoping there's no need but… that girl of Isabel's won't be lonely long."

"You're horrible." She tried to hide a laugh in her water glass. Still, she made note. They ate in companionable silence for a moment. "I've missed you." He didn’t respond to that. He looked at her but he didn't stop eating the bite he had cut. He set his fork down to listen. "I've tried dating but… I wonder."

"I do, too." He admitted and glanced around them. The other tables were out of hearing distance, the basis of his choice of restaurant. They were all cozy, the other tables. Couples enjoying a romantic dinner. "We had a… connection… What I can't understand is why after how you broke it off that you could even consider jumping into this the way you did."

"I was… at a crossroads. Nothing was working out. My job was doable but… it didn't make me happy. My dad was getting crazier all the time. Living in that town was eating at my soul. I mean… being in that town with Liz there… I had to get out. I talked to Max about my options and I didn't want to lose that connection to save this. You inspired me. We talked about it and decided that I could do this. Start a private clinic and get experience under my belt but keep myself at a distance."

"I don't understand."

"I was four when Max healed me." She tried to explain. "He gave me my life and I repaid him by kissing him and taking advantage of his kindness, of our connection if you will. If I had gone blind in the meantime, I could still find him. He was right. Whether I wanted to be or not, I am in this. I just wished I had realized it before I broke it off with you."

"As… emotionally promising as that would be, it would also be draining… to give us another go. I can't. Not now." Will sat back, no longer hungry. He hadn't had someone to really talk to in a long time and this felt good… just not romantic. "I got a call six months ago from Texas, Syd. My ex-wife lost another baby and she tried to jump off a building. I was there until about two weeks ago. I spent all that time making sure she'd be okay. Reassuring her that it wasn't her fault... letting her blame me for everything that was wrong with her life. I had to be the one to break the news to her that her new husband was tossing in the hat. Me. I hadn't seen her in seven years. I just can't do this now. I am heart weary and the only thing that gives me any joy… is hanging out in Roswell with all those aliens."

"I was just wondering." Syd let out a breath but didn't cry, despite her hurt. "I am sorry about that. Is she okay? Your ex-wife?"

"I'm not sure she was ever okay. I think she just stopped trying to hide it."

--

Beth sat at the table, just a little nervous. She had only briefly met Mr. Silerio once before and that had been as he was rushing out the door. At the graduation he had been focused on Gabriel. This was the celebration dinner and there was plenty of chatting going on. Mr. Silerio ribbed Gabriel about the collar and tie he still wore around his neck even though he was wearing a tank under the gown. While they waited for their drinks, the man's eyes fell on Beth. "You… your name is… Belinda?"

"Bethany." Gabriel corrected. "Beth."

"Beth." Mr. Silerio nodded, mouthing the name to himself over and over. "Do I know your father, Beth?" She shook her head. "Does she speak? Or does she just pretty up dinner tables?" He joked with her.

"Beth is the quiet type. She said about as much when I met her parents." Gabriel winked at her.

She cleared her throat and sat up straight. "They judged before you came to the door. I wasn't going to argue with them in front of you."

"Because then things might have gotten ugly?"

"Shut up."

"Oh… so he's met your parents already?" Mr. Silerio nodded. "So, it's pretty serious. What do you kids think?"

"He's gonna marry her." Little Kristy burst out, making her big brother hang his head amongst his little brother's laughter.

"I think it's a little soon for that, little girl. She's got to graduate and then she's gotta find out that this boy… will turn into this." He gestured to himself and pulled off his hat. "We go bald sweetie."

"But not until I'm 30. I've checked it out. If I start Rogaine when I'm 29, I'm good." Gabriel reassured her. Beth just smiled at him.

"Ugh… and she's got a pretty smile. We're all goners. Tell me, little girl… why do you let him wear lipstick?"

"I don't let him do anything. He likes it. He wears it." Beth told him.

"You've got her trained. This boy has everyone wrapped around his finger. That teacher he mauled probably won't press charges, she probably liked it." He winked at her and watched as the teens exchanged a look. "What? What's that face?"

"She hated it." Bethany tried to hold in her laughter as Gabriel once again hung his head. "She's my mother. She doesn't like him too much."

"Oh, my boy… you can never do anything the simple way." Mr. Silerio groaned.

--

Max burst out laughing as Liz relayed the tale of the graduation. He turned to Davey. "Please tell me there's a tape of that."

"Aunt Iz was taping it." The boy affirmed. He had already gotten in trouble for laughing about it and bringing it up again in the car on the way home.

"I'm sure it wasn't so bad." Diane had the grace not to laugh but Liz knew her mother-in-law thought it was funny. "Being mauled by a handsome young man half your age."

"Oh, Mom… don't tell me you've been suckered in by him too." Liz groaned. "Kathy thought he was the best thing ever when he was over the other night."

"Don't take my laughter for approval. I just wish I had been there." Max snorted.

"You should have seen her face, Dad. She just stood there for a long time. Shaking hands but just… staring." Davey tried to cover his laugh, which surprised even him when it came out so deep. Voice changing was only sometimes a good thing.

"You're supposed to be on my side." Liz accused her husband.

"I am. I just think it's funny." He leaned in to kiss her jaw. "It'll be a funny story for when they have kids."

"That's it. You're on the couch tonight, mister." Liz exploded and leapt up from the table and stormed outside.

"You don't think that." Diane shook her head.

"Of course not but if Liz forbids it, they will. Beth is just doing this to get a rise out of us." Max just shook his head. He was going to call his sister first thing in the morning to see that tape. "She's testing her limits. Kathy did the same thing. The only difference is back then I was the one throwing up the obstacles and Liz was showing her ways around them. I'm not giving Beth so much advice."

--

Alex arrived fashionably late to the party. He greeted his mother and Jesse. He congratulated Sebastien. Teased his sisters and rough-housed with his brother but his eyes kept searching the party. He heard eight retellings of his baby sister's attempt to go swimming before he saw her at the spread. "Hey."

"Hey." She gave him a smile but returned to filling her plate. "You eaten?"

"Haven't been here long." He shook his head but took the plate when it was offered to him.

"You missed it. Gina tried to dive into the neighbor's pool from that fence over there." She pointed to where it had happened.

"So I hear." He held out his plate so she could serve him.

"Where have you been? I thought I'd see you at the ceremony with everyone else." She kept glancing over her shoulder at him.

"So you were looking for me?" Alex watched as she stiffened for a moment but kept moving. "Hoping to see me?"

"Don't push it." She rolled her eyes and dropped a hunk of brisket on his plate. He had to rush forward to keep his plate from flipping over.

--

"Hey you." Danny leaned on the counter. There were people everywhere but Emily looked as if she couldn't see them. She didn't look up but the corner of her mouth tilted up. "It's a zoo." She nodded. "Should I go away?" She shook her head. "Need help?" A nod. "You okay?"

"Yeah… Dad sounded funny when he called earlier." Emily shrugged but pushed herself off the counter to look at her fiancé. "Oriel's old host got into town this evening. I don't think Dad liked him."

"Your dad doesn't like anybody." He pointed out.

"This is different."

"Come on. I'll jump in. We'll take care of all these people."

"Thanks. It's a zoo."

--

Seb rushed into his room to change his shirt. His cousin had spilled beer all over it. He had already tossed the offending clothes into the laundry basket by the time he noticed the girl on his bed. "I’m gonna kill Nicky. Dad just gave me this tie. Get tired of the party?"

"Jesse said I could chill in here. I borrowed some clothes, I hope you don't mind." Berty fingered the remote, the volume on low because the noise outside would have made it impossible to hear anyway.

"Did you hang up Dad's jacket?" He just nodded and went about finding another undershirt and a decent dress shirt.

"It's on a chair in the dining room." She managed a smile. She watched as he sprayed on some cologne and checked out his reflection. "Dana didn't come."

"I didn't expect her to. I think it's finally over. After all that fuss and now…" He turned and glanced at the window that hid the party behind the blinds. He picked her dress up off the bed and hung it on the closet door to keep it from getting wrinkled. "Scoot." He motioned so he could sit on the narrow bed as well. "What are we watching?"

"Dunno. It's that lady Danny thinks is hot but I think she's old." She adjusted herself so his arm could fit over her shoulders. "I mean… she's older than my mom."

"Hey, your mom is still pretty hot."

She elbowed him in the ribs. "You're gross."

"Is that my Harvard shirt?"

"It might be."

"You're gonna stretch it out."

"You want it back?"

"Well, not now… you keep it." They both heard the kitchen door open and his father call for him. "It never ends." He groaned then got off the bed to have one last look in the mirror. "So… Bryan?"

"Not a chance."

"Vince."

"Cold day in hell."

"I'll relay the messages. Wish me luck." Seb grinned and marched out the door and back out to the party. Berty sat there for a moment before rising to fish his tie out of the tangle of soaked clothes. Waving her hand over it, she rid it of the yellowish stain that was forming and then laid it on his desk. If Seb hadn't graduated too, Beth would be available to hang with but… Berty sighed and sank down on the bed once more.

--

Max looked up when Beth wandered into the house. "You have fun?"

"Yeah." She nodded, retrieving a bottle of water and her medication from the kitchen before sitting on the end of the couch. "I met his dad, finally."

"Noisy?" He asked as she swallowed the pill.

"A little. The restaurant was packed." She nodded to the blanket tangled around his legs. "You in trouble?"

"I heard about graduation." Max shook his head with a smile. "I thought it was funny."

"I thought she was going to have a heart attack." Beth managed a smile. "What else did you do?"

"I teased her. Went too far when I told her how funny the grandkids would think it was." He made a face at the one she made at him. "I was joking. I'm just hoping you come to your senses before it's even an issue."

"Ugh. You're impossible." She whined and slid off the arm and onto his feet. "She's really making you sleep on the couch because of what he did?"

"Because I laughed at it and what I said about grandkids with him as the father. She really, really doesn't like him, Beth."

"You don't either." She rolled her eyes and shoved herself to her feet. "Night."

"Night sweetie." Max called after her.

Beth took a detour through the kitchen to her parents' room. She knocked lightly. "Mom?" She walked in when she heard the response. "Hey. I'm home." Liz just nodded and went back to her book. Beth slid into the room and shut the door. "You know… Gabriel wasn't trying to disrespect you by doing what he did today."

"Could have fooled me." Liz bit out, she lowered the book.

"Mom… your class really did mean a lot to him. He tried to talk to you about getting him some help with the work but you blew him off. He had to get it elsewhere and no one else would because you didn't follow up with him. Other teachers helped him with his learning disability and you didn't even want to hear about it. So he did without the help. He tried so hard to learn from the book. He borrowed notes constantly, stayed up all hours. I was helping him this last month. He worked so hard to earn his grade. He didn't mean to be disrespectful. He was trying to thank you." Beth bit her lip as she leaned against the door. "His dad was so proud when he heard that Gabriel graduated with honors… he's the first in his family to get a diploma. Mr. Silerio was crying, he was so proud." Tears stung her eyes as she remembered the strong emotions the man had been giving out all night. "I know what you were trying to do when you gave him the test but I don't care. You kept your promise. I really, really like him, Mom. Really. If you and Dad say no, I'll find another way. I'm not going to be unhappy because you don't like him for whatever reason. I need him. Don't punish Dad for teasing. Dad doesn't like him any better. He tells me all the time. I don't even have to read him to feel that.

"If you take away the clothes and the make up and the jewelry and the musical preference… I'm dating a boy who just graduated with honors, who sells a weekly column to the city newspaper and takes care of his siblings when his father is out of town on business. He likes to rock climb and take pictures of desert landscapes. He never lies. He never cheats. He works extra hard at everything. He tries not to disrespect people who are reasonable and forthright in their convictions. He sounds like a good guy to me." Bethany waited for her mother to speak. She put up her walls to prevent herself from reaching out and reading.

"Good night, Bethany. Tell your dad to come to bed. It's late." Liz lifted her book once more.

"Fine." Beth ripped open the door and stormed out into the den. "Mom says you don't have to sleep on the couch anymore."

Max barely had time to pick up his head before she was making for the stairs. He felt every stomp in his bones and he winced when her door slammed. Her music was on immediately. A few moments later, he heard the shriek and the pop of the speakers as they gave out. The lights dimmed and returned to normal. Gathering his pillow and blanket, he got up and opened his bedroom door. "What did you say to her?"

"Not a thing." Liz shook her head, a shine in her eyes that were no longer reading the words in her book. "I didn't say a word. Just like I promised."

Max shut the door behind him. "I don't like seeing her this way."

"And you think I do?" She lifted her eyes to him. "She just accused me of being a bad teacher and I didn't say a word. I get that she's very enraptured with this boy. It's puppy love. It'll pass."

"Do you really think so? I seem to recall someone telling you that what you felt for me was puppy love."

"That's different and I'm not my mother."

"No?" Max gave her a look and collapsed onto the bed, turning out the light with a flick of his hand. After a moment, he heard the slap of her book on the nightstand. "I don't want her to be serious with him. I don't want her anywhere near him. She hasn't broken any house rules yet. I can't find anything truly wrong with the boy. I don't like it… and to be fair… I've never liked any of Kat's boyfriends but things with Beth are so… tenuous… that I have to keep my silence on this so that I can get her to talk about other things."

"I'm not her, Max. I'm not unreasonable. I'm concerned for my baby-girl." Liz curled herself up to his back. "I didn't say a word against him. If she knew what I had been thinking, she would have run out the door."

"I guess that's progress." Max sighed and placed his hand on top of hers over his heart. When had they started sleeping like this? After his botched surgery? "She's been trying not to read us like I asked her to."

"Remember when she used to dance around the house in Kat's clothes?"

"It actually breaks my heart to say this out loud but… She's not a little girl anymore, Liz."

"I know."

--

Liberty sighed in her sleep as she slipped from sleep and into dreamland. There he was. Smiling and laughing just for her. She reached for his hand and he was just out of reach. Whirling around, her mother was running to catch Gina as the giggling seven-year-old dove off a huge fence. Just as she was about to catch the girl, Gina vanished and her giggling came from a rock face. As Mom scrambled up the side of the mountain, Berty was yanked into a third dream. Grampa had a hold of Emily's hand who was holding Liberty's who was holding Kyle's, who was holding Gina's who was holding Alex's. He was using his other hand to reach for her dad and for Emily's mom. They were just out of reach. He almost had Kyle when he leapt forward with both hands and missed. Startled he stared at his hands and whirled around. All the grandkids were gone. He's been working so hard to grab Kyle that he'd forgotten he was holding onto Emily.

Liberty rolled her eyes. Beth was dreaming about Gabriel… again. Gabriel was dreaming about Beth… and some older woman… Ew. Berty blinked and she saw herself making out with Bryan. Shudder. Ew! Stop that, she screamed at her Bryan-dream counterpart as the making out progressed. Then she was zipping in and out of dreams. Mrs. Johku was swimming in a pot of coffee. Some guy was dreaming of the Playboy mansion. Oriel was cleaning crayon and power stains off the walls in her hallway. Derek Enders kept shocking himself on the AV equipment. Her brother was being gross about Lynnette. Some old guy was watching a teenaged girl do ballet. An old lady was making endless stacks of flapjacks. A giant kitten was eating FBI Will while a huge lily with a wilted stamen reached out with its leaves to strangle him. Liberty had to resist the urge to vomit when she saw Seb and Dana arguing. Even in sleep they didn't give up. Davey wasn't dreaming. He was floating in a cloud with his eyes closed. How was he doing that? Emily kept jumping out of the way of a flock of flying wedding dresses aiming for her head.

When Liberty finally opened her eyes, most of the night had passed. Dawn was creeping in the window and she was absolutely exhausted. Again.

tbc

100/110

Lord help you spoiled brats when I get caught up here. You'll have to wait a whole week between parts. '-)

The Fate of Destiny Part 101

Danny took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He barely recognized himself. This was his last tuxedo fitting, barring any significant weight shift. If he started stress-eating, that could become an issue. He turned to his father who seemed preoccupied. "Dad?"

"Looks good, Chief." Max nodded his approval and fingered his beeper absently. "Hey, Danny… when you were little… did you miss having me around?"

"I don't remember you being gone all that well. I mean… after Beth was born but… it was only for that year and we were always so busy… What was it? Four or five times for a week at a stretch? Three weeks that one time?"

"When you hit high school… I was around enough? Available?"

"Yeah. We always knew your beeper could take you from dinner or interfere with ongoing discussions but you were good about it. What's up?" He didn't like the far-off look in his father's eyes combined with the line of questioning.

"Beth."

"Dad…" Danny didn't know what to say. He missed his little sister, the playful one that used to do things to drive him up the wall. Every time he came home, she was so different. That one time was scary and out of her control. ["Dad!" Danny called out. Beth was under the covers, rocking herself and muttering under her breath. He couldn't make it out but he had a pretty good guess. "I don't see them. I don't see them. I don't. I don't."

"Dad's out of town, what is it?" His mother called into the room before she appeared. She froze in the doorway as Danny pulled the sheets all the way off of his baby sister. Beth was flushed and… bleeding? "Bethany?"

"When I walked in, she was like this."

"Bethany?" Liz slid to her knees next to the bed to look over the gash on Beth's leg. Blood was crusted under her fingernails. "Bethany? Sweetie?" When she reached out a hand to touch her, the girl screamed at the top of her lungs. Beth's hands shot to her head and began tugging at her hair.] "She's okay, Dad."

"I think she blames me for not being there when… It happened." He sank into a chair in the shop and shook his head slowly. "I just…"

"Maybe she does…" The young man shrugged. "I think the problem was she'd tried to tell you about it for weeks and when she finally opened her mouth to do it, you were on your way out the door… probably told her…"

"'When I get back'… I think I did." Max agreed. He'd been all over the place that year and he hadn't been watching her like he had been when her power first surfaced. It made him sick to think about how scared she must have been and he wasn't there.

"I also think that what still bugs her is… we had been trying to get you for hours." Danny took a deep breath and let it out. Those days were the most stressful of his life aside from when Davey was taken and when his dad almost died. "We figured you were in a lecture and had turned it off. Then we found out you had a free afternoon and spent it with Kathy. Your battery had died and it's not wrong… but it bugs her."

"Oh." That was a little confusing and made a lot more sense. All that anger, the misunderstanding.

"What?"

"It's just… the other day… we got into it about her reading people and why she doesn't trust me and she went off on Kathy. I don't think she's mad at Kat so much as with me. She thinks I love Kat more. There's so much about this power that I don't understand. Surface thoughts, I'd assume are what comes easiest to read. I think about Kat a lot. I can't help it. She never calls to talk to me. I hear everything second hand from your mother or Will… I worry." He felt helpless.

"She's a freak. It's completely normal… this stuff. When I was… 13 or 14, I thought that maybe Kathy was stronger than me because of… you know. It took me a while to see that she relied on me to protect her. That it didn't matter because I got it. Beth is just so smart… that she doesn't get it sometimes. She's got this… invasion and it's too tempting just to do a check to make sure. I think it's just a habit now. A reflex." Danny shrugged out of the jacket and laid it next to a hanger. "I talked to her about that kid she's seeing… she says that she can't get a good read off of him."

"Does she know why?" Alarms rang in his head. A reason to hate the little bastard. Just one good reason and no one could blame him for forbidding her to see him ever again.

"He thinks too fast. I think maybe he's got ADD or something. Maybe he's smarter than she is. Who knows."

"So, his surface thoughts move along too fast for her to latch onto any one. Maybe that's why she likes him so much. Must be kind of… quiet… relieving." Max let himself theorize about it. He'd probably never get the chance to find out if it were true.

"I know she likes him. She gushed all night long about him. 'He's so tall.'" Danny mimicked his little sister's voice. "'And his eyes are just the prettiest shade of green.' 'Gabriel likes to rock-climb and he looks so good.' Oh and my favorite. 'Oh… every time I look at him and he looks back at me, my stomach gets all growly and I feel kind of sick… but in a good way.'"

"Argh!" Max let out a frustrated noise. "I'm gonna have to get used to this kid. It's like if Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra had actually managed to have a kid together."

"Who, who and huh?"

--

“So it was bad. Big deal. We already know she hates me.”

Beth sighed into the phone. He didn’t get it and he wouldn’t because she couldn’t tell him the truth. Her parents would definitely kill her. After the Jacobi business, it was definitely a touchy subject with her father. Jacobi was still around but he was paranoid that his phone was bugged. She couldn’t risk that Gabriel might react the same way. “It’s just… I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything and nothing’s working.”

“Hey, it worked out okay. It will be okay. I’ll be here.”

“She made him sleep on the couch because he laughed at what you did.”

“It was stupid. I admit it. At the time I thought it would be funny but it’s clearly not the type of thing she finds funny.”

“She used to. I don’t know. I remember her being really cool but… she hasn’t been in a long time.”

--

Michael opened the door and stepped aside to let Frank in. "Oriel's not home yet. She had some work to do. Last minute stuff. Lesson plans or something."

"That's alright. Mind if I wait here?"

"Come in. We were just making lunch." Michael motioned him into the kitchen. "You remember the boys." Stephen and Matthew were covered in spaghetti sauce at the counter where they were helping to make pizza. "This is my daughter, Emily."

"Nice to meet you. Oriel thinks the world of you." Frank offered his hand. Emily took it lightly.

"Nothing but kind words about you." She managed to get out.

"Now… I didn't get the whole story but I believe there's a reason you're got a glow about you." Frank scrutinized her. "Pregnant?"

"What?" Michael barked.

"No, I'm not pregnant." Emily cleared her throat to hold back a laugh at her father's reaction. "Engaged. Married in three weeks." Her smile suddenly faded. Kids. Those would happen eventually. Oh God. {Oh God.}

"Em?" Michael peered at his daughter.

"Kids… oh my god. What am I doing? Kids? I'm not ready for kids."

"Em." Michael put his hands on her shoulders. "You're not having kids. You're getting married. You can worry about the kids, later."

"Right. Later. I'm going to go call Danny." Em nodded and raced for the phone.

"You've got plenty of time to have kids!" Michael called after her.

"Daddy… we're done. Can we cook it now?" Stephen was about to use his powers when Michael rushed over and grabbed his hand.

"We gotta let the oven heat, bud." Then he reached over and snapped the oven on. "Come on guys. Sink. Let's wash up."

"You need some help?"

"I got it." Michael shook his head. This was the first day off he'd had in weeks. He was enjoying spending the time with his boys. "Have a seat. She'll be home any minute." He had his hands full trying to get both Stephen and Matthew's hands beneath the spray of water. "What was it you were doing in France?"

"Spending some hard earned vacation time."

"Six months?"

"A taste of retirement. I missed work too much."

"You married?"

"Just the once. 21 years."

"That sounds nice. I'd like that." Michael nodded as he got the pizza into the oven and his boys seated at the table with some crayons. "Oriel and I have been together for almost 10 years but married for only seven and a half of that."

"I take it one of these boys was a surprise."

"They were both… surprises but only in the good way."

"Dad!" Em trampled down the stairs. "Danny thinks I'm crazy. I'm not crazy. We're not ready to start a family."

"He didn't ask you to start a family. He asked you to marry him and you said yes. Family stuff comes later." Michael told her, calmly and evenly. "You're going to need time to settle into the apartment. Find a job. Danny needs to get set at that hospital. It'll be a few years yet before you'll even seriously think about children."

"So you say but accidents happen." Em lifted her hand in the air and then let it drop to her side. "What if I get sick?"

"Oh. Hey. No. You will not get sick." Michael shook his head. That idea was frightening but it was not going to happen.

"I have the gene. Right? I look too much like her not to have it." Her chin trembled.

"You'll talk to Max. He'll have some tests run. Talk to Kathy."

"Ok. Max and Kathy. Okay." Emily nodded and pointed to the door before she left.

Michael paused and turned to his guest. "Don't mind her. Last minute jitters."

"The fiancé sounds like he knows her well."

"He should. They've dated for eight years… maybe it's nine… it's hard to tell with them."

--

Kathy sat her father down in the kitchen and wrapped a towel around his neck. "You sure? I could always do some highlights. A different color? I could cut it a different style."

"Just cover the gray, Kathleen." Max warned. He had finally relented to her comments about his gray but he wasn't going to let her get away with more than that. "Nothing fancy. Just… even color all over."

"Give him a trim while you're at it." Liz told her daughter as she flipped through the R.S.V.P.'s for the caterer's list. "Maybe half an inch."

"Okay. Trim first, then." She started at the bottom, running her fingers through and letting the clippings fall to the ground. "Shorter in the back, Mom?"

"No. Just enough so it curls a little. I like it when it does that."

"It's my head." Max reminded them.

"Sh. We're the ones that have to look at you." Kathy straightened his head and got back to work.

"Listen up. It's my head."

"Mom… get him to be quiet. I have to concentrate." She flicked his ear. "How about varied lengths on top? You could just roll out of bed, throw on some mousse. Mom would think it's sexy."

"I already think he's sexy." Liz murmured as she recounted her tally.

"Can we not use that word in front of the offspring?" Max cut in. "Could the offspring not use that word in front of me?"

"You're so 20th century, Dad." Kathy whined but went to work on turning his gray hair back to the dark brown that graced the rest of his head.

"Did she just call me old?"

"Eyes forward or I'll cut your hair like Gabriel's."

"You wouldn't."

"I so would."

"So…" Emily burst into the kitchen, out of breath and hysterical. "I just realized that doing things right means that after marriage, there are children and… children are… a lot of work. I don't know if you know that but… I'm starting a family and… I'm not ready."

"What?" Liz paled and dropped her pen. "Whatting a what?"

"Em?" Kathy still had a grip on her father's hair, all of it turning green. "Are you serious?"

"Are you…" Max could feel his blood pressure rising.

"What? No. I'm not pregnant. Yet. But it will happen and I'm not sure I want it to." Emily waved them off.

Liz threw the invitations at her. "Don't scare me like that."

"Oh." Kathy gasped and yanked her hands out of her father's hair and looked from woman to woman. "Um…"

Beth bopped around the corner wearing headphones and burst out laughing. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Watch your mouth." Liz warned.

"I had an accident with Dad's head. I was distracted." Kathy tried to defend herself. "I didn't mean to. I'll fix it."

"Fix? Fix? Fix what? What did you do?" Max stared between his daughters.

"It's just green. What am I going to do? What if I get pregnant? Huh? What if I go all pale and sickly and die?" Emily demanded.

"Green?" Max shot to his feet to find a mirror. He raced to the bathroom and stared at his head then calmly returned to the kitchen. "First off… I sincerely doubt that you'll succumb to the genetic defect that caused your mother's seizures. Second, Danny is going to wait a few years before you start having kids. Third, if someone doesn't fix my head, you're all in very deep trouble."

"Sit." Beth ordered. "What would you all do without me?" She motioned for her father to sit. "I assume you want your natural boring hair color."

"Enough about his hair. I'm freaking out here." Emily demanded.

"Emily. Sit." Liz told her as she began picking up the cards. Her heart rate slowing down.

"I have a legitimate fear here. I come from someone who was genetically flawed. Everyone says I look like her. How do I know that I don't have it? That I won't pass it on? How do I know that my alien parts actually cancel out the genetically flawed human parts?"

"Have you talked to your dad?"

"Yeah and he thought I was overreacting. He told me to come talk to you."

"He couldn't warn us that you were crazy first?" Kathy plopped down and watched Beth go to work. The phone rang and Beth was the one to hop away to get it. "Who is it?"

"Hold on." Beth glared and listened. "Yeah, Michael… you're about.. I don't know… ten… fifteen minutes too late. My parents are hyperventilating. Kat is unable to control her powers. Em is still freaking out and my dad's head is green… Green. His hair." Max reached up and took the phone from her. "Fine. Just don't move too much."

"Michael… did you send her over here just to torture us? … I understand. I hear something along those lines in all the rambling… yeah… I'll look into it. A little faster warning is all I’m asking… she's freaking Speed racer on that bike of hers… I said I would. I will."

"Quit moving or I'll just make the whole thing bright yellow." Beth warned.

“Speaking of makeovers…” Kathy turned to Emily. “You want to stick around or would you like it to be a surprise?”

“What are you guys talking about?” Beth finished her father’s head quickly and eyed the older girls. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

--

Liberty almost walked into her mother's bedroom but the door was open a crack and she could see Jesse massaging her mother's feet. Backing away, she headed to the other end of the hallway. Alex was sitting on his old bed staring out the window, cellphone in hand, earpiece in place. "Take it down one key. Maybe she'll strain her voice less on the high note. It’ll sound better with a full note." He turned to look at her, brow furrowed. "I'll check in later to see how it went… really, I gotta go." He yanked the bud from his ear and turned off the phone. "What's wrong?"

"It happened again." She whispered.

"What happened again?

"I… I go to sleep every night and I'm fine." Berty took a deep breath and sat on the other end of the bed. "I dream and it's okay. Sometimes I dreamwalk. I go into other people's dreams and it's okay… but sometimes… especially lately… I don't mean to dreamwalk but I do… and I can't control whose dreams I go into. Last night it was pretty bad. I was in nearly everyone's dreams. In and out and on to the next. I couldn't stop it. I didn't know half the people's dreams I was in… some of them were really bad."

"How do you know you're not just dreaming that you can't control it?"

"Last night you dreamt about… making love to Lynnette." Liberty nodded to his sudden aversion to meeting her eyes. "Mostly, last night, it was aliens or people we knew but some were total strangers. There's this creepy old man who likes to look at young girls. There's this old woman who made pancakes all night. This kid at school kept getting electrocuted by his audio visual equipment." She rolled her eyes suddenly. "Sebastien was fighting with his girlfriend and his friend Bryan was dreaming about me. I tried to wake up and I couldn't."

"Have you told Mom?"

"No." She shook her head. "I was going to right now but…"

"Jesse's here. You know… he does know what we are. He'd understand if you needed to talk to Mom. They're just hanging out, right now, you know." Alex watched as her eyes clouded over. "She'd want to know if something was wrong." No response. "She'd hate herself if this turned out to be serious and you didn't tell her before it was too late… like with Beth."

"And what if this is like that? What if I snap like Beth?" Berty's chin trembled. "She's okay now but… Alex, I was so scared when Danny told us what happened to her. She could have gone like… permanently off the deep end. You didn't get to see her when she left with Uncle Max… I don't want that to be me. I don't want to get lost permanently shuffling from dream to dream."

"Then you have to tell Mom." Alex pleaded. "Uncle Max can't dreamwalk. He can't see what you're seeing. Tell Mom."

"Tell Mom what?" Isabel stood in the doorway, head tilted at her children. "What's going on guys?"

--

Kathy cleared her throat and addressed the Evans living room. "We did a lot of work this afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." She waited until she had everyone's attention. Her mother and father waited expectantly. Grandma and David were engrossed in a game of checkers. Danny and Em were just sitting. They had been waiting all afternoon for this. "We washed out dye and picked up contacts and swung by the dress shop on the way home. I did the make up. Em, this is your bridesmaid."

Liz's mouth dropped open and tears sprang to her eyes. This was the daughter she had always hoped was in there. Bethany's hair was a few shades darker than she remembered. The dress clung in all the right places, making even a Parker shape look sexy. The amber eyes were unhindered by wire rims and the eye make up was flattering. She looked soft and lovely.

"You see. She's ready for her first dancing lesson." Kathy beamed.

Max stood and held out his hand. "May I?"

"You're a dork." Beth muttered but took his hand with a little blush. She felt self-conscious without the stripes and make up. She rolled her eyes when her mother went in search of a camera. She tried to concentrate on following her father but she was used to thinner heels. She kept stepping on his feet. "Dad…"

"No. You're doing good." He promised and smiled a little down at his pretty daughter. She had been under there somewhere.

"Agh." She stepped on his foot again.

"How about I lead? I know you Evans women are strong and in control of your destinies but… let your old man think he's got a say about something here." Stopping, he straightened them both out. "You always move backward. Step. Together. Step. Together. We do slow circles. Right. Together. Left. Together." She was getting frustrated. "Don't look at your feet." He tried not to let her stop. "Maybe I'm just not pretty enough to be your dance partner. Maybe I need green eyes and holes in my head."

"Daddy…"

Danny let out a whistle. "She's blushing."

"Shut up, cretin." She bit out at her brother.

"Kids." Max warned. Didn't matter how old they were, they could bicker like five-year-olds, the whole lot of them. "You look pretty sweetheart. Gabriel's gonna go crazy."

"Really?" She ducked her head.

"Were I not spoken for, I'd ask you to marry me."

"You're gross."

"But you're smiling."

"Shut up."

"This is the tricky stuff." He got back to the lesson. "We'll speed up just a bit and… step out." He spun her. "Step in." And back. "And…" he dipped her. "And up."

"That was kind of fun." She hated to admit it but organized dancing could be fun. She was used to throwing her body around in a pit of sweaty bodies but this worked too.

"You see. Dad knows how to have a good time."

"Funny how he didn't in high school. Always moping around." Diane clucked her tongue and watched as her youngest grandson claimed two more of her checkers. "'Guys don't dance, Ma.' Always pouting. Then he learned how to dance and then it's all he ever did after he got married. Dancing in the kitchen. In the living room."

"Mom. Enough." Max rolled his eyes. Liz had been clicking away the whole time.

"He's pretty light on his feet. When you were a baby, he got professional lessons… he’s a lot better than he thinks." Liz agreed and looked over her daughter. "Honey, you're so gorgeous."

"This is just for the wedding." Beth insisted. "Contacts are for nighttime driving only. After the wedding, the hair is back."

"Whatever you say, sweetie." She clicked off another picture. "Put the dress away. Don't want anything to happen to it before the wedding."

--

Isabel smoothed back Berty’s hair. “Honey… it’s okay. We’ll figure something out. I’ll take a look tonight. It’ll be okay.”

“What if it’s not?”

“It will be. We’ll make it okay.” Isabel shook her head. “Why’d you wait so long to tell me?”

“I thought I could make it go away.” Berty leaned on her mother.

Isabel sighed deeply. Berty had always done this. She always waited. She put off and she hid. “Come on. Let’s check on Grampa. See if he needs anything or wants to get out of the house.”

“Mom…” Berty lifted shining eyes. “What if it gets really bad before it gets better? I don’t want to snap. I don’t want to take pills… I…”

“We’ll figure it out.” Isabel promised. “Tonight I’ll check in.”

“Ok…”

“If it seems like it’s going to be bad. I’ll take some time off and we’ll figure it out. Now, go do something. Tire yourself out. It’ll make it easier to sleep.”

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 102

The woman was inconsolable. She looked from x-rays to her doctor in disbelief. Finally her eyes landed on her doctor. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I've lived here my whole life." Max shook his head.

"I was sick as a child but… I got better. I was rarely sick after that. They said it wouldn't come back." She sobbed into her handkerchief. "And I know. This isn't the same stuff but it's more stuff. I don't know if I can do this again. I have vague memories from before but I know it was bad…"

Max sat down next to her. "You just need to take a moment and think about what you're going to do. Do you have children?"

"They're in middle school. I don't have anyone else. My husband left me and…" She leaned on her handsome doctor. "It's not the end of the world right? I have options?"

"Of course. There are always new things. Radiation is still harsh but plausible. There are medications we could look into. I'm going to refer you to an oncologist who will know more than I do. I will handle the surgery, though."

"Thank you, doctor." She leaned in and Max felt his lips tingle. He pulled away before she could close the distance. His lips still tingled. He remembered that feeling from somewhere. Max handed the woman a tissue from the stand and got to his feet. He tried not to rush outside the door but he was so grateful when the door was shut behind him. He leaned on the wall. What was that? She had wanted to kiss him and he had almost let her. Where was her chart?

--

Beth didn't move when the footsteps approached. She had felt the cop fifty feet away. He was noisy and insecure but mostly noisy. "Boss… I got a vagrant in Roswell Memorial Cemetery. Want I should run him off?"

"What plot?"

"Pardon, chief?"

"Which plot, Dobie? Which marker?"

Beth ignored the light when it flashed over her head to shine on the marker.


James Kyle Valenti III
1982-2020
Here lies our beloved Sheriff, father, son and brother.
May he rest in peace.


"Valenti… James Kyle…" Dobie's voice trailed off. "Former Sheriff, recent."

"Leave her be, Dobie."

"Excuse me."

"It's his niece. Leave her alone. She's not hurting anything." The walkie squawked.

"You telling me there's a girl loitering in the cemetery in the middle of the night and you want me to leave her there?"

"That's what I said. I'll take care of it. You just finish your patrol."

Dobie left but half an hour later, Beth was staring up at the sky and it was obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. Sheriff Soltero leaned on the tree next to the marker and lit a cigarette. "Ms. Evans, you know you're not supposed to be out here."

"It's quiet… when the cops aren't out here trampling all over everything."

"You need a ride home?" He blew out his smoke.

Beth wrinkled her nose, stronger stuff than her dad smoked. "I thought I could stay. I'm not hurting anything."

"C'mon, Miss Evans. Don't make me call your dad again. We both know he needs his sleep… or is he working tonight?"

"He's working… but don't call him. He's busy with his patients." She did a back bend and forced herself onto her feet. "And here I thought I liked you, Sheriff."

"How's your aunt?" Soltero pulled on his cigarette and pushed off the tree, leading the way to his squad car.

"Okay, I guess. She still misses him… but Jesse's good for her. Got her through the bad parts. Berty hates him. I think she still wants to be a cop."

"A girl that pretty shouldn't be a cop. We get shot at. Drunks beat on us. It's not a pretty job."

"Don't tell her that." Beth allowed him to open the car door for her. "She'll just run off and enlist. Then she'll be dropping bombs on people."

"I could see her in a service uniform." He nodded and shut the door on her. When he climbed into the driver's seat. "Ms. Evans… why do you come out here? I know you've got family in there but really?"

"It's quiet." Beth told him with a shrug. "You know… he'd think you're doing a good job. Grampa Jim thinks so too."

"How is the old man?"

"Probably wishing he was still Sheriff. He broke his foot awhile back and he's driving Aunt Isabel crazy… He's just tired, I think."

After a moment, Soltero started the engine. "You're going to give your parents a heart attack if you keep sneaking out. I like your folks. They're nice people. Maybe you talk to them instead of going out to commune with the dead."

"The dead don't commune. They're gone. They're not in those casks." Beth stared out the window at the passing houses and cars. "They're gone for good."

"Why do you think that if you're wearing that cross?"

"It's just a symbol. It doesn't mean what you think. My boyfriend gave it to me. It was a present. It's a part of him. I wear it. God has nothing to do with it." She sighed but kept her eyes out the window. It was easier to do that than look at the Sheriff and try not to read him. "My boyfriend thinks that people are energy and when you die… the energy just keeps going… transforming and moving… always moving."

"Like ghosts?"

"Don't know."

"Like spirits in heaven?"

"I didn't say that."

"Sounded like it to me." He pulled the car to a stop in front of her house. "How about we keep our visits to the family to a minimum. Some of the rookies are looking for any excuse to bring someone in. They're not as nice as I am. They don't know your family like I do."

"I'll try. If I get stressed, I'm not making any promises."

"Good. Get some sleep. Give the family my regards."

--

Isabel caressed the frame on her daughter's picture and closed her eyes. It took a moment…. Much longer than usual to find her. She was in her own dreams. A huge piece of the Liberty puzzle fell into place when Isabel recognized the young man smiling at her daughter. Berty had been right, Isabel didn't really know. Isabel had thought it was Bryan or Vince or Eddie or one of the other college-bound boys she'd been around in the last few years… not Sebastien.

Berty had normal dreams for hours and then they suddenly got away from her. Isabel had to concentrate to stay on Berty so she wouldn't lose her. They went whirling through everyone's dreams. Mostly family but Isabel recognized neighbors and teachers. When she ripped herself out of Berty's dream cycle, she was exhausted. She hadn't felt this weary since she had taken on those Skins after Michael came back. Forcing herself to her feet, she made her way to her daughter's room where Berty was still inside the loop. "Honey, wake up."

The girl didn't respond so Isabel gently shook her. Nothing. Then she nearly had a heart attack when Berty sat up and opened her eyes. Her eyes filled with tears and she flopped back down on the bed. "I'm tired of this Mom. I'm really… really tired."

"Have you tried to steer it when it gets away from you?"

"Once. It was hard. Really hard." Berty sniffed. "It scared the crap out of Kyle when I popped up with so much force… so I didn't try it again."

"Everyone knew about this but me?" Isabel climbed into the bed with her daughter.

"I told Kyle it was a bad dream and that's why I did it. I just told Alex before I told you… I talked to Uncle Max but… he said to talk to you because… this is your gift."

"You should have come to me in the beginning. Why didn't you?"

"I thought I could fix it… and when I tell you things… you get all nosy and into my business."

"I do not."

"You so do. It's like at Christmas. You're always fixing our present ideas and sprucing up our clothes… you get like that when you have information." Berty sighed and then sat up. "When did you get in there? I don't remember seeing you?"

"You were already dreamhopping." She lied smoothly.

--

Max pulled out his keys to unlock the door to his car when he heard the familiar blip. He rolled his head around on his shoulders to see the sheriff and waved half-heartedly at the younger man. "She did it again?"

"She actually thought I was going to let her stay there."

"I'm sorry, Sheriff. I've tried talking to her." Max tossed his bag in the car and walked over to the cruiser. "She's just… working through some stuff."

"I know. I understand." Soltero cleared his throat. "I got a whole new bunch of rookies now. New faces. People from out of town that don't know how I run Roswell yet. They're really gung ho about doing their jobs. One of them came really close to giving her a rough time last night. Vagrant-talk. Wanted to run her off."

"I'll talk to her." Max nodded. "I'll make her understand."

"She's a good kid, Doc… maybe she needs midnight strolls and communing with the dead but… maybe the strolls are confined to the back yard and the communing through a Ouija for a while?"

"Don't give her ideas." Max rolled his eyes. "Think you can swing one of those boots for me, so I know exactly where she is all the time?"

"Not on our budget. Get some sleep, doc."

--

Michael got up to answer the door and took the package before anyone could wake up. He quickly unpacked the box and set about setting everything up before Emily woke to go to work. The boys tumbled down the stairs and just stared at him before wandering into the kitchen to find breakfast. When Oriel made it down, she just shook her head at him and helped him finish.

"She'll love you forever." Oriel wrapped her arms around her husband.

"I'm just trying to help." Michael nodded to himself. He teared up a little looking at his surprise. He was nervous. He felt a little sick… but he was ready. "Em! You working today or what?"

"I'm coming." She grumbled. "Why are you still home? Aren't you going to be late?" She appeared downstairs with her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth, still buttoning her uniform. "What?"

Michael turned her into the living room and felt her go stiff in his arms. He was really afraid for a full minute that he had done something wrong. Slowly, she stepped forward and touched the first dress. She swallowed then rid herself of toothpaste with a wave of her hand. She moved to the next and the next and the next. Each dress was more beautiful than the one before. "Em?"

"These are gorgeous, Daddy." She turned, biting her lip. "Too gorgeous. They're too expensive. Where'd you find them?"

"Find?" Michael sat down to watch her wander from dress to dress. "I drew something I saw once. I got your measurements and Laurie had her designer come up with these."

"For me?"

"I've got one daughter. She wanted a big wedding. I owe her a dress." He waited. Oriel rubbed his shoulders and waited with him. Which dress would she pick?

"Dad, I can't. These are too much."

"Pick the one you want. Wear it on the big day. The others… get sold and get you started with your new life."

"Daddy?" Em stared at her father and sank onto the coffee table. Tears slipped down her face.

"I…" Michael took a breath and glanced at his wife and then at his daughter once more. "When your mom and I got together… we weren't expecting to make a family. When you were born… I was working all the time, two jobs. Maria was working. We never got to get married. We were scraping by. Amy had to pay the medical bills when those came. I was busy supporting you. Trying to be everything at once. We scraped by all that time alone." He squeezed Oriel's hand. "When we got married, this house was the only sure thing. We still had bills and a baby on the way. We struggled a lot but I still managed to save some for your college. We're doing better now. I know you worry about the wedding and it being too big but… I can do this. I have ties that I'm not ashamed to use for you. Your dress itself is a wedding present from Laurie and her husband. The proceeds from the rejects are my way of making sure that you and Danny will be okay in Lubbock. I know he gets paid crappy money right now and you'll need it… in case of an emergency."

Emily took a shuddering breath and looked around at all the dresses. She knew what kind of ties Laurie had. "I'll take the proceeds from two of these rejects. The other reject will be for the wedding. To cover anything you don't think I can do without but don't want to tell me. Max and Liz are great for taking care of more stuff but… this is my wedding."

"Fine." Michael nodded. "Pick a dress already."

"Oriel?" Emily stood and she looked from dress to dress.

"They all fit perfectly." Oriel assured her. "Pick one."

"Did you know?"

"Parts." The woman kissed her husband's head. "Any one you want."

"Right… though I think I know which one you'll pick." He cleared his throat to help fight the tears. This made it real. The second she had a dress, she was halfway out the door. He sat quietly while Oriel helped Emily hold them up to check her reflection. They were talking and oohing over the dresses but he was having a crisis. His little girl was really going to get married. After all the planning and making arrangements, it was actually going to happen. Sniffing loudly, he got to his feet. "Jeff already told me you could have the day off. Call the girls or whatever. I have to get to work."

"Daddy…" Her voice stopped him. Emily, his little girl, hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy. When you come home, I'll show you which one I picked."

--

Beth was making breakfast when Max walked in the door. David was already eating and Liz was checking over some wedding stuff at the table. Max took a seat and watched his family for a minute. "What is the laziest boy this side of town doing up so early?"

"Don't know. Aunt Isabel called this morning. She wants me to help her and Berty with something." The boy shrugged. "Beth's cooking so I figured… why pass it up."

"And what time did my princess get in last night?" Max turned to watch his daughter. She didn't even flinch.

"Early. Right, mom."

Liz nodded but didn't look up. She was counting tables.

"Early? You sleep okay before you snuck out?" Max challenged. "And the second time you came home?" That had Liz's attention. "Sheriff Soltero came to see me this morning."

"Dad…"

"Is it the meds? Are they not working?"

"They work fine but sometimes I just need to be where I can't hear anything. Okay?" Beth slid her mother's breakfast onto the table and turned back to start on her own. "I mean… it doesn't do any good to turn off the stereo when the TV's on mute. You know?"

"Not exactly."

"Dad… look. I'm trying to sleep. I take the meds. They just… mute stuff but the images are still there. Stuff still gets in. We live in a neighborhood of insomniacs. I just needed some peace."

Liz was the sympathetic one on that score. She touched Max's arm. "She just needs quiet… not that I approve of middle of the night jaunts… but once in a while… when we know where she's going? Maybe?"

"We'll figure something out." Max promised them both. "But the sheriff was telling me about his new bunch of cops. They're not all going to drive you home and be understanding of your… plight. He was your Uncle Kyle's best friend on the force and that's why he lets you get away with this stuff."

"I know. He told me last night…" Beth knew it was her turn to compromise. Her mom had taken one step back so Beth had to take one step forward. "If I need a quiet night… I'll ask." She stared at her sunny-side up eggs and flipped them over. They were too happy for her today. No eyes. "I've gotta go cover for Emily right now. You want my eggs?"

"Yeah. I'll take 'em." Max nodded. "So long as you ask Grampa to get you something when you get there."

She nodded and grabbed her bag. "I'm going hiking today. I won't be late. I promise."

--

Alex hung up his phone and turned to his mother. "He really doesn't get that I'm on vacation, does he?"

"You must be very good if he's got to call you to get your opinion." Isabel yawned and poured herself a cup of coffee. "What happened to the song writing? Did you stop doing that?"

"You know I haven't but I'm not going to let just anyone sing my stuff."

"You could always sing it yourself."

"I don't think so. I mean… we're in a good place right? We're not hiding and we're… scattering a bit but people will still dig a little too deep if I were to say… become a star and have groupies trying to find out every last detail of my life. It's bad enough living in Roswell with regular people who know every last detail of my life." He poured a cup for himself. "So, me and Grampa have got Kyle. We're going to do something manly today."

"Not too much. His foot."

"I know. I was thinking more of later, we go hang out at Willy's. There's a game on."

"At Willy's?" Isabel smiled into her mug. "Really? You?"

"What?" He sat up. "I'm a man. I can go to a sports-bar."

"First… you'll never get Kyle in there. Grampa might like it, though. Second, you hate sports. Third, you don't drink…" She shook her head. "Just ask her out, Alex."

"She's not accepting official date proposals from me." That subject took all of ten minutes to broach. "And who said I was going to see her?"

"No one but uh… I happen to know she works tonight. I also know that she still loves you." Isabel smoothed her suit and moved toward the door. "Just… don't push her. Some gestures would be nice. Flowers. Compliments…"

"I get it."

"Good. See you tonight, honey. Grandma's coming for Gina in a little while."

--

Kathy squealed when she saw the dresses. Jules and Lynette were already poring over them. Emily took a breath and picked up the first dress. "I'm going to put this one on. Who's got the camera?"

"Emily, I'm going." Oriel called into the room. "I'm taking the boys. You girls take your time."

"Bye!" The girls called out.

Emily pulled open the back of the dress and gasped. She showed the designer label to Kathy who clapped her hands over her mouth. "I knew she had ties but I didn't know."

"Look at the line, Emily." Kathy urged her. There below the designer name was the line name. Emily blinked and sank into the nearest chair.

"What?" Jules and Lynette tried to get a look.

"It's the Emily Evans series of Longorio wedding dresses." She managed to get the words out. The three girls screamed out their excitement for her.

"Enough!" Kathy cut in. "This is very exciting and all but one of these needs to be tried on before the day is out. Go!"

--

"How do you do it?" Liberty stared around her cousin's room. It was pretty normal for a teenaged boy. "I mean, I don't mean to do it but I've wandered into your dreams a couple of time and they're like… nothing. They're not even dreams."

"I don't dream." David admitted. "Not since I was little. I can't… I mean…. I probably can but I don't like to. When I've slept at other people's houses, I wake up in the middle of the night crying… you know… that man who took me."

"Right. How did you stop? Dreaming?"

"I believed I could. Will bought me a dreamcatcher that year before he left for Santa Fe. He was telling me how it worked and then my mom told me about the Native Americans and how it fit into their ideology. It took some time but I got it. If I believed it could protect me from bad dreams, it would work. I started carrying this little one with me… just in case I ended up somewhere I couldn't focus on mine at night."

"You focus on it?" She took the little dreamcatcher from him once he got it off his key chain.

"I stare up at it until I fall asleep."

"So you… meditate on it. You think about what it means to have no dreams and you believe you won't and you fall asleep and you… float in that cloud all night."

"Pretty much." David nodded with a shrug. "I've been doing it so long, I don't even think about it anymore."

"Roughly how long?"

"A while… and Dad had me on natural sedatives for awhile when the dreams were the worst. Calming teas before bed. Once he put a drop of rum in it… didn't work so well."

"How'd you get to be so smart? Huh?"

"I'm just chill like that."

"You are something else altogether." She stared at the little hoop with it's twine and beads. "But this is not going to help me figure out why it happens."

"Probably not but a few nights of good sleep might help you."

"So it's a start."

"Best place to begin something."

"Stop. You're too young to be wise."

--

Beth took her seat next to her boyfriend, who was halfway through his plate of cheese fries. He kissed her cheek and looked her over. "You weren't supposed to work today."

"I know but it's wedding stuff and so, as a dutiful bridesmaid, I pick up some of the slack." Beth picked at his fries, not really hungry. It was so busy today and everyone had annoying thoughts running through their heads. "What brings you by so early? I thought I was heading over in a few minutes and here you are."

"I got a job." He smiled at her. "Not a great one but something to pay the bills."

"He left already?" Beth wrapped her arms around him.

"He's got to work." Gabriel shrugged lightly, his eyes fixed on her. "How about we go enjoy my last afternoon of freedom."

"The kids?"

"At the pool until sunset. My orders." He kissed her lips lightly, knowing there were grandparents around. "Keep the uniform on. It's kind of hot."

"It's disgusting, you perv."

"Hey guys." They both turned to the sullen voice who had taken a seat next to them.

"Hey Joey." Beth leaned over Gabriel to kiss Joey's cheek. "Any new epiphanies today?"

"Maybe I'm no sex. Maybe… I'm an alien trapped in a human body and this whole issue is a moot point. I'm only mildly attracted to either sex so maybe… it's not for me. I need one of my own kind." He lifted his head to look at them. "Actually, I considered going to the pool to figure this out but the thought of actual sun on my body is frightening."

"They make sunscreen these days… and actually for awhile. I'm sure you wouldn't burn." Gabriel tried to reassure him.

"What are you guys up to?"

"I was gonna try to get a private modeling of this uniform." He laid a kiss on his girlfriend's head.

"My parents think I'm going hiking. I'm just gonna spend some quality time with this guy." She tried to block out Joey but he was having a bad day. "You want to come hang for awhile? We've got eight hours but… if I kiss that long, my lips are gonna get chapped."

--

Alex dumped his brother at the pool and managed to find a table at Willy's for Grampa to have a good view of the game. In half an hour, the man was hollering at the TV with the rest of the sports bar. He busied himself with a pen and napkin, letting his eyes follow their waitress around.

"What are you scribbling over there?" Jim asked without taking his eyes off the screen.

"Just a song. Some notes for a song." He shook his head. "Maybe just a poem."

"I'll put it on her tray when she comes back around."

Alex hung his head for moment but reluctantly nodded. "Thanks Grampa."

"Hey, I got nothing to do today but spend your money and make love matches."

"This is so high school." Alex groaned but scribbling one last line on the napkin before he handed it off. "Don't read that."

"I don't want to read your mushy love poem." They quieted when she returned to get their empty glasses and set fresh ones down. She didn't notice Jim slip the napkin onto the tray because her eyes were on Alex. They waited. They peeked over at her, not really worrying about being conspicuous and were rewarded by catching her smile at the napkin before schooling her face to pretend as if she hadn't. "I think she got it."

"Sh. She's coming back."

Lynnette set a fresh bunch of napkins on their table and switched out their ketchup bottle. "You boys plan on dying young of heart attacks?"

"You can't stop this heart with just grease." Jim sat up proudly.

"Good to know." She hesitated as she started to leave. "I'm not doing anything two weeks from tonight."

"Really. That's nice." Alex nodded to her. "I actually need a date for my cousin's wedding. You wouldn't want to go would you? It'd be family and a bunch of people from high school. Kind of boring."

"Dancing?"

"Yes… and the chance to watch me looking like a fool dancing with my teenage cousin for the wedding reception."

"I'll meet you there." She touched his shoulder and got back to work.

"That wasn't so hard… what'd you write on that napkin? I might need a few pointers." Jim watched the girl get back to work a good deal happier than she had been.

"You been burning up the circuits chatting with the ladies?" Alex asked.

"I'm still young."

"Of course you are, Grampa."

"It's a title, not a disease."

"Yes sir."

--

Their lips crashed together the second the door shut behind Joey. Beth broke for air but Gabriel moved on to her throat. "I'm so sorry… I didn't think he'd hang all day."

"S'okay. We got time." His words were muffled as she pulled his shirt over his shoulders. He pushed open her uniform to feel more of her skin only to find another skirt and an undershirt. "You're killing me, here."

"You think I'd let you rip open this thing to find me in my underwear? You've got another thing coming." She let him press her back into the couch. "You'll know when I'm ready for more."

"How's that?"

"I won't stop you." She took the hand creeping up her thigh and placed it on her chest. "This is what you get."

"Just checking." He teased lightly as he leaned in for another kiss, careful to keep his lower body from meeting hers. After a few more minutes of touching and tasting, he sat up. "You know what. This isn't fair. You've got me wrapped completely around your finger and I'm only too happy to let you do it."

"That's why we get along so well." Beth sat up, lightly touching his chest, letting her fingers just brush over his nipples.

"I know what this is. You're using your feminine wiles on me so you don't have to go home. I got news, Missy… my little sister is going to be home the second before the sun goes down and she's not walking…" His voice cracked when he felt her mouth on his chest. "In on this. You're evil."

"That's what I'm told." She stopped teasing him and let him put his shirt back on while she shucked her uniform.

"I was thinking…"

"Hmm… ideas. I'm not sure those are good."

"We're not going to get to see a whole lot of each other this summer. Maybe we aim for a couple of days to spend just with each other. I could take you out to my favorite spot…"

"Well… we're wasting one of our days on the wedding. I have to be there, you know it being my brother and all… but I'd really like it if you came to help me alleviate my boredom."

"You know I'm coming… I was thinking later… after I'm settled into the routine of having a job… and you're… getting along better with your parents. You know she's just taking out wedding stuff on you."

"Maybe. We'll get together. We'll figure things out."

"Good… now… where were we? We have…. 45 minutes before the munchkins get back."

--

Michael dropped his bag on the floor and found the box in the living room. It was all packed up and a dozen lipstick kisses covered the lid. Those girls were crazy. On top was a picture of Emily in the dress she had chosen. The one he had seen in his vision the night of her junior prom. It brought a tear to his eye for the millionth time that day. He sat down in the dark and stared at the picture. He'd managed to keep her for 24 years and in two weeks, he had to let her go.

--

Max stared at the screen. The cursor blinked at him. It accused him too. Liz kissed his face on the way to bed, murmuring to him not to stay up too late. He heard Beth sneak up to her room. David gave up on the video games and went to bed eventually and Max was still staring at the monitor. His mind was still on that woman in the hospital. He was beginning to put the pieces together. He just didn't understand why it was happening.

TBC

102/112 as of tonight '-)

The Fate of Destiny Part 103

Michael sat with Frank and drummed this thumbs on his legs. Oriel had to run upstairs to deal with a Matthew crisis that little Mattie didn't want Michael to know about. So the two men were sitting. Quietly. When the doorbell rang, Michael nearly shot out of his chair to answer the door. Beth and Berty were waiting on the other side. "Is it Halloween already?"

"Not funny." Beth told him. She gestured to her face and clothes. "This is not a costume. This is me. Take it or leave it."

"What can I do for you ladies?"

"Emily sent us." Berty rushed ahead. "We are to collect the… crap for the… centerpieces?" She shrugged. "We're supposed to be bonding with the other bridesmaids."

"Then why are you here? Shouldn't you already have the stuff?" He studied them.

"I think they wanted to talk about the honeymoon without the minors present." The blonde crossed her arms. "She claims she forgot the stuff."

"Yeah. Come in. It's probably all upstairs." Michael let them in and they froze in the living room. "Right. Girls, Frank Black, not the singer or the actor, um… Frank, this is Beth and Berty. Sit. Chat. I've got stuff to get."

Beth and Berty waited for Michael to retrieve said items, leaving them alone with Mr. Black in the living room. They made small talk. Beth racked her brain for anything Danny had told her about this guy. "You lived in France?"

"For a while. I much better like the States, it's home." He nodded to them. "You're both in high school?"

"Will be juniors this fall." Berty offered, feeling a little uneasy.

"You're sisters?"

"Cousins." Beth corrected, rubbing her temple just slightly. "Her mom and my dad are siblings. It's a thing."

"Michael is your uncle?"

"No… Emily is marrying my brother. Michael and my dad were best friends since they were… nine or something." Beth tried to will Michael to hurry up. When he appeared, the girls made their exit a swift one. Stuffing the boxes in the backseat, they jumped in the car and Berty took off. Berty tossed Beth a look. The raven-haired teen nodded uncomfortably. "Yeah… I didn't even have to read him for that."

"Bluh." Berty shuddered as she pulled onto the main street. "I need a shower."

"I need to wash my brain with bleach. You don't even want to know." Beth shuddered and felt like vomiting. "I wonder if they know he's creepy."

"Oh… Emily knows. I think Michael does too." Berty furrowed her brow. "Oh Ew… I know him."

"What?"

"No.. I mean.. I never met him before but sometimes when I dreamhop, I see him… he's got all sorts of gross ballet fetishes. Bluh… I'm going to be sick." Berty was never happier to get to Jules's house. "Bluh."

--

Will idly flipped through his mail, some of it had been sitting in this office for six months. He was bored. There was nothing especially pressing he needed to be concerned with. He had his field agents all doing random things but nothing urgent. He almost missed the days of kidnapped hybrids and the search for information on crashed U.F.O.s.

"Anything to drink, Agent Goldblum?" His secretary's voice boomed over the intercom.

"Nothing, Jake. I'm fine."

"Heading out to grab lunch, any suggestions?"

"Crashdown. Bring back some pie… but not blackberry."

"Sure thing. I'll be back in thirty." There was a crackle as the man had kept the button depressed. "Oh, I found some mail routed here from your office in Florida."

"I get it in a minute." {Florida? That office is a dummy.} Will got up after a moment to collect the small stack. Regular ground mail had taken a decline in the last five years but some of this mail was almost a year old. Then something caught his eye. Janine Black. How did he know that name?

--

Emily met Danny at the door. "Don't you have work to do?"

"I'm off for the day." He leaned on the wall. "I can't come in?"

"We're working on wedding stuff."

"You know… I heard this rumor that you found a dress."

"Some rumors are true." She evaded his line of thought. She stepped outside and shut the door. "So, Lynette's inside thinking she's got a shot at Alex."

"Did you correct her?" He took her hand and pulled her close.

"I'm not supposed to know. Remember."

"Alex got Lynnette to agree to be his date. The hair's gonna fly when Lynette finds out."

"Probably." Emily sighed and let her lips brush his. "So… where's this honeymoon again?"

"It's a secret." He let their lips touch again. "I could be persuaded to part with the details."

"I'm not sleeping with you until the honeymoon."

"Then you're not finding out until we get there."

Jules appeared in the doorway, arms crossed. "You'll have plenty of time to do that on the honeymoon. We've got a wedding to finish planning." She tilted her head at him. "Unless you want to help making the centerpieces and coordinating seating charts and calling the florist."

"I get it." Danny told her firmly. "I was just checking in."

"Hey… um… Alex is still around… isn't he?" Jules asked cautiously.

"He's taken. Come on. Let's finish the girly stuff." Emily pecked Danny one last time and disappeared inside the house.

"We'll talk later then." He called through the door and reluctantly made his way to his car. "See you at rehearsals." He muttered and sank into his car. Two weeks. In two weeks she would be all his.

--

Max ran his eyes over the bills and looked at the speakerphone. "You don't remember any weird feelings you used to have around me? Around then?"

"No. I didn't feel weird. Did you?"

"Well, yeah. And really bad about what I did. So, nothing?"

"I was talking to Will the other day and I told him I took advantage of you. Of our connection. Is that making any sense?"

"You think we have a connection?"

"I don't know if that's the right word. I mean… when you're around, I know it before you walk through the door. I have this… awareness of you."

"An awareness… you took advantage of your awareness of me…" Max sat back. Wedding stuff could wait a few hours. "It almost happened again. I didn't tell Liz."

"Tell her. Last time she blew it out of proportion. I wouldn't want this poor woman to go through what I did… even though I did do something wrong. Anyway. Was that it? I've got some patients to see."

"Yeah, I guess. I'll talk to you later."

--

Will sat with his lunch and stared at the card for thirty minutes before he picked up the phone. It rang a few times before a man answered. "Yes sir, I'm looking for a Janine Black."

"Could it be Janine Walsh?"

"I don't know. Did Mrs. Walsh used to be Mrs. Black?"

"Just a minute. Mom! I think it's a bill collector."

There were voices in the background and then a woman picked up. "I'm Janine Walsh."

"Formerly Black of Michigan?"

She cleared her throat. "Yes. That's me."

"You answered a notice last year regarding your ex-husband?"

"I did. No one got back to me and when I tried to follow up, I was told the office I was seeking did not exist."

"I apologize for that ma'am." Will cleared his throat. "I'm Agent Goldblum, special projects. I put out the notice. Some of the correspondence slipped away from me. I wanted to close up any business regarding Mr. Black."

"What did he do that needed the FBI? Did he… finally cross the line and grope some unwillingly child?" She bit out in a soft tone.

"Ma'am?"

"Isn't that what the notice was about? You were trying to find out what happened in Michigan, right? I'll tell you. He was late picking up our daughter from ballet. He cut a U-turn on a busy street. He got her killed. His alibi didn't check out but no one blamed him for the accident, except for me. The reason he was late? He was screwing one of her friends. A sixteen year old girl. Apparently I wasn't enough for Frank." Her tone stayed low and even but he could hear her just fine. "Is this about that girl? I tried to keep him away from her. I did my best to keep him from hurting her. God, what was her name?"

"Oriel Jordan?"

"Yes… my god… did something happen to her?"

"Was she aware of anything going on when she lived with you?"

"I don't know. Perhaps if she had been some American girl staying with us, she might have known. At first I thought she was tempting him but it didn't take me long to realize that he was trying to draw her out. She was quiet girl, kept to herself mostly. They used to talk French so I wouldn't know but I could see."

"You think she was too naïve to know what he was doing?"

"I don't know. I hear the French are more open about things…"

"Well, she's fine. She was unaware of any of this." Will took a breath. "You think he's a threat?"

Janine laughed harshly. "A threat? When he was younger, he was so handsome, the first girl probably went willingly… I had to leave him because he wouldn't stop looking. I tried to get him help. I can't vouch for anything he's done since Ohio. I've got my own family now. Adopted and I watch like a hawk for abuse because now… I know what it looks like. I think he was progressing in Ohio."

"Progressing?"

"I had suspicions about a girl. She brought a case a few years ago. Nothing came of it. She couldn't prove anything." Janine paused for a minute. "You sound worried, Agent Goldblum. Is he doing things again?"

"He was invited to spend some time with Mrs. Guerin. She's got two young boys and a stepdaughter about to graduate college." Will led her to see what she'd say.

"He doesn't like little boys and she's too old for him."

"He's been invited to a wedding. There are three teenage girls in the wedding party. Girls who will be at the house in the days preceding the wedding. Mrs. Guerin will spend more time at home and I assume Mr. Black will be invited over."

"Get him away from those girls, Agent Goldblum."

There was a click and then a dial tone in Will's ear. What had he brought to Roswell? Hitting the intercom, he bellowed into the little box. "Jake, I need to know why the Florida mail took so long to get to me. I need to know tonight."

--

Berty scooted down the couch when Seb stumbled through the front door. He sank down and not a moment too soon. His eyes were barely open. "Everyone asleep?"

"Yeah."

"Kay…" His eyes started to close but he snapped them open. "My grandma's asleep and those jackasses took my keys. I'm locked out… My dad here?"

"Still out of town I think. You can crash here if you want."

"Thanks…" His head bobbed for a moment, then he popped it up and turned to face her. "You still got my Harvard shirt?"

"You said it was useless to you in this condition."

"Looks better on you anyway." He stifled a yawn and tried to focus his eyes on her. "Hey… Bryan asked me to put in a good word for him, again. He's been after me for weeks to set you up."

"I don't like Bryan that way." Berty shook her head and let her eyes drop from the TV to her lap.

"You ever going to date, Berty?"

"Dunno." She shrugged. "When the right guy asks me, I might just say yes."

"You're gorgeous." He slurred, lazily pointing at her. "You should be out on a Saturday night. Not at home, watching Westerns with your Grampa. Go out… With a guy… or a girl. Whatever your preference." His hands went up in surrender.

"You think I'm gorgeous?"

"You know you are." A crooked smile crossed his face. He tried to sit up but it was too much work to stay that way. "Whoever it is you're waiting on… He might be shy or think maybe you're too good… Maybe… you should be the one to ask him. Anyone who says no to you ought to be shot."

Liberty stared at him for a long moment before she leaned forward. Her lips brushed his. He smelled like beer and smoke. When she sat back, his eyes were still closed. So she leaned in again and pressed hard enough to feel him kiss back. His mouth opened and he tasted her, taking control of the kiss. He began to press her back into the couch, moving his body over hers. She sighed against his mouth and he was about to slide his hands around her body… He heard something and suddenly realized what he was doing. Jerking back, he wiped at his mouth. "This is wrong."

"But…" She sat there stunned. He told her to go for it. He had kissed her back. He had done more than just kiss her back.

It took him a moment to find his tongue again. He could still taste her in his mouth. "Berty, please. We… have a sister in common. Our parents are sleeping together. This isn't right." He held her away from him by her shoulders. "Yes. I kissed you back. I shouldn't have. I've been drinking. This should not happen again."

Her chin trembled and tears slipped down her face. "But…"

"No. No. Please don't do that. Berty… If things were different… but they aren't." He could only sit there while she cried. "Berty… come on… please stop crying."

"You don't care." She sobbed and shoved herself to her feet as she heard the door open down the hallway. Mom.

"Berty? You still up?" Her mother's voice only made her sob harder.

"Oh, come on. Bert. I really don't want to talk to your mom about this." Sebastien pleaded.

"Seb? What are you doing here?" Isabel leaned against the doorframe to stare at the two teens.

"I'm locked out. Didn't want to wake my grandma. Hope you don't mind."

"No… It's okay. You know where the blankets are." She nodded. "Berty… what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Berty just shot past her to her room and slammed the door. "Berty?"

"She'll be okay." Seb murmured. "She just has boy troubles."

"Well what bastard did that to her?" She stared at her daughter's door. She turned to the boy to find him absently rubbing his fingers over his lips. "Do you know?"

Sebastien shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Nope. She went for it and he wasn't interested."

"Oh you're kidding. What a jerk." She studied him hard. He looked upset.

"Don't worry. I'll find him and pound him."

"See that you do." She looked him over one last time, hoping she didn't have to let him have it or let Berty know she knew what was going on. "You miserable drunk. I'm telling your dad… You're going to give him a heart attack one of these days. Aspirin is in the bathroom. I don't want to wake up to you puking."

"I'm nearly sober. Don't worry."

--

Michael answered the door even though it was late. It was that FBI guy. "What's going on?"

"I needed to talk to you about something and it can't wait." Will shuffled his feet and shifted a portfolio in his hands.

"Don't you usually go to Max with this stuff?" Michael let the man in and gestured for him to sit in the living room. "This stuff isn't usually here. It's preparation for the wedding."

"Yeah." Will sat down and open the folder. "Listen… it's about your wife's friend…"

"Who? Lila?" Why would the agent want to talk about a freak crochet champion?

"No… Frank Black."

tbc

103/112

Well, Scottie, if you had waited a couple of hours you could have read two at a whack. '-)

Forgive my French, you French speakers. I tried not to murder it but if you can suggest better words, I'm all for it.

The Fate of Destiny Part 104

Michael stared at his wife's profile. She had gone to the window and not turned in thirty minutes. She hadn't taken the knowledge well. "Do you know what you're saying? That while I was there he had plans? He thinks of me like a daughter. He told me so."

"People lie, Oriel."

"Mon Dieu. C'est folie." She cradled her head in her hands.

"Oriel, English, please." Michael spoke softly.

Her shoulders hitched and she let loose a sob. "Do you know what this means? It means all the cherished memories I have of my first years in this country are wrong. I hated her for trying to keep us apart and now I know she was right. I hated her for doing something that probably saved me. I trusted the wrong person. He's been here… in my house. He's been talking to Max's daughter… to Isabel's daughter… what if it's not just teenage girls? Little Gina and Stephen's little friend. We're responsible while they're here and we've left them alone with him."

"So you believe me?"

When she turned, Michael wanted to undo everything. That look in her eyes just killed him. "This was the last of me that I had. This is not my planet. Not my country. Not my city. He was my one steady thing in my life. My memories of him and our talks in that house and they're all gone now. They're all tainted. Merde!"

Michael had to duck when their ceiling fan exploded. It took him a minute to gather his wits and then he rose to take her in his arms. "Listen to me. I understand how you feel. For a long time… I couldn't accept that this was my life. Away from my planet… living in a city that couldn't see me. That wouldn't see me when I needed them to. You lucked out. You didn't get to see his darker side when it would have ruined you. I didn't fare so well. Sometimes I think the bruises are still there."

"You don't understand. All of it was a lie."

"No. This woman. Janet or whatever. She cared. Cared enough that she let you hate her so that you would be safe. Maybe he never would have acted on his impulses with you. But maybe he never got the chance." Michael pressed his lips to her head. "When I think of the things he could have done to you… He's not coming into this house again. He's not coming to the wedding. I want him out of our town. This is your home. Your life isn't just the life you had in France or in Michigan. Roswell is home."

Oriel took a deep breath and looked up at her husband. "Janine. Her name is Janine."

"I suck at names."

"I know but I love you anyway. I can't…" She pressed her face into his chest. "I can't see him again."

"I'll take care of it."

--

Diane shook her head at her oldest grandson when he stumbled down for breakfast. "Were you on the phone late last night?"

"Maybe a little." Daniel shrugged and accepted the cup of coffee when it was placed in front of him. "I did weasel the truth out of her. She found a dress."

"Really? I bet it's lovely." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "My baby all grown up."

"Grandma… Mom cries enough as it is." He groaned and sipped the hot black coffee, reaching for the Tabasco and sugar. "Yesterday I popped over for five minutes and she was almost bawling her eyes out."

"I won't cry… Not today. No promises on the wedding day." Diane stared at his handsome face. "You used to run naked through this house. The room you're sleeping in now… you said your first word in there. You were born in there, if I recall correctly. First skinned knee in this driveway. First steps in the living room. Look at you. You're a doctor-in-training… being run ragged at the free clinic… about to be married and soon after moving to Texas."

"I'm already living in Texas, Grandma."

"In a bachelor pad. When you go back, it'll be with your wife. You've known each other since diapers. First love."

"Only love." Danny smiled into his cup, he couldn't help it. "She used to gripe that I took too long to see her."

"Maybe you were looking too hard. I remember when you had a new girlfriend every week. Your Valentine's box was always full to the rim with cards and notes from little girls. I remember thinking your mom was going to have a fit one day because you'd have so many girlfriends but you settled down early. Nine years is a long time to be devoted to someone who's not your spouse."

"When we were in high school, we couldn't wait until we could go off and be together but when the time came, our priorities were different. I needed to go off to school so that I could provide a life and she needed to stay so she could have a life. Now she's almost done. It's finally happening and it's a little scary." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "If we stay here, we have this… built in support system. But if we go away, we can just… be."

"I understand. Your mother understands. She gets sad. If she and Kathy weren't always on the phone, she'd be calling you all the time."

"She does call all the time." Danny laughed and drained his cup, finally fully awake. "She was a little upset when I decided to stay here instead of at home."

"Did you explain?"

"Yeah, but… she's Mom. With Dad up and out at all hours and me doing pretty much the same. It'd get… to be too much. I like staying with you. It's quiet and I can sleep in the day if I need to. Beth's mood swings are getting worse the closer to the wedding we get because of Mom's mood swings. Poor Davey…" His little brother was just getting the short end of the stick all around. No one was paying any attention to him these days. Maybe the boy craved it after a childhood full of Mom's watchful eye.

"He's doing alright. He's turning into quite the prankster. Your dad told me about the lunch switch and the spiders in the cabinets."

"The other day… he took the conditioning element out of Beth's conditioner. They fought for hours." He had to shake his head. "He does that stuff so easily… it's scary, sometimes. He barely struggles at all with his powers."

"He struggles emotionally. As long as he gets good sleep, he's okay. He was over here for Spring Break when your mom went to that conference and he had some pretty awful nightmares. Levitating, shaking the bed, screaming… His powers were on the fritz the whole week. Once he was home, he was fine."

"That kid is just so smart." Danny rubbed the stubble on his face. "He's teaching Berty how to meditate. He's 12 and he's teaching his 16 year old cousin to meditate. Ah… he cracks me up." His eyes turned serious. "You think he'll be okay? If he can't sleep here without nightmares… do you think he'll ever…?"

"He's doing okay, Danny. He'll be okay. He's a strong little boy. I think your dad is still interviewing psychologists every now and then."

"Davey hated seeing those guys."

"He did… that poor, poor woman. Oh." Diane shook her head thinking about the woman that Davey would bite when she got too close to upsetting him. "He's less angry than he was. He's sort of… mellow now."

"Mellow. I check my shoes when I stand up at the house. I check my seat before I sit down. And I always clear my back with someone reliable before I leave that house."

"That's some good advice." She laughed and moved to the stove. "You want breakfast?"

"Thanks, Grandma."

"That's what I'm here for."

--

Max poured Liz a cup of coffee and handed her the creamer. "I have this thing that happened to me last week and I should have told you when it happened but I'm not sure what exactly happened."

"What's that?" Liz took the small bottle from him.

"I'm still trying to figure it out." He evaded swiftly. "I just… if you… get a flash… or something… Talk to me first."

"Max…"

"Morning." Beth yawned and took a seat at the table.

"Work today?" Max turned his attention to her.

"No. Wedding party has a day to get our butts in shape before Em is going to put us through a full rehearsal. Alex and I plan to be the only ones she doesn't yell at." She shrugged and buttered a slice of toast. "We're going to work with Berty today. She's having cleavage issues with her dress. If she gets dipped, we don't want to cause a scandal if she spills."

"Beth…" Max sighed heavily.

"What? It's true. She's lucky she hasn't tipped over in those heels."

Liz looked her over. Corset, two shirts, fishnets, skirt, boots with high heels, dark make up. "What happened to the make up Kathy got you?"

"I'm saving it for the wedding and other special occasions you're going to find for me not to be myself. I'm leaving." Beth leapt up from the table, reapplied a dark wine to her lips and walked out the door.

"I didn't do anything." Liz laid her palm flat on the table. "I just asked a question."

"She read an implication that she should be wearing the make up. She only promised for the wedding. She made that promise to Emily, not you." Max tried to speak calmly and explain Beth's point of view. "I do this with her, you know. I explain our stance to her. I don't like this, Liz. I don't like that the two of you communicate through me. You have to learn to talk to her. And you have to learn to listen to her."

"How can I talk to her when she storms out like that?"

"Morning."

"And he wakes." Max nodded to his youngest offspring. "Your ride already left."

David scratched the back of his neck and turned to his mother. "Not your fault. I was supposed to be up and showered half hour ago."

"You assume it's my fault?" Liz bristled at that. Her whole family was ganging up on her.

"Can I have breakfast while we do this?"

"Whose child are you?" Liz flicked his ear when he sat down. "None of my other kids sass me like this. Beth just shouts. She doesn't sass."

"It's cause I'm chill like that. I'm my own man."

"Right. You gonna clean that room sometime this year?" Max snorted. "Huh, Mr. Evans?"

"I'm growing a penicillin culture under my bed. If I move any one thing, I could disrupt its growth." Davey shook his head.

"You see. Sass." Liz got up to grab the pop-tarts her young one subsided on during the summer.

"You've got two days to find the time to preserve your culture and clean your room." Max told him and sipped his coffee. "Hurry up. I'll give you a ride over there."

--

Emily tried to concentrate on her tests but she had seating arrangements and floral plans bugging her. Sighing, she put her pencil to her bubble-sheet. This was taking forever. [Danny just sat there in the driver's seat, leaning on the door… flicking his straw back and forth between his fingers. "So that's it. We're broken up?"

He wouldn't even look at her. "Danny… I mean… You leave in two weeks. You won't be back until Thanksgiving. Then Christmas, then spring break. Then the summer. It's a long time to be apart."

"I'm gonna call all the time."

"Between studying and tests and work? Come on."

"Do you want to see other people? Is that what it is?"

"No." She sighed heavily.

"You think I'm gonna meet someone?"

"I don't know." She reached over to touch his leg. "Maybe we just need to be on a break. So we're not obligated to… turn down fun."

"Fun?"

"I don't know. I've never really been on my own before, Danny. We've been together since we were… 15?"

Danny turned to look at her. Without even thinking, he pulled off his class ring. "This is yours. We don't have to make any promise except one. If you meet someone that you think can love you better than I can… mail it back to me."

"What if you meet someone?"

"I'll ask for it back."]

Rehearsals started this week. They had better been practicing. Maybe they should skip the whole dance thing. Just do a wedding reception and that would be it. It wasn't too late to tell her bridesmaids and escorts that they didn't have to learn to dance after all. ["I miss you."

"I miss you, too." Her voice traveled over the line. "You okay?"

"Bad day. But it's better now. You answered your phone."

"Ha ha. Stevie turned it off. He's such a little brat. He colored all over my history paper."

"Gotta keep that stuff out of kiddie hands."

"Tell me about it." Honk.

"What's that?"

"The girls and I are heading out."

"Oh."

"I didn't know you'd be calling."

"No, it's okay. I gotta get back to studying. Go. Have fun."]

"Pencils down. Thank you everyone who showed up. Scores will be posted online at the end of today."

"Shit." Emily whispered to herself. She discreetly waved her hand over the bubble-sheet and finished her test. Screw it. They were doing the dance.

--

Alex nodded his head to the stereo and Gina hit the button. Alex and Beth ran through the steps, only fumbling once on the uneven ground. Alex turned to his sisters. "See. Piece of cake."

"I'm gonna fall." Berty wobbled on her heels. "I hate this crap."

"The dress looks great, though." Beth examined it. "Lean forward."

"God, this is so embarrassing." Berty groaned. Beth strengthened the stitching and then used her powers to fuse a scrap of fabric to the gap.

"How's that feel?"

"Like I'm less likely to fall out."

"Ladies. I'm not going to get yelled at by the bride because we stumble out there." Alex interrupted their primping. "Bert, come on."

"Can I try on my dress, too?" Gina piped up.

"No." Alex shook his head.

"Man." Gina kicked the seat but hopped up when she saw the face over the fence. "Daddy!"

"Hey sweetie." Jesse swept her up into a tight hug. "What's going on out here?"

"Dem's learning to dance."

"A español?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Aprenda bailar." She answered promptly and hopped down to get back to her station.

"Good girl. How's it coming?" Jesse motioned to their practice.

"Davey bailed on us. Berty's freaking about her shoes." Alex shrugged.

"I can help."

"No." Berty shook her head.

"I can dance. Pretty well, actually." Jesse just sighed at the look she gave him. "I can really help. First off. The shoes come off. Until you walk okay in them you're not going to dance well."

"Beth can."

Beth lifted her skirt to show him her stiletto boots. "She wears them all the time. You don't." Jesse shook his head. "Look." He clasped his hands together. "You play softball, you run on the balls of your feet. Don't say you don't, I've been to your games," he cut off her protest. "I want you to walk on the balls of your feet for a few days and today, to dance on them without your shoes." He snapped his fingers. "Gina. Music."

"GLA-UGHIC." Berty made an awful noise in her throat but kicked her shoes out of the way and held her arms up, going up on the balls of her feet. "This is for Em. Not because you said so."

"So long as we're clear." Jesse stepped up and took her hand in his. "Just let me lead."

--

Danny looked over the chart. "You're doing fine. Right on schedule."

"Guess keeping track of everything paid off in someway." The girl sniffed on the table. "I miss one day, I freak. I count back… I know exactly when. I know who and he can pay for me killing myself with child."

"It's an allergy. One in a great big number have it but you'll be fine."

"You a doctor? You look young."

"Med student… almost completed. You could technically call me a doctor. I won't until I complete my first year outside of college."

"My baby… will be fine… even if I'm allergic?" she took a breath when he turned and nodded. "Okay."

"The rash is just a side effect of the allergy. Free flowing clothes, soft soaps. Nothing to aggravate the welts. You suspect it's getting worse, get in here to see someone. As long as you stay on top of it and get plenty of rest, you and your baby will fine."

"Will you be the one to deliver me?"

"No." Danny shook his head. "Not unless you spontaneously move to Lubbock and need an emergency C-section. Dr. Beachem is the head of obstetrics at Roswell Memorial. She's most likely the person who will deliver you." He picked up the small bottle and placed it in her hands. "Take one in the morning and one at night. Roughly twelve hours in between. That's enough to see you through the week until you can get your prescription filled."

"You married?"

"Almost."

"Almost married? Either you are or you aren't."

"I'm engaged. I get married in two weeks."

"I see. Almost." She nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Evans."

Danny nodded and slid the chart into the file box and walked out the door. The nurses were on him to get more patients done but he was working as fast as he was comfortable with. He was already feeling his noon headache coming on. [He set down the receiver and glanced to his roommate, who was stinking up the apartment with cologne getting ready for his night out. "Mind if I tag along?"

"You? Going out? At night? Is there an eclipse?" Jamie snorted.

"I'm serious. I can't sit around waiting for Em to be home."

"You need to dump her. The girl obviously has commitment issues."

"She's okay. She's just out with the girls."

"Don't know, Dan. I'd be looking for a new girl if I were you." Jamie leaned forward. "The girls I hook up with when I go out. They're all just out with the girls, too."

Danny nodded to himself. "Maybe I'll just… stay home."

"Suit yourself. She's not calling back tonight. I can guarantee it." Jamie hung his head. "Tomorrow night, come with us. We're going to a game. No ladies. You can still be faithful… even if she isn't."]

"Doctor. Evans. Exam 3." The nurse repeated. "You are never going to make it in a real hospital."

"Just keep them coming." He glared at her. "Coffee, too."

"I'll get you coffee, just don't expect me to ruin it with hot sauce and too much sugar." The nurse walked off. "Had a doctor at Memorial do that too. Disgusting waste of good coffee."

--

She took a stroll around the hall. "Is it just me or is this dance floor a little smaller than you told me?"

"No. It's quite big." The proprietor assured her.

"I've got… a procession of six couples plus me and my groom. We're supposed to dance on this?" She stared at it. "We're going to bump into each other and ruin the very elaborate set up that I'm aiming for."

"Perhaps you'd like to see the other hall? A spot opened up. It is a bit bigger." He led her out into the foyer and opened the door to another room. "Well?"

"Can I look it over by myself? I have to make measurements and figure out if this is any better."

"I'll be in my office."

"Thank you." She stepped inside the hall. It wasn't much bigger but it did have a bigger dance floor. [Emily hung up the phone. "He wasn't home."

"So." Lynette shrugged and flipped through her magazine.

"He's always home on the weekends."

"He's two hundred miles away or something. He's probably out ho-ing. He is a guy."

"Maybe…" She frowned at her reflection. He always called her but he hadn't called in a week.

"Let's go out."

"We went out last weekend. I missed his call."

"Then he'll leave a message and you can call him back. Let's go. Caleb turned 18 yesterday. Let's go ruin his fun."]

"Miss Guerin?"

"Yeah, I like this room. We'll take it. What's the price?"

"Maybe we should discuss that with the groom?"

"No, you're discussing it with me." Emily stormed over. "I have things to do. You're not holding me up. What's your price?"

--

"Primo! Tía's waiting." Lynnette called into the backyard, interrupting the dance lesson.

"Coming." Jesse tilted Berty's face up. "Remember. You look at your partner, not at your feet. I know I'm not gorgeous but you don't trust your partner, you think he might let you fall when he dips you. It looks awkward or worse, you fall down."

"Buh-bye. Your mommy's waiting." Berty stepped back and waved.

"You're such a bitch." Beth laughed and let herself fall on the ground. "I need a break."

"Remember what I said." Jesse waved them off. "You coming?"

"Yes." Gina hopped up to follow her father around the side of the house.

"Hey." Alex called over.

"Hey." Lynnette shrugged and followed her cousin. "Later."

"Hey Alex." Beth called over. She scratched at her chin. "You got a little something right there."

"Shut up." Alex glared at her.

"If your tongue had actually rolled out of your mouth, she might have gotten the hint a little better." She smiled up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"Why don't you get a tan?"

"Ick. UV? On my skin? Don't think so." She shook her head at him.

"Alex… he touched me." Berty whined.

"Didn't see you protesting too much and he taught you how to dance without falling on your ass which is what happened when I tried." He shook his head at his sister. "Go. Lessons are over for today. Guess Em's gonna yell at us after all."

"Beth?" Berty picked up her shoes and walked over to the porch.

"Yeah, Bert?"

"Teach me to walk in heels?"

"Yours or mine?" The amber eyes glittered with glee behind dark make up and glasses.

"Mine." Berty examined Beth's boots. "You walk on those and it doesn't hurt?"

"Had to practice first." Beth arched her back to push herself to her feet. "I'm talking since I was eight, trying on Kat's shoes when she wasn't home."

"So I gotta walk around in these constantly until the wedding?"

"That's about it." Beth grabbed the radio and they moved past Alex who was on the phone, again, to get inside the house. They retreated to Berty's room so she could change back into her street clothes. "Gabriel's working today. I'm off for dance lessons… what are we gonna do with ourselves?"

"Why do you always use his full name like that? Doesn't anyone ever call him Gabe?"

"Just his dad… and I think one of his brothers. He didn't introduce himself as Gabe so I call him Gabriel. If I'm the only one, it makes it special…" She flopped onto the bed.

Berty smiled to herself. She liked Gabriel. She liked that Beth liked Gabriel. Beth had a group she belonged to. Berty had the gals on the softball team. The guys Seb hung out with, who were really after her. "You think I could try on your corset?"

"Seriously?" Beth rolled over.

"I wanna see what it feels like."

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 105

[Danny breathed out heavily as he waited for the message to end. "Hey Em… it's been… a while… I'm in town for the day. I really wanted to see you. Call me when you get this. It's… Danny."]

Danny held his fiancé, sat back and hit the rewind button. She looked up at him. "What is it?"

"I don't know. It was here when I woke up with a note that said we had to watch it together." He kissed her lips. "I missed you today."

"I missed you, too." She could really get used to having him around at the end of the day.

"Ready?"

"Hit the button, Evans." Emily turned her head to the screen. There, all in a row in their bridesmaids dresses, were her six bridesmaids. They all looked beautiful.

"Hit it, Davey." Kathy made a face at the boy, who must have been in the room off camera. "Sorry. David, Mr. Punk-ass. Please. Hit it."

All the girls moved together and began to sing. "Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Gee, I really love you and we're gonna get married. Goin' to the Chapel of Love."

Jules cleared her throat, starting off a new step. Dresses swishing as the girls swayed and did their little dance. "Spring is here. The sky is blue. Whoa, oh, oh. Birds all sing as if they knew. Today's the day we'll say 'I do.' And we'll never be lonely anymore."

They reformed their line once more. "Because we're goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Gee, I really love you and we're gonna get married. Goin' to the Chapel of Love."

This time it was Beth and Berty stepped up, arms around each other, who took the verse. "Bells will ring. The sun will shine. Whoa-oh-oh. I'll be his and he'll be mine. We'll love until the end of time. And we'll never be lonely anymore."

"Because we're goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married. Gee—"

"Gee-ee, I really lo-uve you and we're gOnna get ma-A-arried." David slid in front of the girls on his knees, voice cracking and flinging his arms out. "Goin' to the Cha-Pel of Lo-uve."

"You little shit, I'm gonna kill you." Kathy dove for her brother. Soon all the bridesmaids were clobbering the poor joker, dresses swishing and twirling, all but hiding the pre-teen. "Be careful. You can break his bones but you can't rip your dresses."

Danny held his side he was laughing so hard. Emily had long since slid to the floor in uncontrollable laughter. It took several minutes to recover. "Oh… Yeah… we… we gotta find a way to play that at the wedding."

"Those girls…" Danny hiccupped. "Look at Beth. She's smiling."

"Her make-up doesn't look so bad. Maybe I should let her wear her own for the wedding."

"Please don't. They're at each other's throats. Dad told me that Mom made a little comment about it the other day and she ran out of the house with a big 'tude." She wrapped her arms around his leg, kissed his knee. "Any change now and there will be a power shift and as much as I love my little sister, she shouldn't have it."

"Okay." She stared up at him with a little smile on her face.

"What?"

"Nothing… just… like what I see." [Emily waited for the voicemail to clear. "Hey Dan? Sorry I missed you. I'll be home until nine. Call me."]

--

"I'm going to beat you, you little creep. What are you showing him?" Beth ripped the scrap book from David's hands. Gabriel had gotten off work early and she had only left the room for a second.

"So, you were a cheerleader?" Gabriel tried really hard to fight the smile but his mouth still turned up at the corners. "Like… 'Rah, rah. Go, team, go.' And all that stuff?"

"It was junior high. It doesn't count." Beth stomped in her brother's direction and he leapt off the couch and ran out the back door. "I can't believe he showed you these."

"Can you do all the cheerleader stuff?" He arched an eyebrow at her. "Those weird ass jumps… the splits… can you keep a beat with your hands and feet?"

"I'm going to have to kill you now that you know my deep, dark secret." She sank onto the couch next to him.

"My silence can be bought."

"You're not getting laid."

Gabriel sat back. "Whoa. You're moving a little fast there. I know you're not ready but do you know if that's what I was going to ask? I just found out you were a former cheerleader, I don't know if I want to be moving so fast with someone I clearly just barely know." He stared her. "I just found out about this cheerleader business, God only knows what else you're hiding."

"Kids." Max appeared in the doorway. "How are we doing?"

"I was just about to tell Gabriel how we're really aliens from a far off planet and have come to take over the Earth." She smiled at her father though he was not impressed by her sense of humor.

"Well, seeing as the takeover is not until after dinner… is Gabriel staying?" He was suddenly conflicted. He really wanted to throw the kid out but then he really wanted to keep his daughter smiling. "It's a take out night. Should be better than the last time you were here."

"What about Mom?" Beth bit her lip. "She's not gonna like it."

"Since when do you care what your mother thinks." Max shot her a meaningful look. "This morning shouldn't have happened. The both of you are to blame for that. If he stays, no fighting and I mean it."

"Sure, I'd love to stay. Thanks for asking me." Gabriel muttered under his breath when Dr. Evans disappeared through the kitchen. "What happened this morning?"

"Nothing." She scoffed. "I washed all the dye out of my hair, because Em asked nicely, because it's Em's wedding. I agreed not to wear my make up on her big day and ruin the pictures. My mom seems to think I agreed to make it permanent."

"You know… I kind of like your hair like this." He brushed a strand off her shoulder. "It's so… shiny… and perky… like a cheerleader's."

"That's it. You're a dead man."

"What are you gonna do? Cheer me to death?"

"You laugh but when I kick your face, you're not going to be laughing so hard."

"Kick my face?"

Beth was rewarded when she got a really clear image of the pom-pom brigade doing their line kicks, toes inches from their noses. She was quick to hide her smile at the wince on his face. "Don't think I can do it?"

"You know… your dad warned me that you could take care of yourself." He winced again and shrugged.

--

Danny clapped his best man on the shoulder. "Thanks for making it down."

"Hey… I had this coming. Time off and pretty single ladies to dance with." Jamie nodded. "Don't worry. A few big parties and then I'm out of there."

"A warning though… Emily might… hate you." The dark haired doctor shrugged.

"Why?"

"You told her I was dating before we broke up." He shot his roommate a look. "You have not endeared yourself to her, my friend."
"I was trying to get you guys to lighten up. If she really knew you, she should have known that even given every possible opportunity that you'd never look at anyone else." Jamie looked around the Crashdown. "Aliens. Weird, man."
"Tell me about it." Danny shrugged. "We'll get you and Jules together to practice for the reception."
"Practice?"

[Emily stared at him, horror-stricken. "So what are you saying?" {How can he do this to me in the parking lot of the Quick-E-Mart?} "You want your ring back?

"That's not what I said. It's obvious you don't have any time for me anymore. I'm just… freeing up your conscience." Danny took a breath and took a step back. "I just… wanted to talk before something went bad."

"Too late. Your roommate told me all about Jessica."

"Who? Em, calm down. I'm just saying, you don't want a commitment and so I'm not gonna obligate you into one. Let's just be friends."

"I can't believe you're saying this to me."

"I'm leaving tomorrow night. I'll be by. We'll talk before I go."

"Whatever." She got on her bike and roared off.]

--

Jules stared at Emily. "You mean Alex isn't the best man?"

"No. He's the head groomsman. Jamie is the best man. He just got in today. You're way too short to dance with Alex anyway." Em brushed her off. She laid out her plans. "See, I've got everything planned out. Jamie and you are paired up. Alex and Beth in the back, Berty and cousin Peter, Lynette and little Kyle, Kat and Davey, cousin Rita and her brother Andy. It's perfect."

"Babs dropped out. She didn't say anything to me." Jules fumed and yanked on her hair.

"I thought I told you. Anyway, Rita is Babs's size. It works out." Emily sighed and reached for the floral sheets. "I hate flowers. Do we need flowers?"

"It's not a wedding without flowers. I confirmed the order already. They're good to go barring a heat wave and a hurricane."

[When Emily emerged from Lynette's party, Danny was leaning on his Jeep in the rain. "What are you doing here?"

"I was supposed to leave three hours ago. I was waiting in your house for hours when word came from George Eaves that you were here. I wasn't about to ruin your good time." His eyes were narrow with fury… at her. Emily just stared at him. "We have to talk."

"You were serious?" She had to actually step back. "You want to break up?"

"We're already broken up, Em. You don't talk to me. You don't take my calls. You don't ever call me when I'm not here… You're always out and George told me you've been snuggling up to Allen most weekends. I can't hold us together by myself. I'm tired of trying." His clothes were soaked, he was tired and he just wanted to go home. "If you can't find it in you to make us work, then let's end it. I'm so fucking tired, Em. Tired of waiting for you to call me back. Of coming home finding you're too busy to take a couple of hours out of your life for me. Of putting my life on hold waiting for you to catch up. How many credits this semester, Em? How many nights did he take her out and leave you with Stevie?" He lifted his hand toward her. "Don't answer. Not enough. Okay. It's not enough."

"Dan…" Emily pleaded, her hands clasped together, protecting his ring on her finger.

"I am there alone, Em. I've made a few friends but three guys can't take your place. The girls at the hospital don't care if I'm single or not and I wouldn't have them if they did. I've been waiting for you to come be with me and you won't. You don't have enough credits or you're too busy. Grampa's got you working crazy hours or your dad needs you. I try… so hard." He sniffed, unable to hold in the tears anymore. They were just eating him up inside. "I come home, here, for every break I get. For birthdays if I can get someone to cover for me at work… for any lame excuse that I can make up and you're always too busy. I waited for you tonight and you were here! Living it up!"

"Dan, please."

"Now, I'm too busy. I have to hit the road. I've got a five o'clock shift that I'm not going to get to sleep for." He held out his hand. "Just give it back to me. You've never once gone to see me. Not once in three years. I'm doing all the work. If you really want to make me happy right now… just give it back to me." He couldn't watch her face when she pulled it off her finger and held it out to him. He didn't look back.]

"Hey Em, does Mrs. Evans still have the catering order?"

"They're taking care of that." She nodded absently and ran her eyes over the list of other things they needed to get done. "Oh! We have to practice with Stevie and Gina!"

"Gina's seven. I'm sure she'll get it. Stevie's a smart boy. If in doubt, we'll tell him that Danny will have a cookie in his pocket if he behaves. Works on my little sister all the time."

--

Beth glared at her mother but got up when Gabriel said he had to go. She walked him to the door and gave him a kiss goodbye. "I'll see you at the wedding then?"

"Yeah."

"Looking all scary and normal?"

"I'll be the freak in the wedding party."

"Night." He kissed her forehead and then leaned into the house. "Night Dr. Evans, Mrs. Evans."

"Just go. You're gonna make her mad." She shoved him out the door. "I'll still kick you!"

"Go Beth. Go Beth. You can do it. You're a cheerleader." He danced down the sidewalk.

"Keep laughing Silerio! You're gonna get it!" Beth called out after him.

When she returned to the kitchen her spirits sank. David didn't even look like he wanted to tease her. He actually looked sorry when he excused himself to his room. Her dad looked like he was going to hurl someone. Without even reading him she knew it was Gabriel flying off a cliff in the middle of the desert. Her mother set down her glass and wadded up her napkin. "So, were you thinking of trying out next year?"

"For what?" Beth stared between her parents more than a little confused.

"Cheerleading. I know you used to like it."

"Yeah, and nearly faint every time there's a game. Thank you, I'll pass." She nearly started at the look on her father's face. He had known. She had told him, hadn't she? Even her mother looked shocked. "It was really hard on me. That's why I quit at the end of the year. I was pushing myself too hard not to read. I'm down there on the field and all those people yelling and screaming. It was like one thought with the power of a hundred people behind it. It hurt."

"I didn't know." Liz shook her head. She had never asked why. She had just assumed it was because of what had happened that summer, not what was going on that whole year. "You should have said something."

"Well, I wonder where I get that trait from." Beth scoffed and cleared hers and Gabriel's plates from the table.

Max opened his mouth to speak when his beeper went off. He glanced at it and sighed. "We'll talk later."

"Night, Dad." Beth waved him off as he rushed for the door with his keys.

"Was that aimed at me?" Liz asked quietly.

"You know… I don't even have to read you, you just send stuff out… like you're hoping someone's going to ask you what's wrong instead of you telling them that something is wrong." She rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, then returned to the table for her father's and David's dishes. "You've never told me you hate my music, my make up and my clothes but I get the point. I know you hate Gabriel even though you've never said it outright and I never had to read you to find that out. It's just right there on the surface all the time."

"It's not that I hate him. I just think he's wrong for you. He's too old. He's got too much on his plate. I think maybe you're changing yourself into what he wants you to be."

"Well, you're wrong. He likes me the way I am. Glasses and introspection and staring through walls and musical preferences that he doesn't share. He gets it. It's about time you tried."

Liz rose to put away her dishes and wrap up the left over food. "Introspection is good but spending all of your time alone?"

"Is my choice. It's not like I don't have friends."

"Who also spend most of their time alone."

"If that's your problem, I thought you'd be glad I was seeing someone. At least when I'm with Gabriel, I'm not alone. He listens to me when I talk. Do you? All my old friends, do you know what they're doing now? They're making out in the Eraser room, they're taking drives to Buckley Point. They're getting drunk on the weekends or stoned during study hall." Beth lowered her eyes to her mother's. "Susan Jefferson, my old friend you loved so much was just diagnosed with an STD and Myra Anthony is pregnant… again. You think I'm bad now? I could be a lot worse. Trust me."

--

Kathy let Jacobi lead the way out of the theater and onto the street. He really wasn't interested… and neither was she but she was bored. He shrugged at her. "It kind of sucked."

"It's a summer movie. My sights weren't set too high." She led the way to her mother's car. "How's the store?"

"Filled with bright shiny things that cost too much." Nodded to his feet. "The lab still cultivating the latest in that which can kill or cure you?"

"Yep." Nodded to her feet.

When they got to her car, he turned to her. "You know… I realize that it's customary to put out after dinner and a movie but… I'm a little tired of this very special episode of Courtney. We know you don't get anything out of it and I get a little less every time." He sighed heavily at the lack of hurt on her face. "Can't we just… stay friends for once? I'm tired of taking you to bed only to find that nothing's changed and we still don't belong together. Just cause I know your secret doesn't make me the only one."

"I know that. Okay." She looked away.

"Look. I miss you when you're gone. It's this I don't miss. This… expectation that we should try to make it work when we know all the reasons it went to hell in the first place. I like Kathy. She's been my friend since the ninth grade and I'd like her back… not this… sex-obsessed alien who's taken her place since fucking… Adam couldn't do his job without screwing it up." He took a step toward her. "I don't know what asshole you're escaping this time but I'm not your fallback guy. I'm still single but that could change any day if Sarid and Mom get their way."

"She's married now, right?"

"Divorced."

"Seeing anyone?"

"You switch hitting now?"

She glared at him. "No but a friend of the family is going to be at the wedding and maybe they'll hit it off."

"How old?"

"35."

"Little older than she usually goes but… the ex isn't a stellar example of her judgment." He shrugged. "As long as it's casual, she's still fragile."

"Then it's agreed… and if he finds out I'm trying to set him up, he might kill me."

"If I let you drive me home, do you promise not to put the moves on me?"

"If I ask you to be my date for my brother's wedding, do you promise not to read anything into it?"

"All right then. Let's go."

--

Michael waited until the man opened the door. "Don't say anything. She's not going to take your calls anymore. She doesn't want you at the house. You've been officially uninvited to the wedding."

"It's Janine. She found out I was here and called you with a bunch of lies about a girl in Ohio."

"Actually, she didn't call Oriel. She called a friend of the family… one who has the resources to find out that she wasn't lying. That the girl you raped got too scared to testify and officially there's no proof but off the record, that girl still blames herself for what you did. I blame you. You're a sick twist and I'm telling you to get out of my town." Michael stared at the aging man but didn't really see him at all. "I've notified Sheriff Soltero. If you're not gone by morning, he'll escort you out… as a favor to me and my wife. Get out of town Frank… and just… get lost."

TBC

The Fate of Destiny Part 106

Beth sat next to Will during her break and watched him eat. "Why does Kathy keep going back to Jacobi even though it never works? I don't understand that."

"He's familiar. She's used to him. Same reason my ex-wife calls me every time she gets her heart broken. We were friends before we were lovers." He shrugged and stared at the girl next to him. "What's bothering you?"

"Well, I have a type. You know. I'm young sure but I've pretty consistently picked out a few guys. Excepting you, all guys I've ever pictured in the groom's tux were dark-haired, serious types. I mean, you're a serious type but… the blond-haired, blue-eyed thing was such a teeny bopper thing for me. Kathy doesn't have a type is what I'm getting at. Jacobi, the olive-skinned, brown-eyed pretty boy. Adam the athlete. That blonde guy last year. The… agent I'm not supposed to know about. All very, very different types of guys."

"Maybe she does have a type but she doesn't know what it is."

"Maybe." Beth nodded and picked a fry off his plate. "She made eyes at my boyfriend."

"She was playing."

"Maybe."

"Maybe she needs a doctor. She loves your dad. Adores him. Maybe she needs some dark-haired doctor to treat her right."

"Oddly enough, she never once put a dark-haired singer or actor on her walls. They were always blonde with you know… that chin thing."

"What chin thing?"

"You know, you have one. That superhero jutting out but no dimple. She's pretty right? She gets… lots of looks from guys?" Beth turned to watch him as he chewed his burger but he only shrugged. "Come on. I won't tell. Is my sister… hot?"

"On a scale of… 1-10. One being me wanting to shoot myself rather than wake up next to it and ten being getting shot one morning in bed by some jealous fanatic…" Will turned to look at Kathy who was taking an order from a couple across the restaurant. He looked at her like he hadn't been to her 17th birthday party when he was 27. "You do that to her hair?"

"Yeah, makes her look… her age, right? Straight and flowy." Beth nodded. "So? Your assessment, Agent Goldblum. Is my sister hot?"

"She's a solid eight. She's got the hair thing, the eyes are always a shock in that face. Her body is… uh… proportional. She looks soft and… uh… huggable." He sipped his soda and turned to his lunchmate. "We do have to factor in that I'm 35 and look for soft and huggable as opposed to some hot girl to take to bed."

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes. And it always remains true. If a guy is willing to listen, to hear about your family and your problems. He'll stick around. If he cuts the get to know you and jumps right into kissing… he only wants one thing."

"The first guy… the one who listens… he… uh… doesn't pressure does he?"

"No." Will shook his head. "If a guy really likes a girl, he lets her set the pace. If he loves her, he'll slow her down if she moves faster than she should."

"Good to know."

"Why? You been pressured?"

"No… encouraged to set the boundaries."

"Sounds like a keeper."

"Tell it to my parents."

--

Jesse watched Berty move around the kitchen. It had been silent. Usually she'd be chatting with everyone in the room except him but today Sebastien was watching her every move and she was ignoring him. No bickering, no childish pranks. Just silence. Isabel only met his eyes once. She knew what this was about. Gina sat eating her lunch, swinging her feet but watching everyone else. Kyle didn't look like he was alive, much less paying attention. "Stay up late?"

"Marathon. Six episodes I hadn't seen." Kyle mumbled and chewed half-heartedly. "I'm sleeping early tonight. I promise."

"Good boy." Isabel nodded.

"When am I gonna throw the flowers?" Gina piped up.

"Soon." Jesse reached over to wipe some ketchup from her chin. "How's the dancing coming?"

"Better." Kyle answered for Berty who was scowling out the kitchen window. "We're not all falling all over each other anymore. It looks like we'll just make it."

"Cousin George keeps stepping on my feet." Berty said at last. "I've been doing what you said. I even walked a day in Beth's shoes so mine wouldn't feel so bad."

"What was that? I didn't hear you." Jesse cupped his hand around his ear.

Berty cocked her head to the side and let out a harsh breath. "Thank you, Jesse, for teaching me to dance. I really appreciate it."

"Well, you're very welcome. I had fun by the way. You don't have to concur on that." He picked up his glass and winked at his girlfriend, who just shook her head at the whole exchange. "Just thought you'd like to know I enjoy your company even if you don't enjoy mine."

"That's creepy."

"Berty." Isabel chided her lightly. "How have you been sleeping?"

"A little better. David gave me some tea. Should help." She shivered suddenly. "Is that man gonna be at the wedding? That friend of Oriel's?"

"Absolutely not." Isabel shook her head. "Michael told him to leave town."

"Good."

"Did he… say anything to you?" Isabel furrowed her brow and stared at her daughter. She normally didn't talk in front of other people. She barely spoke to her own mother most days.

"No… but he dreams… he's not interested in me." The teen avoided Sebastien's worried eyes. "He… Beth was more his type. She knows. She's careful and stronger than I am with her defenses."

"I just wish I could lock the bastard up." She almost growled and her kids took notice. "If he even looked at you wrong, I want to know."

"He didn't get the chance."

"Good." This time it came from Sebastien, who was stabbing his green beans with murderous intent on his plate.

"Afternoon, humans and aliens." Alex breezed into the kitchen. "Why so glum?"

--

Beth sat under the trees in the park and listened. People were planning barbecues and picnics. Teenagers were arranging scams. Kids were thinking about dessert or the ice cream truck that should be through any minute. She tried to push them all out. Eyes closed, visualizing a wall that started just outside her body and pushed outward.

"Ow! Mommy! I fell!"

Snapping her eyes open, Beth took a glance around. The boy was 15 feet away. Closer than she thought anyone was to her.

"Oh, sweetie… how did you fall?"

"The wind pushed me."

Surely, she hadn't done it herself. Rifling through her bag she pulled out her meds… and just stared at them. She couldn't know that she had done it. She probably hadn't. She was pushing thoughts away, not people. Thoughts, not people. The kid just fell… all by himself. Kids do that.

--

Michael groaned as he took a seat at the dinner table. He hated the commute. Mattie immediately climbed into his lap for a hug. "Hey there, little guy."

"Hey Dad, the guy is sticking it to me on the chapel." Emily piped up as she reached over to serve him.

"He's a priest. He's being fair." Oriel shook her head and got Stephen situated. "You wanted to be married in a church and you have you make the sacrifices."

"How did you manage to swing the chapel if neither of you believe in God?" Michael fixed his daughter with a look.

"Grampa." Emily sighed. "Way back when he used to go to church, that's the one he went to. Me and Danny did all the interviews we were supposed to. We got the counseling and we set the date. I agreed to community services. All through the summer and then when I go to Lubbock… we'll figure it out."

"Worth it for a piece of paper that took us twenty minutes to get?"

"You said."

"I know what I said and I'll stand by it." Michael fed Mattie off his plate and tried not to think about the forming headache or his little girl leaving home. "When's the rehearsal thing?"

"Night before… Gah! Maybe this was all a mistake."

"You're not backing out now."

"I know that… regretting the planning thing. Should have done the JP ceremony… under a tent or something… Could have been nice. Less headache." Emily sighed and brushed her hair out of the way. "You okay, Dad?"

"Tired."

"Cousin Laurie's job worth it?"

Michael looked around his table and kissed the boy's head in front of him. "Yeah."

"Daddy, tomorrow can we practice on my bike?" Stephen piped up from his chair.

"You bet. We'll get those training wheels off in no time."

--

Will accepted the cup of coffee and the lit cigarette on the back patio of the Evans residence. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me. Kathy made the coffee. She really been drinking all this fancy stuff?"

"Fancy? It's Costa Rican beans. It could be worse. She was on a gourmet coffee kick for a while. Foam and energizers… bleh." He shuddered and sipped the brew. "Trust me. This is normal stuff."

"Anything that has to have another name on it is fancy stuff." Max shook his head. He nodded to the window where they could see the alien in question pacing with the phone. "She and her colleagues are conspiring something or other. It's pretty involved. I have a very vague idea of what it's about."

"They're on the brink of something pretty heavy." Will explained as well as he could. "She had me check for taps and all kinds of external surveillance not long ago. One of the alumni came out of retirement because of somebody's study and smart money is on your daughter."

"She's happy?" Max watched the young man's face. There was something else going on there. "Will?"

"She loves her work and her friends. Back luck with men though. She thinks she's cursed but that's on the back burner while they compete for that grant."

"I wish I could… find someone for her but she'd hate that."

"Yes!" Kat shouted and hung up the phone. She burst outside. "I got an interview with Dr. Skaarstin and Dr. West."

"Of course you did, sweetie. Congratulations." Max grunted when she hopped onto his lap. "Ow."

"I'm going to ignore that because I am so happy." She kissed his cheek.

"Was there ever a doubt?" Will shook his head at her.

"Hey competition was stiff." She pointed a finger at him.

"It was." He agreed.

"And so… I gotta go back right after the wedding… I'll stay until they get back but then I gotta go." She eyed her bodyguard. "Is that okay? I mean… I said I'd be all summer and you had this long vacation planned…"

"Are you kidding? I'm all vacationed out. If I spend one more day doing nothing, I'll drive myself nuts. Besides, I've been putting off getting a new batch. I start interviews as soon as I'm back up there."

"What are you telling them now?" Max cut in, brushing his daughter's long locks off her shoulder.

"Diplomats." Will shrugged. He knew it was lame. "Dan's lead agent is my highest ranked. She'll be the one to trust if I trust any at all. She comes to me first. Agent Ledford is very capable. Alex's… never could appreciate the glass ceiling. He doesn't get it. I'm replacing him."

"The one you have in town is nice. Polite… frightened?"

"He likes his paycheck. Good kid but a little paranoid. I think he was a trust fund baby who got cut off."

"Kid." Kathy snorted, finding herself a seat to stare at them. "He's older than I am."

"To me, he's a kid. I'm ancient." Max shook his head at her.

"You're not old." Her eyes ran over her father. "If you keep dyeing your hair, you could pass for 35 a good while longer."

"I like looking my age." Max looked to the agent. "She's always trying to make me over. She doesn't get that I like dating myself."

"She just likes to have a project." Will cleared his throat, eyes on the girl. "You should see her the way she piles on the classes. Her second major is almost finished."

"Thank you!" Kathy exclaimed and tossed her shoe at him.

"Second major?" Max sat up. He had no idea. Did Liz know?

"It was gonna be a surprise, Agent Blabbermouth."

"You'll find something else to surprise us with. We're proud." Max nodded and turned his head when the door opened and his other daughter appeared. "Lowering yourself to mingle with us? I'm flattered."

"Don't be. I'm bored." Beth slid onto the seat next to Will and propped her feet on his lap.

"Hey." Max shook his head at her. "Feet on the floor."

"He doesn't mind." She leaned forward to pinch Will's cheeks. "He's Mr. American Pie. He's so nice."

"Yes, he is. You're coming to the wedding?" Kathy leaned back in her chair.

"Affirmative." Beth answered for him, earning a stern look from her father.

"Jacobi is bringing his sister. I thought maybe you'd like to keep her company. She's in advertising. 30, living in Taos. Pretty." Kathy went on until she felt a sharp jolt in her leg. Her eyes whipped to her sister, rubbing the sore spot on her leg, hoping there was no scorch mark. "What was that for?"

Beth just glared. Will shook his head at them. "I'll meet her. I'm not gonna fall in love."

"How is she?" Max interrupted. "Doing ok?"

"As well as she can be, I guess. I've been appointed power of attorney. Her folks weren't thrilled about that but they understood." The agent shrugged, tapping his fingers on Beth's boot, the only outward sign that he was bothered by the subject.

"What?" Kathy looked between the three of them. She had no clue what they were talking about and from Beth's sympathetic expression, she knew. "Who?"

"You didn't tell her?" Beth wiggled her foot under his grasp.

"Did he tell you?" Max fixed her with a stare.

"He gave me permission." She protested. "He didn't want to talk about it and he said…"

"I said if it would spare me the pain of explaining it. She could have a look." Will cut in, when Kathy made a movement with her hand he relented. "It's my ex-wife."

"Why do you let me be such a jerk to you? Is that why you left?" She scoffed and got to her feet. She was inside the house before anyone could stop her.

"She's not mad at you. She's mad at herself… for that thing she did." Beth winced when she realized what it was. Her father stared at her. "She's projecting. I'm not reading."

"I didn't tell her." Will admitted. "She gets… crazy sometimes and I didn't want her to get distracted. This double major thing is weighing on her and these interviews. It was my stuff."

"Guess you inherited a busybody or two when you took on this job." Max sighed but the agent didn't look unhappy. Just stressed.

"Most days it barely feels like a job." Will gripped the shoe on his lap. "Pretty girls looking to me for protection." He winked at her. "There are worse jobs." Lifting her feet, he laughed as she struggled for balance until he set her feet on his knee once again. "You still reading J.D.?"

"Sebold."

"Again?"

"It's a good story… it kind of falls off at the end though… I forgive it. I don't like the interference between the worlds but the sentiment is nice."

"The dead girl story? Again?" Max drained his cup and lit another cigarette. "I like Steinbeck."

"You also like that pretentious, drunken lout who writes about how sad and lonely being rich is. 'Boo-hoo… I have all this money and no one knows the real me.'" She groaned and set her feet on the floor. "I could write better shit."

"Hey." Max shot her a look and blew out a cloud of smoke. "Watch that mouth. I don't know where you get that stuff. It better not be Mr. Silerio."

"Mr. Silerio doesn't swear in front of children, neither does his son." Beth fixed him with a look. "I learn by example of my parents." She rose from her seat and settled herself on Will's lap. The agent just shook his head at her and waited for her next plan of action. "Will?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "Will you marry me? I know I'm young but in a year and three months, I'll be 18. That's a long enough engagement, I think. Then you could take me away. Take me away and I'll be your young, hot, goth, trophy wife. Daddy loves you, you're already part of the family. All you have to do is say yes."

"Well, with a proposal like that, who could refuse?" Will kissed her cheek. "Unfortunately, I couldn't let a young, hot, goth woman like you take such a boring old man like me for a husband. Can you forgive me?"

"Alas, our love is not meant to be. Why have the fates set our birthing suns so far apart." She dramatically leaned on his shoulder and threw her face away in faux sobs.

"Are you done?" Max asked, irritated. She'd done that at least once during each of Will's visits in that last four years. It was cute the first time when she was 13 and asked to be his darling. When she was 14 she asked to be his wife. At fifteen, she had started with the trophy wife business and built from there.

"Daddy, my heart is broken. I can't speak with you now."

"If you marry Will, where does that leave Gabriel?"

"Oh, right." Beth sat up and held out her hand for Will to shake. "I almost forgot I was in love. You'll forgive my forward proposal. If it weren't for my father, I could have made horrible mistake and not married for love."

"All's forgiven." Will winked at her and kissed her cheek. Beth leapt up and disappeared into the house.

"I walked right into that one." Max growled to himself and extinguished his cigarette. His eyes jerked to the kitchen window and he quickly waved his hand around, dissipating smoke and disintegrating butts. By the time Liz made it outside with a glass of water, she couldn't prove a thing. "There's my gorgeous wife."

"If I find out you've been out here misbehaving…" She warned as she took a seat on his lap. "Hey handsome."

"Hi."

"I was talking to Will." Liz pecked her husband's lips and sent a smile to the agent. "Surviving?"

"Caffeine and nicotine. I'll make it." He answered her.

Liz lay her head on her husband's and took his hand in hers. "Marry me?"

"Tell me when."

"Everyday until the end of the world."

"You got it."

"And you wonder where Beth gets it." Will gave them a look.

"Did she propose to you again?" Liz rolled her eyes. "Please tell me she only asked to be your darling."

"Young, hot, goth, trophy wife." Max growled. "I'm gonna lock her in her room until she's thirty. That okay with you?"

"I'll hang onto the key." The night was cool and smoky? "Will, you didn't give my husband one of those did you?"

"Nope. I didn't give him a single one." Will put out his cigarette. He didn't lie to her. He wouldn't. He valued his life too much.

"Why are the two of you out here? It's hot."

"I was gardening." Max pointed to the trowel stuck in the dirt a few feet away.

"Funny… I don't think it's moved in three days."

TBC

106/112 Catching up quickly. Thanks you all you guys reading this story... it's come quite a ways from the spoilers I *ahem* predicted to the alarmingly large cast I've got. I don't if I've ever posted this here but there's a page on my site with renderingsof what the kids are supposed to look like. If I bothered to put up a picture, they're important and of course only the important people get moved to the last column when they die. I just wish I had the bandwidth to host larger pictures so you can see the details on some of them. '-)

I did try to find Lynnette but no one I've found comes close to what I see in my head. '-)

This part is very, very long. I broke it up into six parts that I'll post two at a time.

The Fate of Destiny Part 107 A

Michael bounded up the stairs with the freshly steamed veil and froze in the doorway. There she was, staring at herself in the mirror. He managed a smile when she turned to him.

"Could you zip me?" Emily pointed and turned back to the mirror. When he had done it, she turned. "How do I look?"

He stared at her white dress for a long time. Remember how all his life she'd been his little girl and now she was going off to be married. "Perfect." He nodded almost to himself. "And very beautiful. Let's get going. I paid for this thing so it better happen." Michael reached for her hand. "Let's go make you an Evans."

"Daddy." She tugged on his hand, pulling him back. "I wish I could remember how Grandma and Mom might look today."

"They'd both be crying hysterically and smiling the whole time. Running around like chickens with their heads cut off." He told her as he fixed the veil on her head.

"I do enough of that for everyone." She stared up at him for a long time. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"I remember what Grandma was like and everyone tells me what Mom was like but… Why… I mean, I think she's great and everything but why be with someone who's the opposite of her?"

Michael stared at his serious-faced daughter and wondered what had prompted a question like that. "Mom and I had something, together. Trying to find someone like her would be an insult to the both of us. Trying to replicate that wasn't moving on. It was standing still pretending someone else could be her. When I was ready to date again, actually ready, I knew what I wanted and she happened to be an alien, too. All of the qualities that I looked for in someone to love and different enough from your mom that I couldn't accuse myself of trying to replace her."

"You wouldn't want someone who reminded you of her."

"No. That's unfair to all of us. If I want to remember your mom, all I have to do is look at you." He held out his hand. "Come on. They won't start without you but let's not give the groom any reason to think you won't show."

--

Danny sat fiddling with his tie. All the groomsmen were standing in a row while Kathy and Beth moved up and down straightening ties, retying them if need be, and running lint rollers over shoulders and lapels. When he felt the hand on his shoulder, he had assumed it was his father but he welcomed his mother. "Hi Mom."

"Sweetie, you look so handsome." She pulled his hands away from his tie. "Nervous?" He only nodded. "If it helps, Michael and Emily just pulled up." He let out a breath and a guilty expression crossed his face. "I know. She actually showed up."

"I feel kind of bad getting married here." He admitted.

"Okay." Liz took a deep breath and looked at her husband fixing their other son's suit jacket. "Let's not call him God. We'll refer to it as the guiding force. This is the house of the guiding force. Whatever allows us to live happily and die when we're supposed to lives in this house. Maybe there is no design. No one has plans for us. But we'll attribute the first spark to the guiding force."

"The first spark?"

"Millions and billions of years ago when the solar system was just a bunch of gases, something sparked. Something set off the chain reaction that created the sun and the planets and eventually life on this planet, leading to your birth and life and today. That spark, whatever caused it, lives here. By getting married here you're paying thanks to the spark."

"The spark." Danny nodded. "Guiding force of the spark allows us to be here. I believe in the spark."

"Okay. Breathe honey." She kissed his face and wiped off the lipstick. "I'll be outside."

"Mom?"

She turned and waited for him to speak. "What is it?"

"I um… thanks and um… actually, if you could keep Kathy away from my best man… I'd like a friend when I get back to Lubbock."

"She's not that bad." She winked at him but pulled her daughter along as she exited the room.

--

[Danny stuffed his stethoscope into his locker and changed for the jog home. Once there, his empty fridge was just depressing, so he back tracked to the store to get something that wasn't moldy or toxic. When he reached his landing, he noticed his bodyguard was waiting at the end of the hall. She just flicked her head in the direction of his door. "You got company."

"Company?" He rounded the corner and there she was, helmet under one arm, leaning against the wall. "Em?"

"Hey Dan…" She blew her hair out of her face. "I… uh… needed to talk to you."

"You couldn't try calling first?"

"Um… I… didn't want to risk you hanging up on me. Um… Dad and I got into it about why you broke it off and uh… your mom isn't really that… um… sympathetic to the girl who broke her son's heart so I figured… I'd better talk to you about this." She sniffed and shifted the helmet to the other arm. "If you've got the time… I mean. I don't know if you've got an early class or a shift or work… I should go…"

"Stay." Danny blocked her exit. "Please… I can miss my lecture in the morning. It's just a review." He moved past her to unlock the door and let them in. "You hungry? I got some food."

"Sure…" She took a seat at his table, which was covered in everything from books to mail to empty T.V. dinner trays. "No maid?"

"No. Dad wouldn't spring." Danny deadpanned while he got busy washing out pans so he could cook.

"Listen… Danny… after talking to everyone who really matters… um… I realize that I was being selfish with our situation." She stared at her fingers, they were weather-beaten from five hours on the highway. "You've always been there for me and I guess I figured you'd always be there. It wasn't fair to you. I wasn't… cuddling up with Allen on any weekend. I swear. We're just friends."

"I know." He nodded to his pot of boiling water. He took a deep breath. "I know that when we were dating in high school that you didn't go out a lot with your friends… and I'm sorry if I kept you from it."

"You know I did that myself."

He shrugged. "Maybe… maybe not."

"I went to prom for you… twice. That's as public as I wanted to be. I hid behind your quiet persona. I'm still hiding. Hanging out with the old gang, going crazy every weekend because I can but not because I really want to. I let you go to college and I just… latched onto Lynette and her life. It was easy. It seemed human enough." She shrugged and let her eyes wander his apartment. He had been right. She had never seen where he lived. Not when he was in the dorms and not when he had gotten this place with that guy from school. "This is decent. Bigger than the one me and Dad used to have."

"When things get tight, we rent out the couch to whichever intern is between jobs or programs or apartments. It usually works out." He stared at her profile while he prepared their dinner. "Why did you come now?" Her head whipped around to face him. "I mean… there's a break coming up. You could have waited."

"No… I couldn't." Her eyes filled with tears. "I understand if you don't want me back. I didn't treat you the way you deserved to be treated. I just… have this hole in my heart and none of my friends understand. No one who does will listen to me… except Grampa."

"What did he say?"

"He gave me a map." She pulled the abused map from her jacket pocket. "So I wouldn't get lost he said." When he didn't say anything, she waited until he placed a plate of rice and vegetables in front of her. Tabasco on the table. Empty trays in the trashcan. "Looks good."

"Well, if you make it look good, you can forget that you don't really like it." He shrugged and poured a healthy dose of Tabasco on top of her mound of food. "I don't have much food in the apartment. Been busy."

They picked at their food in silence until it went cold. Emily burst into tears. "Is she good to you?"

"Who?"

"You asked for your ring back." She sobbed into her hands. "God, Danny… I just… wasn't thinking. I don't know how to really do this relationship stuff. Our whole lives we were just there for each other. I just… you going away to school didn't seem like a big deal. I just thought you'd still be there… like you always were." Her green eyes looked to her best friend. "I don't know how to do this. The thought of anyone else touching me is just… repulsive and when I think about you and this girl… I want to vomit and I want to find her and tear her eyes out…"

Danny moved around to sit next to her. "I don't have anyone here, Em. I'm alone… so alone and you weren't there. I needed to talk to you, to hear your voice and… I love you. I probably always will but until you can figure out a way to love me back… I can't torture myself. I don't eat, I don't sleep and my schedule is all over the place. It hasn't been any better since that night but… maybe you were right. We talked or we tried before graduation but we weren't listening to each other. We don't know what it is to stand by ourselves. We don't know who we are. We just… we never dated. We just… grew together until we couldn't tell where one ended and the other began."

"I was just scared to leave. I'm kind of glad I didn't. Because… look at Alex and Gina… I don't want to be like that with my brothers but… I've always lived with Dad… I don't know how not to have him there. I couldn't come when I could still stay. I didn't want to visit and find out I liked it. But I've got this hole now. It's growing. It's eating me up inside. I couldn't talk to you because if I did… I'd realize how much I missed you and you'd remind me of how much I wanted to be with you and I'd leave… I can't leave Roswell."

"I can't live there." He told her. "Not with the things they always said behind our backs. About my parents. About Kat… about us. I can't do it. Not with the things that have happened there. Maybe it's living there that makes them happen. Dad getting taken because he was still there. Everyone dying because they went back. David getting taken because we were sitting there… just hoping if we shut our eyes, they wouldn't see us. I can't live watching my back."

"And here? You're watching yourself alone."

"We got the agents."

"But the agents don't know. They could kill her and come in here and get us. Remember the stories? One of them was a shapeshifter. Walked right into the hospital and killed my mom. Framed my father. They aren't prepared for that. They wouldn't know what to do."

"We don't either."

"Our weapons stand a chance."

"Then it's really not safe for us to be alone or to be together. We have to make that choice ourselves for ourselves." Danny gave her wan smile. "I have to believe that I can take care of myself. Dad lived with Grandma and Grandpa for so long because he had me and Kathy to think about. He did what was best for his family so that now… I can do what's best for me. If I have to have Agent Ledford then I'll take her… but I wouldn't be here if I thought I couldn't do this myself or that I couldn't take care of you if you were here."

"You still think about taking care of me? Here?"

"Always. Say the word and I'll find a way for you to be here."]

Danny had trouble getting the words out. He hadn't a problem voicing any of his emotions in the last two years but this was the big deal. His vows, his promises for a lifetime with this woman in front of him, this vision. His heart stopped beating when she took her vows. She said them. He had known she would but to hear them, his heart finally settled. It had been shifting and looking for its place for years and it was finally where it belonged. The first kiss as husband and wife, blew his mind.

"Now I present, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Evans."

--

Liz watched with a smile on her face as the bridal party marched into the hall. They created a circle around the dance floor and then in marched her son and his wife. Blindly reached for Max's hand as they began to dance. The music was haunting and the couple danced alone. She could barely tear her eyes away to make sure Max was filming it all. Then the music changed and all the couples began to swirl around like a tornado of black tuxes and blue dresses with an eye of white. They looked enchanting. Her daughters with smiles on their faces as they spun. Beth wasn't pretending when she smiled. She was having fun. That was a real Beth smile. They all ended in a dip.

If only she hadn't seen Beth wink at someone behind their table. Liz bristled but she didn't turn or glare. This was Daniel's day… and the way he smiled so broadly, made tears spring to her eyes. Max's hand slipped from hers for a moment and when it returned, it was with a tissue. He seemed to have an endless supply of them in his pocket.

--

Jamie stood up. "It's time for my speech. I'm supposed to be witty and charming and talk a lot about the groom. We all know that Dr. Evans, the younger, is a man of few words. When I met him, he said almost nothing but what he did say was all about this woman here. Emily. Of course when he did open his mouth and a flurry of words came out, they were all about her. It was strange for such a ladies' man as myself to meet a guy, with girls falling all over him, who was so devoted to a girl I had never seen in person. I used to tease that she just came with the picture frame and he had made up their whole relationship. All my teasing came to a stop, the minute after I saw them together. I've only known Dan for six years but I know that whoever looks at them will see what I saw. Two people desperately in love. I and everyone here wish you two many, many years of the same."

Jules stood and held up her glass. "Emily and I grew up together. Every class, every friend we had together. In all that time if you had told me that Emily would be the first one to get married, I would have laughed. The girl who would tear up the streets on her motorcycle, doing all this… but everyone who knew us knew that Danny was Emily's first real boyfriend, her only and he's her last. If we had known it was going to turn out this way, I don't think we would have teased them as much. For a rare and true love, please accept our well wishes that you continue to surprise all of us."

Tbc next post

The Fate of Destiny Part 107 B

Michael didn't trust his knees. He couldn't stand. Oriel sat beside him, holding his hand. At the church he had barely made it to his seat after walking her down the aisle. She leaned on his shoulder. "You and Liz are taking this about the same way."

"Yeah?" Michael turned his head to see Liz wiping her eyes for the millionth time. "She'll be okay. She's been preparing for this since the first time she walked in on them."

"That's not funny." Oriel giggled and kissed his cheek.

"I'm just glad it was him. I can trust him with her." He sighed. "You never wanted a wedding like this?"

"All I needed was you." She leaned in for a sweet kiss before they were interrupted by their baby looking for attention. "Just my boys and Emily when she'll let me."

Alex nodded to them as he passed on his way back to his table. He was on a mission and people kept getting in his way. Lynette threw her arms around him when he was almost there, much to his chagrin. "Hey handsome… I was thinking… maybe we could… go somewhere and talk. I've been trying to talk to you since you got home and… we keep missing each other."

"Um… yeah… well… I've been busy." Alex had to pry her arms from around his neck. When he glanced over her shoulder, Lynnette was watching him expectantly. "I actually have to go right now."

"No, we're both in the wedding party. We gotta sit up here until cake time." She protested and reached for him again.

"No… I've got a date… I gotta get to her." He gently set her aside and quickly made his way to his date. "Hi."

"You looked good out there."

"You look… awesome."

"oh?" Her eyes darted past him to the other ex of his.

"Yeah. I'm glad you came."

"She's looking good these days." Lynnette tried to get him to look but he wouldn't.

"Always thought she was too skinny." He blew it off. Taking her hand in his, he took his seat. "You agreed to be my date and you've been avoiding me."

"You were busy… dipping your cousin."

"Ugh. Don't say it like that. It sounds dirty." But he was pleased when she laughed and let him kiss her cheek. "I meant before… yesterday and the day before."

"Sh. Sh. Sh." Beth leaned over. "It's a happy day. No angst."

"Quit reading." Alex chided over his shoulder softly.

"I didn't read. I wish people would stop blaming me for what they're projecting." She gathered her skirts and moved to the table next to her parents where Gabriel had been sitting. She had to look at him twice now that she had the chance. He was in a suit and tie but his hair was still spiky and his boots were peaking out from the bottoms of his pants. "This is a new look."

"Look who's talking." His green eyes ran over her raven locks and her sharp features without dark make up to sharpen them further. She looked naked without the tangle of necklaces around her neck… and especially with the sharp dive in fabric up front. "You look…"

"Like a dork." She rolled her eyes but stilled when she let her eyes settle on his.

"Soft." He let a finger trace her eyebrows and slide down her nose. "No glasses?"

"Got contacts… I'm going back to the glasses as soon as I get home tonight." She declared but didn't let any distance come between them.

"You sure about that?" He peered into her eyes. "Are they clear? The contacts?"

"Yeah… Kat wanted me to get blue or green but…"

"Your eyes are… brown but… a little hazel too."

"I have my dad's eyes." He was getting so very close.

"But there are flecks in there that I didn't see before."

"My dad can see us." Beth whispered even as his lips were closing in.

"Hope he likes to watch."

"You're gross." She laughed as his lips touched hers.

"Ooo-ooh." David called into their ears as he passed, earning himself a swat from his sister. When he took his seat, his father was clenching his knife so tight his knuckles were turning white. "Problem, Dad?"

"I've got five bucks in my pocket. It's yours if you go kick your sister." He bit out.

"For five? You've got to be kidding me. I don't risk leg shocks for anything less than twenty." David shook his head and dug into his plate of food. "If she'd ever done it to you, you wouldn't ask me to risk it." When he looked to his mother, she was chewing her lip and flinging her fork back and forth without actually tapping it on her plate.

Isabel squeezed past their table and leaned down to whisper in her brother's ear. "You used to be like that."

"Did not." Max called after her.

The tall blonde found her table was quiet. "Mom, you okay?"

Diane looked to her daughter and shrugged. "He's my first grandbaby and now he's married and any day now… there will be great-grandbabies…"

"I'd wait a while on that." Isabel smiled at her mother. "You still got grandbabies that need taking care of."

"Yes, I do. Where is my little flower girl?" Diane took a look around their table.

"With the ring bearer, running around." Jesse answered her, he had been following their progress for a while. So far, no trouble making. He reached over and tapped the back of the seat two chairs down. "Seb, sit up."

"Sorry." Seb sighed but sat up. He nodded to Kathy as she passed their table.

"Kat, can you direct my children over here when you see them again?" Isabel caught the girl's eye.

"Will do." Kathy nodded and tugged Will along behind her. "Come on."

"I thought we went over this. I don't need to meet anyone new." Will complained and felt he sounded like a 12 year old avoiding chores. She just tightened her grip on his hand and kept tugging. "Kat, come on."

"You come on. Just… conversation. That's all." She stopped and turned to him, straightening his tie. "She's nice, you'll like her."

"Kat… you don't have to do this."

"I am a pain in your butt, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The least I can do is make sure you have a good time at my brother's wedding." Kathy gave him a small smile. "I've been a real beast since you got back and I didn't know why you had to go… I know it's soon but… she's nice and not looking for a relationship either."

"Kat…"

"Hey Kathy." Jacobi appeared beside them. "You remember my sister, Sarid."

"Hi, Sarid, this is Will." Kat grinned brightly.

"It's nice to meet you." The woman was striking… in a way…

Will cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you too… How's about a drink?"

"Sure…" She followed him to the bar on the far side of the hall, leaving the meddlers behind. "Listen… My brother thinks he's helping…"

"So does Kat." Will nodded but didn't meet her eyes. "I need a drink. How's about it? We sit and drink and they leave us alone."

"You're smart. Are you a lawyer?"

"God, no. I'm smart, not evil." He shook his head and guided her to a chair next to the bar. "You don't have to stay. I'm a friend of the family, I wanted to come. Kathy probably asked Jacobi to drag you along."

"My first outing since my divorce. Ink's not really dry yet." Sarid nodded. "My little brother is nosy. How do you know the Evans?"

Will opened his mouth and wasn't quite sure how to answer that. "Well…"

"He helped out with a little abduction some years back." Jim Valenti answered the awkward question for him. Everyone in town remembered that. No one knew why it had happened but it was hard news to miss. "Agent Goldblum, if you see my daughter-in-law, don't tell her where I am."

"You getting around okay?"

"I'm fine." Jim downed his drink and grabbed his crutch. "Going to sneak a dance with my granddaughter before Isabel finds out where I am."

"Good Luck." Will called over his shoulder.

"Thanks. I'll need it." He ducked behind a few couples as they were heading the opposite direction. He nodded to Alex as they passed.

Alex held onto Lynnette as they made their way out of the building. It had gotten dark outside. Perfect. All they needed now was a lookout. "Davey!" Alex caught the young boy and slipped him a $20. "You can keep that if you keep anyone and everyone from going around back. Got it?"

"How long?"

"Til I come back and tell you."

"Got it." He pocketed the twenty and leaned on the wall as Alex tore down the small alley and around the corner. The second they couldn't see the boy anymore, they were all over each other. It was a matter of moments before Lynnette was braced against the wall, her skirt up around her thighs and her straps down at her elbows. Alex fumbled with his zipper, mouth pressed firmly against hers. He had to pull away just for a second. "Do I need something?" She shook her head and found his lips again. "You sure?"

"I'm on the pill. Please, just stop talking, Alex."

"Are we in a hurry?"

"Yes."

"Just checking." He was inside her a moment later. Cursing to himself, he began to move. Her moans made his blood boil. "I've missed you so much."

"Sh. You're working." She gasped out. Same old Lynnette. Together they found a strong rhythm and tried to keep their noise to a minimum. He kissed all the flesh he could reach; neck, shoulder, breasts, those panting lips. He held out for her and covered her mouth when he felt her orgasm. Cursing silently, he allowed himself to follow, spilling his seed inside her. He stayed there, leaning against her for a long time.

"Still recover slow." She kissed his forehead and shivered as the cool summer night air dried their sweat.

"Come with me back to Florida." He blurted out.

Lynnette pulled her straps up her arms and righted the bodice. "I'm taking care of my aunt now."

"She'll understand. Marry me."

"Alex…" She motioned for him to let her down, which he did but he didn't move away. "Come on."

"I still love you… and I think you still love me."

"I… feel… very strongly. Yes." Carefully, she righted his clothes for him. "Maybe we shouldn't rush into anything right now."

"You don't call screwing against the wall of the Alien Celebration Center a rush?"

"This is hormones."

"Is it?"

"Yes." She began reaching for her zipper and ended up turning so Alex could do it. "This is you reacting to the thirty pounds I've lost since we were together last."

"This." He stopped her. "Was my reacting to seeing you again. Thirty pounds here or gone. I would have done the same. I am not a catch myself but I know what I'm feeling and if you'll have me… wonderful. Just… don't let me down easy because you think I'm not really here for you." She was quiet so he continued to stare at her profile. "You joined me back here. I know you. You don't go for empty sex."

Her eyes somewhere else, she delivered her line. "This was screwing. Something you taught me all about."

"Lynnette." He pleaded. "Maybe I did. Before I came back I was thinking about you. About how stupid I was to let you go."

"Let me go?" She snapped her head to him. "'Sorry Lynn. These long distance things just don't work out. It's not fair to me or to you.' Click. Yeah, cause I was the one with the issues."

"I know what I said and I should not have done it over the phone. No one could ever hold a candle to you."

"Hey Alex! You done? My dad's calling me." Davey called down the alley.

"Scram punk!" Alex barked. "Lynn… come on. I'm pouring my heart out here."

"I cried for weeks. My mother kept up an 'I told you so' the entire time. I dated any guy who would have me. Not quality guys here in Roswell, Alex. I felt so used and ugly… It took a pregnancy scare to straighten me out… and the worst part of it? I wanted to call you and tell you about it. You weren't just my boyfriend. You were my best friend." She sniffed, her eyes far away again. "I don't know if I can trust you not to break my heart again."

"It's my heart, too. I didn't break up with you and jump into the sack of the nearest warm body. I… I was alone for a long time. I meant it when I said it wasn't fair to either of us. I'm settled now. I've got a good job. I'm saving for a bigger place. I'm ready to take care of you."

"I'll think about it."

"Beaches. The ocean… Sunny weather and yet no tumbleweeds."

"Now you're being stupid."

"I want to know that I still have a chance."

"If you didn't… we wouldn't be back here." She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "I'm a little pickier about my lovers now… We should get back."

Alex just nodded and took her hand in his and led the way back to the reception in silence. If it weren't for the way she held on so tightly to his hand, he would have started crying himself. He had to make it up to her for the way he had done her wrong. He had to find another way to show her that she could trust him.

TBC