Roswell Fanatics

PART TWENTY-ONE

Liz watched as they took Max from the wall and threw him to the floor, leaving them both. Max stumbled to his feet, his knees buckling as soon as he reached the glass window. Both held each others gaze, losing themselves in it.

“Max.. I am so so..” She started as she pressed her hands up against the wall.

“Stop it Liz.” he cut in sharply. “Don't it's not your fault that we are here.”

“But if I hadn't trusted her...”

“You would have been on your own. You would have never come back to us... to me.” The amber in his became to darken with tears. “If you hadn't I wouldn't feel this alive. I wouldn't feel my heart racing as I look at you right now. I-I j...just wouldn't feel. So don't apologise for something you didn't do... you didn't know this was going to happen.” he sighed loudly “There could have been some good in her at some point... otherwise you wouldn't have trusted her. You have always had this natural instinct that makes you see the good in a person.”

“I wish I couldn't. I wish I could sense when I was being messed around with...” she let out a loud sob as she couldn't control the tears.

“shhh...” he soothed as he pressed his hands against the pane, parallel to Liz's, his voice a whisper as he tried to stop the tears “I wish I could touch you, make all this pain go away. But right now you need to be strong. You need to fight this Liz.”

Nodding as she focused on their hands. She gasped out loud. She could feel his skin on hers, she could feel the warmth in his palm, the same palm that had travelled across her body just the night before. Ava had been right... they had connected. This is how they remained until Ava returned.

* * * * * * *

They were all gathered in Michael's apartment, all their mouths wide open with shock at what Isabel had just told them.

“Eagle rock?” he almost shouted in shock and disgust. “But I thought it was Khivar who had them... not the FBI.”

“It's not the FBI and I don't think its all Khivar either...” Isabel began, trying so hard not to break down about what she saw.

“Who was it then?” asked a confused Tess. “You else could it be?”

Isabel looked at them in turn, each time her mouth opening yet no words forming and spilling out into the room.

“Ava.” mumbled Maria who walked into the room, her cheeks red and flustered from crying. She walked straight into Michael's arms. “She's torturing them... she's torturing Liz.” Her voice broke, and all they could hear was her soft crying.

“So what are we going to do?” Asked Alex, who tugged Isabel into his arms.

Michael's head went up, “She may have betrayed us... but when she was here she did what Liz had come here to do. To train us. We are all more focused and more powerful, than we were then.”

Isabel stepped out of Alex's arms and sat down on his couch. Her hands went between her clenched legs, yet she sat up straight thinking. “She will be expecting us. She will know exactly what we will do. Because... like you said Michael she trained us. She taught us every way of getting into a place like that completely undetected. She knows which points we will hit.”

Tess pushed a curl of blonde hair out of her face nervously. “Then why don't we take the front door?”

“A bit obvious don't you think?” leered Michael.

“Exactly,” Alex blurted out realising exactly what Tess meant. “She will be expecting us to take all the hard ways in and will have all her men at those points. The moment we go through the front door, is the moment we catch her off guard.”

“She won't be expecting it at all. After all she trained us and she would expect us to follow it” Added Maria.

“Exactly” Tess said excitedly. “But it's still going to be hard. Once then detect us they will come at us full force.”

“we will just throw it back at them.” declared Isabel. She stood up, determination on her face. “Khivar has ruled over our lives for far too long. I think its time to take them back... starting with Max and Liz.”

* * * * * * *

Liz was now curled in a ball in the corner of the cell, where they had thrown her, whimpering. Her whole body felt like it was being stabbed with small daggers. The cuts wept, the burns stung and the bruises seemed to be pulsating.

She couldn't move, she couldn't scream and she couldn't bare the thought of living for another second. She could barely hear Max yelling in the background. “Let her go! Take me and just let her go!”

“I told you! He doesn't want you! You have nothing he wants! But you have something she wants...” Ava's voice became cold as ice as her beady eyes shot at him. A loud laugh came from her mouth as the grin opened up on her face. Swooping down she picked Liz's head up by the hair, tearing at clumps of it as she brought her face just inches from Liz's. “Your willing to go through this... but are you willing to see the one person you love suffer with the news of his sons death.”

Liz's eyes grew wide. “Don't... please don't.” she begged. “Don't bring Matthew in to this!”

“Wrong answer Liz.”

Ava dropped Liz on the floor, letting her land face first and swiftly kicking her in the stomach roughly. “STOP IT!” yelled Max, who fought helplessly against the glass. “You're hurting her! Please...” his voice became soft as he turned his eyes away. His heart was breaking again. When he was last in the white room the one comfort he had was knowing that Liz was okay. He was comforted by the fact Liz wasn't there with him, but now his worst nightmare had come true. Liz was at the hands of someone who couldn't feel. The way Ava extracted all sorts of torture on Liz just proved to the whole world she had no heart and Max just wanted to force his way through the glass, ripping her to pieces.

As he thought this through he didn't see the young boy standing behind him or Liz's head being forced to watch as Nicholas grabbed Max's head by the hair and rammed it into the glass.

“No!” cried Liz. She tried to turn her head away yet couldn't, Ava had a firm grip on her head, holding her firmly in place. “Stop hurting him please”

“Why Liz? I thought you would like it... especially after he hurt you”

Liz jumped again as Max's head was once again forced against the glass pane. “He didn't hurt me! It was you and no matter what he had done to me I wouldn't wish anything like this on him!” Max groaned as Nicholas brought his head back and smacked it down on his knee, spinning him on to the ground, before bringing his foot up and ramming it down in to his back holding him place. Liz watched helplessly as Nicholas set light to his index finger, letting it heat up before blowing it out. He lowered to Max, bringing his burning finger to his right cheek and placed it on his cheek. Max screamed as it branded on to his skin. “Stop it! Make him stop! Please...”

She looked up at Ava who was watching intently on Max's torture. Ava forced Liz's head back. They both watched as Nicholas did the same thing four more times. Once he finished he stepped back bringing Max's limp body closer to the screen to show Liz. There on Max's cheek was the symbol of Antar, the Royal seal imprinted onto his once perfect cheek. “Stop... I'll ... do....do anything.”

Ava's eyes jumped down. “Anything?”

Max tried to pull himself up from the floor, rushing on his hands and knees to the window. His hands pressed up against the screen as he shook his head, pleading silently with Liz not to do it. “Liz...” he shook his head again. “Liz... don't.”

She forced herself to look away, block out the way Max was looking at her through his pleading and desperate eyes, remembering the scorched symbol on his right cheek to give her the will power.
“Yes. Anything... just stop hurting him!” she demanded quickly. Ava let go of her, contentment rushing through her veins. “But I want one thing.”

“What?” boomed Khivars voice throughout the room. Liz dragged herself to her feet, twisting round the room trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.

“Let him go... to his family. With me by your side... you know he is no harm to you.” She moved slightly to the pane, staring down at Max, sadness peering through her eyes. “And let me be with him one last time. Let me have some time to say goodbye.” She rested her head against the cool glass as she waited for the response. Her blood started to boil as she felt Max crying.

“Very well.” she heard Khivar reply. “You have an hour. No more no less. I will be taking you as soon as the hour is up. You will never speak of him again and you will not fuss... or I will go back on my word and kill him ... and his son. Do you understand?”

Liz nodded.

“Good. Your hour starts as soon as Ava and Nicholas leave the room.”

Liz stood as soon as they silently left them on their own. She neared the glass, gasping as it faded into nothing as soon as she touched it. She stood at the opening, unable to move as Max looked at her, both scared to move just in case Khivar went against his word. Tears sprang to Liz's eyes, tears that erupted so quickly it flung her to her knees.

“Liz..” came Max's soothing voice as he grasped on to Liz for dear life. “oh god Liz. Why? Why did you do it?”

Liz wiped away her tears as she looked at Max. “Because you have the right to a life and I couldn't bare to see them hurting you.”

Max's hand roamed up her back, up her neck and on to her cheek, brushing away a tear with his thumb. “Don't you see Liz... this” he pointed to his cheek “may seem like torture... but I'd rather die here or suffer all the things they can throw at me if it means you don't have to be at the hands of that monster.”

“And I'd rather be at mercy of Khivar than watch you die.” she choked on her tears. Max opened his mouth to talk yet he was cut off, by Liz placing her finger to his lips. “Don't, Max. We-we have only got a little while left and I... I want to make sure you know... know... that I... I... Love you.”

Their foreheads came together as he took in a deep breath. It all sounded so final, like it was all coming to an end. All they had been through... had been for nothing. They had been fighting for so many years to be together, to give into each other fully and live a life full of happiness, love and devotion yet it was coming to an end.

“I love you” he paused as he took in her scent and the way her body felt cradled in his arms. “and I am so sorry.”

“What for?” Liz gasped.

“For bringing you into this. I am so so sorry.” Liz jerked away from him, sitting up slightly so she could look him in the eye.

“Don't apologise for something that had meant so much to me... yes... it's it's been hard... very hard... but there hasn't been one moment that I have wished you didn't save me back then in the Crashdown. B-because if you hadn't of saved me... I wouldn't know what it would feel like to be touched in the way you did the day you healed me. I wouldn't know what it would be like to be the happiest I have been in my whole entire life... you know... and the saddest all at once. I wouldn't know what it feels like to be in love.”

Max's glistening eyes beamed back at Liz. “You have made me the happiness man in whole world. Knowing you has made me... human... and I wish this could have been different. I wish I could be with you forever, wake up with you lying beside me every morning. I want to be able to hold you at night. I want make love to you in the rain, in the desert and under the stars. I want to make each mole, scar and small imperfection glow. I want us to grow old together watching our children grow up. I vow right here... right now I'll do it. I'll make it possible.”

“No Max,” Liz scorned him, her voice serious and stubborn, yet he could hear the sadness beneath it. She wanted that life. “You won't. I want you to be there for your son. I am doing this so you can be free... promise me you will live your life with your son. Move on and don't try to find me.” her voice was stern as she took his face in both her hands. “Promise me Max... Please”

Max's eyes glazed over as his lips crashed down on Liz's. He refused to make a promise to Liz that he wouldn't keep. He wasn't going to break a promise he made to Liz... so he avoided it, deciding that their final hour be one worth remembering. One he wanted to savour and imprint on his mind forever.

Hiya guys... well it's wednesday! Time for the next part!

PART TWENTY-TWO

Michael stood just inches away from the door of Eagle Rock, his hand still firmly gripped in Maria's. He looked at the door, nervous about what could happen in there. He could die, or lose his brother. He could lose the one person he loved above himself. He couldn't do that. He had to keep her safe.

“Maria, you have to go back to the jeep now.” He couldn't look at her as he said it.

“No... I'm going with you. My best friend is in there.” she said defiantly.

“Maria... you can't!” he practically shouted, yet stood at an angle where he didn't have to look at her.

“I want to go with you Michael... please see that.” Maria paused, taking a big gulp of air “I love you...” She looked at Michael waiting for a word, a flicker on his face, yet got nothing in return except the stone wall that had managed to find it ways back to him. “Look at me...” she whispered as she fought back tears.

“I can't” he replied softly.

Her brows came together in confusion. “Why?”

“Because if I do... I-I won't be able to go in there. If I look at your beautiful face I won't want to leave you here. If I look into your eyes... I might just cry because I-I love you Maria. Remember that.” As he said that he kissed the top of her head, walking towards Isabel and Tess who were nervously gathering around the door. She started to move after him, yet was stopped.

“Maria,” she heard Alex say. “You can't go. You know it's too dangerous.”

Maria nodded, her eyes still focused on Michael walking into the building, tears in her eyes.

* * * * * * *

As they had expected the front door was unguarded. No one stood in the corridors, no one came to stop them in their tracks. Michael silently lead the girls towards the room where Max had been kept, watching out for guards. Sure enough he heard the sound of foot steps coming towards them.

Ducking into the nearest door, they watched the guards pass. Tess suddenly stood up.

“I have to check something” she said hissed as they tried to stop her. Their heads peered round the door as they watched her creep up to the two guards, their backs to her. Lifting both her hands at the bottom of their back sending a energy blast at both of them. She grinned to herself as they turned to dusty flakes of skin before her. “Skins” she sighed as the others joined her. “This makes it easier”

“We need to keep going.” Michael insisted as he grabbed Isabel's hand. They made their way to the door where Max had been once kept. Stood at the door were two guards, both looked bored as they stood to attention, not moving, not talking, doing nothing what so ever. Michael backed the girls back round the corner, thrusting his hand in his pocket grabbing a coin, throwing it round the corner to grab attention.

As soon as the skin guards rounded the corner, they were thrown against the wall. Both their bodies turned to dust as soon as they hit it. Not a sound had been made the entire time. No scream, no talking, no gasp. The silence was almost deafening as they stood there looking at the spot where they had dusted two of their enemies. No amount of training that they had been given by Ava could prepare themselves for the concept of having blood, or in this case, dust on their hands. No matter if they were the enemy, the guilt was still there beneath the surface as they opened the door to Max's cell.

As they walked in they found Liz and Max, covered in their own dried blood, kissing passionately on the floor, breaking apart as they felt the eyes on them. Liz's body fell to the ground with relief. “Thank god” she muttered as she tried to get up on her feet.

Michael rushed to help her as Isabel helped Max. Tess stood by the door, her hand outstretched just in case anyone came around the corner. “We need to get Liz out of here.” Declared Max as he stood on his feet. Isabel ran her hand over his head, flushing the fluid that stopped him from using his powers. He could feel all his power returning and went to do the same to Liz.

Liz asked worried as he finished. “What about you?”

“I'm going after Khivar.”

“No Max!” Liz screeched panicked. “He will kill you.”

He took Liz by the shoulders, “It's just a chance I have to take... He can't do this to you any more... I won't let him.” He turned to Michael. “Take care of her.” He turned back to the love of his life. “I love you. I always will.”

“Max... don't talk like that... it's like... it's our final goodbye.” They stood there for a couple of seconds, their tear filled eyes locked together. Max couldn't say anything. It was as if it was their final goodbye because it felt like that to him. It felt like he wasn't going to see Liz again in this lifetime. Clenching his jaw he tried to compose himself enough for a fight he had been wanting since they had been captured. Planting a kiss on her forehead he rushed out the door, after Khivar.

Liz started to run after him until a small hand grabbed her own stopping her. Tess spoke. “Let him go Liz... It's something that needs to be done”

She slumped onto her side, pain finally registering in her mind. She nodded slowly as she started to cry tears of grief of what she believed she would lose.

* * * * * * *

He made his way through the complex, firing blasts at each door he came across and at each person who dared to stand in his way. He was hell bent on freeing Liz he didn't care who he had to hurt or kill and didn't care what he had to do if it meant she could be free from this.

*Free from me* he thought to himself. Now for once in his life he wished Liz could go out and find what she wanted, whether it was him, with them, or away from both, with another man. He finally saw that was what he had always wanted for Liz, for her to be happy, after all that's what you want for the person you love. He had always felt that way with Liz, but it had been overshadowed by this negative feeling he hadn't thought or felt in the first place.

The last door in the complex was just metres away, his heart was calm, he wasn't sweating out of nervousness. He was cool, calm and collected. He had to be because the one person who had chased, tortured and possibly raped his soul mate was stood on the other side of the deadly white door. He was angry, but his anger was far beyond anything he had ever felt. It weighed down on his chest like a slab of stone and to be finally free of it he had to do one thing that had been pending, for days, for months, for years, for a whole lifetime.

As Ava had told him to, he pent up the energy filling his mind with all the memories that fired him up, drove him to acts of complete and utter rage, a drive that would easily drive him to the killing of his ultimate enemy. He fired up his rage as he thought about what every last thing they did to Liz, what they did to make him fall to his knees with tears and the thought of what Liz was willing to do to save him. He remembered who forced her to make the choice and it bubbled away beneath his chest, ready to lash out. He clenched his hands in a tight ball, taking one more cold breath into his heavy boiling lungs that felt ready to spit out fire. Max threw his hand out, swinging the door open, immediately throwing a energy blast at the suited figure that was looking out through the window.

* * * * * * *

The rest charged through the building trying to get out as fast as it was humanly possible. Liz's chest left just as heavy as Max's as she felt all the rage begin to build up in him. She could feel all the emotions that swam within his body and felt the same effects, desperate to let it all go on the person who she knew would be around the corner, blocking their exit. There she stood, her black hair and black suit bold against the crisp white walls, stood with Nicholas who was back looking like the spot teenager he was.

“And where do you think you're going?!” she commented to Liz. “We made a deal... he wouldn't hurt Max in exchange for you... yet you think you can leave... just like that!” She grinned. “Silly little girl, I'm going to have so much fun”

All four stood in a line, Michael on the far right, Isabel and Tess in the middle, Liz at far left. Two against four would seem in most cases a done deal, but Liz knew that Ava had enough power in her little body to wipe out four aliens. Liz chewed her lip as she let her mind whirl over as Ava stepped forward to her. Neither looked each other in the eye out of disgust. *If only we had the four square* she thought to herself. Suddenly realisation crept over her. They did have the four square.

She looked at Isabel who was stood next to her, and grabbed her hand indicating her to do the same with everyone else. One by one they grabbed each others hand and she opened up a connection between themselves. *Yes!* she practically screamed inside her own head. *It worked!*

*What do we do Liz?* Isabel questioned as she watched Ava carefully moving back towards Nicholas.

“You think you're going some where?” Ava asked. “Well you ain't... and you know that.”

*We use the four square... and blast them sky high.* Liz declared across everyone's mind.

*How?* asked Michael.

*We all focus on our energy and let it out at one go through me and Michael.*

*It won't work, we don't have Max. He completes the four square.* Michael informed her.

*Well we do... me. He healed me after all*

*It still won't work*

*It has to... we have no other choice* came Tess' voice.

*After 3...* Liz instructed.

“Aren't you going to say anything Liz?” Ava's confusion came across in waves.

*One*

Ava stepped forward. “Are you just going to stand there all day and hold hands or do I have to take you back kicking and screaming by the hair?”

*Two*

“Or shall I just finish you off right here... right now” she thought out loud as she stepped back to Nicholas. Michael and Liz closed their eyes as they felt the combined energy build within their centre. It flowed through the four of them and heated they bodies with the feeling like they were in the bath. As they hands flowed up into the air as they prepared themselves.

“er... Ava?” Nicholas said nervously.

“What?” she spat back at him, annoyed he would even speak to her.

*Three*

Nicholas simply pointed at the four and as Ava turned to look at them, all she could see was a bright blue light hurtling its way through the corridor, straight at her and Nicholas.

Black.

Liz opened her eyes to see flakes of dust flying around their heads and the pile of dust on the floor before her Liz assumed was now Ava. All of a sudden she became dizzy, her knees beginning's to give way and landing on the wall to stop her. “Liz? You okay?” asked a concerned Tess.

Liz nodded frantically. “Lets go,” she said as she yanked at the hand of Isabel, rushing out into the open air, helped on their way out the door by the explosion that rippled through Eagle Rock.

* * * * * * *
The body slumped to the floor as the blast burnt into his skin. All was silent, Khivar didn't scream, didn't fight back, he didn't do anything but slump to the floor. Max stood in shock for a couple of seconds, half expecting him to use the black table, which was in the middle of the floor, to stand himself up. But he didn't. No one moved.

Max took a hesitant foot forward towards him. Nothing happened. He took another couple of steps towards him. Nothing. He knelt beside him. Nothing. He placed his hand on his shoulder. Nothing. He swung the body round and there staring back at him with a pleasant smile on his face was his father.

“Hello son” he beamed at Max. “Nice to see you after all this time”

Max stepped back horror written on his face, his hand was stretched out in front of him. “You're not my Dad... you died of a stroke!”

His smile dropped as he stood up, shocking Max further, his father wouldn't have survived that blast. *But Khivar would* he reminded himself.

“Look... Max, it's me. I didn't die... I just...” he smiled to himself. “Why am I even trying? You are more intelligent that I give you credit for Zan... But I know you well enough that you wouldn't kill the man who wears your father's face.. especially if you were to know your father is still within this body.” Max's hand almost completely dropped to the side. “I thought that was the case...” he moved closer to Max, his tone was low and quiet. “But do you want to know a secret...” he looked over his shoulder at the devise in his hand that Max couldn't see. “I have no problem in killing this body if I know your coming down with me!” Suddenly Max thrown to the ground, by an explosion that filled the whole complex with bright blue flames.

Slightly early and a tiny bit short but it's here at least!

PART TWENTY THREE.

*****Dream*****

“I love you Max Evans.” she stated to him lovingly as they both clung on to each other for dear life. Not wanting this last hour to pass them by. “Nothing changed that. Every time she reminded me of Matthew and Tess being in your life it didn't change a thing about how I felt about you. I couldn't stop loving you no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to hate you, curse you, scream to the heavens to do away with you... but I couldn't. I couldn't stop loving you.”

He looked down on her, love in his amber eyes once again. “I'm so sorry for all that I said to you... back when ... you know”

“Max... she told you you weren't in control then. It wasn't you who said that to me... It was her. Thinking about it... I could see it in your eyes, they had turned darker, but I brushed it off thinking that was because you hated me.”

Max squeezed her tighter as she spoke the final words. “I didn't hate you, I was just misguided by a person who wanted to hurt us because of what I had chosen at the meeting.” He cupped her cheek as he gazed down upon her. “I couldn't hate you as much as you couldn't hate me. I-I... love you Liz Parker.” Tears started to choke him as the hour neared an end. Soon he was going to be parted with the love of his life and he didn't want it. He wanted to swoop her up in his arms, blast his way out of the building and make love to her all night long. But he couldn't she was going to go to the one person that he hated more than Ava. Khivar.

“Max... He will never have what you have...” Her eyes shone at him as she softly declared to him. “He will never have my love.” She placed a hand on her heart. “He will never have this.” She licked her lips gently. “And he will never know what it feels like for me to do this.” Her head lifted to his mouth, drawing him in to a long tender yet passionate kiss on the floor of their pad cell. Both held onto their last moment together like a life line, feeling that the moment they were separated, they would slowly die of a broken heart.

Suddenly, two people burst through the door.

He took Liz by the shoulders, “It's just a chance I have to take... He can't do this to you any more... I won't let him.” He turned to Michael. “Take care of her.” He turned back to the love of his life. “I love you. I always will.”

“Max... don't talk like that... it's like... it's our final goodbye.” They stood there for a couple of seconds, their tear filled eyes locked together. Max couldn't say anything. It was as if it was their final goodbye because it felt like that to him. It felt like he wasn't going to see Liz again in this lifetime. Clenching his jaw he tried to compose himself enough for a fight he had been wanting since they had been captured. Planting a kiss on her forehead he rushed out the door, after Khivar.

Liz started to run after him until a small hand grabbed her own stopping her. Tess spoke. “Let him go Liz... It's something that needs to be done”

Time moved quickly as they walked through the halls, suddenly coming face to face with Ava and Nicholas at the exit.

*If only we had the four square* she thought to herself. Suddenly realisation crept over her. They did have the four square.

She looked at Isabel who was stood next to her, and grabbed her hand indicating her to do the same with everyone else. One by one they grabbed each others hand and she opened up a connection between themselves. *Yes!* she practically screamed inside her own head. *It worked!*

*What do we do Liz?* Isabel questioned as she watched Ava carefully moving back towards Nicholas.

“You think you're going some where?” Ava asked. “Well you ain't... and you know that.”

*We use the four square... and blast them sky high.* Liz declared across everyone's mind.

*How?* asked Michael.

*We all focus on our energy and let it out at one go through me and Michael.*

*It won't work* Michael informed her.

*It has to... we have no other choice* came Tess' voice.

*After 3...* Liz instructed.

*One*

*Two*

*Three*

Liz opened her eyes to see flakes of dust flying around their heads and the pile of dust on the floor before her Liz assumed was now Ava. “Lets go,” she said as she yanked at the hand of Isabel, rushing out into the open air, helped on their way out the door by the explosion that rippled through Eagle Rock.

“Max! Max!” she screeched just before she lost consciousness
*****End of dream*****

“Max!” screamed Liz as she forced herself to wake. Her scream filled Michael's apartment making everyone freeze to the spot they were standing on. It had been two days since the explosion that had rendered Liz unconscious and no one had seen Max in that time. All were worried about how Liz would take it the moment she realised that Max wasn't there. After hundreds of attempts to wake her, with healing stones, dream walking, mind warping, even cypress oil, nothing happened and all gave into the waiting game, walking on eggshells just so they could hear the moment she woke up. They had expected Liz to make some noise, but didn't think she would scream in such a way that it sent shivers down everyone's spine or nearly shatter the glass in the windows. It was a scream that made Isabel cry out with grief, running into Liz's room to wrap her arms around her.

As soon as Isabel entered the room she stopped dead. Liz was sat bolt up right, her eyes wider than she had ever seen, tears poured from them and she shook violently. “Max” she whispered as she took her bottom lip into her mouth. Her whole body ached from the force of being tortured, thrown several metres and hitting the ground hard. Yet that wasn't the pain that was killing her so. It was the way her heart felt as he laid in her chest broken the idea that Max was dead, a pile of dust on the floor of the ruined complex. A pile of dust that couldn't be distinguished to be different from the rest of the dust that was scattered across the desert. “Max” she uttered again as she sought through her body for the connection she hoped would still be alive.

She let out a sob as she felt nothing. Her heart and soul had died the moment she woke up yet there was still a flutter of life there. “No” she said softly to herself. “No” she said more strongly. “No” was no just as loud as if she was talking to some one. “No!” she said more forcefully as she slammed her hands against the bed. “No! NO! NOOOO!” she finally screamed. It filled the apartment just like it had done earlier. Her eyes darted to Isabel as her heart fluttered slightly. “He has to be alive... he has to be”

Isabel hands sought out comfort and she hugged herself, her hands running up and down her arms as she began to pace. “But we haven't seen him in two days Liz. We couldn't find him. The place is ruined. God... I'm so... so sorry Liz.” She stopped, staring at the head board rather than Liz, not wanting to feel Liz's hatred for her burn through her skull. “If I... I had just kept my mouth shut maybe none of this would have happened... and Max would still be here...” she paused. “I'm sorry” She stood completely still waiting for Liz to shout, rant, hit her or even murder her in cold blood for what she had done, but nothing happened. After a moment she felt Liz's small arms come around her shoulders.

“You didn't mean what you said that day Iz.”

Isabel jerked suddenly; her attention fully on the petite woman stood before her. “What do you mean?”

“It was Ava that made you feel that way... she decided to break me mentally, she thought she would drive me away by using you. She played on your insecurities and practically made you say that.”

“But... it feels so... so” Isabel gasped at the thought of someone taking complete control.

“Real?” She nodded. “I hold nothing against you. In my heart it wasn't you who said it. It was Ava. She took control of people just to get back at me and M...Max.” she bit her lip as she blanked out, crumbling to the bed. The name being on the tip of her tongue brought it all back to the forefront of her mind, barging past all the blocks in her mind that she had shut it behind. “Max” she mouthed to herself, not finding the energy to even force the name out into the air. There was this sick feeling in the pit of her stomach about the concept of Max being dead. It couldn't be that way. “He can't be dead” she mumbled to herself whilst in thought.

Isabel sat delicately and slowly on to the bed beside Liz, not wanting to shock her by jumping on to it. “Liz... he is dead.” Her voice was patient and accepting. Her whole body language and her soft presence was calling out to Liz that it was okay to be upset, yet it also said her words in a matter of fact way. Like there was no other option.

Liz swept her hair over her left shoulder as she looked back at Isabel. “If... if what your saying is true... why can I still feel him here” she placed her hand over her heart. “How come it's still beating? If he is dead... it would have stopped dead the moment his body turned to dust.”

“Liz...” started Isabel. “Life goes on...”

“Does it?” Liz cut in. “Wouldn't have your heart done the same if it were Alex? Wouldn't you know in your heart that he was gone?”

Isabel sat there, her mouth open as she thought about Liz's question. Would she know it in her heart if Alex were dead? Yes was the answer. After Liz had left Roswell Alex and Isabel formed their own connection, one that had scared and confused Isabel. She had often turned away from it just Like Max had done, but couldn't fight what her heart was telling her everyday. She loved Alex with all her heart and she knew if anything would happen to him, she would know instantly. “Yes... yes it would.”

Liz beamed at Isabel. “Then believe me when I say... Max is alive.” She jumped to her feet quickly and started to throw on a pile of clothes that were sat on the chair next to the bed, wanting to get out of her bed clothes.

“Liz? What are you doing?” Asked Isabel who looked at her friend concerned.

“What do you think I am doing? I am going to look for him.” She replied not even bothering to turn around and addressing Isabel to her face.

“Liz...” Isabel was now stood next to the brunette, her hand on her arm. “You are in no condition to go out there. You have been in a coma for practically two days, and the injuries Ava left on you haven't healed.”

Liz's eyes burned when she flashed them towards Isabel. “Don't you see? Max must be in trouble if he hasn't returned...”

“But Liz... you aren't fit enough. Let Michael go and find him”

Liz seemed to grow a metre tall as her desperation boiled. “You can't stop me Isabel... You can't” She barged past the woman and out into the front room passing everyone who stood up to talk to Liz. “Don't...” she said as she had her back to them. As she reached out the to touch the doorknob, she became dizzy and her knees buckled slightly. Michael made for her, trying to lift her up into his arms, yet he was stopped by the green shield threw up at him. She slid to the floor, gasping for air. “I need to do this.” she half pleaded half declared to the room.

“Liz... you can't do this.” Alex persuaded. “Look at yourself, your not fully recovered. Once you are you can go”

“No” she snapped at him. “I need to find him now. You can all sit here and wait if you want but I want... need to find him.”

Alex stepped forward again, Maria in tow. “I wasn't suggesting that we sit here and wait. I meant you sit here and wait. We will keep searching...”

Maria placed a hand on the shield, trying to penetrate it with friendship. “Liz... let them search and you can recover.”

“I need to find him Maria... I c-can't live without him. I need him... I l-love him” Tears slid down her cheeks. “I need to find him and I have to do it now.”

“Then I'll come with you,” Tess offered from the window. “You will need all the help you can get.”

“Me to” agreed Isabel as she slipped into the room.

“thank you,” she whispered through her tears, her shield coming down letting her friends gather around her and hold her close as they brought her to her feet. “Let's go” she stated as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

* * * * * * *

He had been lying staring at the rusting ceiling for the last two days, seeing the faces of his soul mate and son imprinted on it. It seemed to decay along with his body, the large cut on his leg bleeding every where draining him of his blood just like the rust drained any life from the roof of the bus. His leg had been badly cut, leaving him unable to move except drag himself to a car, which decided to break down near a spot he had been before. The bus where he and Liz had spent the night after they rescued him from the White Room. Every attempt at healing at it had been useless, he had hit his head hard after the explosion rendering him unable to use his powers for a short while but now it was the lack of blood that was stopping him from using his powers, his body slowly shutting down part by part as he lost more and more of his blood.

The feeling in his chest made it all that more drawn out. He was clinging on to life as hard as he could, not wanting to leave all those that he loved behind. He didn't want his son to grow up with out him in his life, he didn't want Liz to be alone. He wanted to be there for everyone, for Sophie's first birthday, to watch Matthew grow up and date girls. He wanted to be there to hold Liz every night. He wanted to be able to watch her sleeping and feel her soft breath on his bare chest, his hands wandering through her hair, soothing away any nightmares she may have. He dreamt of having a family with Liz and Matthew, maybe have a few more children. Hold Liz's hand as they walked through the park, their little girls running up in front, Matthew chasing them laughter filling the warm summer air.

But his body was covered in sweat, blood covering each inch of him. His fingers trembled slightly as his body looked for more energy. His eyes were blood shot, his hair drenched in sweat. His face looked pale and tired, his body limp and almost lifeless. He couldn't hold on much longer...

His eyes closed as he threw out a breath, his thoughts lingering on the last kiss and the last words he gave Liz.

“It's just a chance I have to take... He can't do this to you any more... I won't let him.” ... “I love you. I always will.”

“I love you Liz Parker.” he mumbled as his breathing became shallow and he gently slipped into a deep sleep.
* * * * * * *

PART TWENTY FOUR

Her hand flew to her mouth at the devastation the explosion had caused. All that was left of Eagle Rock was a crater the size of two football pitches. Dust flew about in the wind, she felt sick as the idea that Max could have been the speck of dust that just grazed her against her hand. She retched as she felt it swirl around her, stopping as her heart leapt when a flash of Max hobbling away from the site crossed her eyes.

“He's still alive!” she gasped as she swirled round to the group. “I knew it.”

“But where is he?” Asked Isabel. “We have searched everywhere for him but there has been no sign of him anywhere.”

Liz stopped, staring into space as she thought about every possible place he could have gone, holding her lip between her fingers as she did so. Her head jumped up as she thought. “Not everywhere” she said as a wide grin crossed her face as she made a run for the jetta, her friends following.

* * * * * * *
“MAX!” she screamed loudly as she ran towards his limp body that lay on the battered seat of the bus. Blood spread all over. It trailed from the abandoned car that sat on the road hundreds of metres away and joined the puddle, which ran off the seat of the bus. It soaked the bus seat, turning it into a deep red colour. Her hands shook as she laid them over his body. “Max?” She whispered hoarsely, tears drumming on her cheeks.

Her tiny fingers slithered their way to his neck, hoping for the faintest pulse in his pale and broken body. She released a sob when she found nothing on his cold damp neck. Not a faint pump of blood past her finger.

She collapsed, her head landing on her chest.

“Max.” she sniffed pulling her tear soaked hair from out of her face as she pulled herself back up. She lent forward, her hands resting slightly on his chest. She grazed his lips with her own for a second, stealing a breath in the expectation to feel his breath on her lips.

He didn't.

Her lips crashed on his quickly. She lingered there for a second before she slowly pulled away, her eyes never leaving him. “Let's do this.” she stated as she knelt away.

* * * * * * * *

Max stood on a white plane, silver silk flowing beneath his feet as stepped forward. He looked around, turning around on the spot, his mouth open in wonder at the site. It was pure white. Bright like a new born star.

“Hello?” he called out into the wide open space that seemed to stretch for an eternity. He waited listening to the calming silence. In the distance emerged a figure he thought he would never see again. “Jim” he gasped.

The man looked at peace, his eyes full of life, not looking a day older than the day he died. “Max” he greeted as he hugged the young man.

“What is this place?” Max asked as he stepped out of the friendly embrace.

Jim looked at Max. “The plane between life and death. Sort of a waiting room if you know what I mean.” Max's face paled, it almost blended in with the white of the plane. “I have to admit, I didn't think I would see you here quite this early.”

Max's face showed his confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“You aren't supposed to die yet Max... you have a lot of good things to do. There is also something you need to do.. for me.”

“What?”

“You need to look after your friends and family... all of them. That's including Kyle.”

Max shook his head. “But Kyle choose to leave us. I don't blame him either.”

Jim looked at Max hard. “He is developing his powers from when you healed him... and ... he's alone at a time he shouldn't. People may use him to their advantage... if you get what i mean. Plus he didn't listen to his heart and stayed in Roswell... he didn't stay because of Tess and now he's alone.”

“Because of Tess?” Max questioned

Jim spread a smile across his face. “He loves her Max. He will always love her... He left because he couldn't stand to see you two together and I think he needs her right now.”

Max nodded. “I'll find him” A warm sensation covered his body, his feet lifting from the ground. “They found me.” He thought out loud.

“Thought she would.” Jim replied. “Good luck son, it was always an honour to met you.. oh yeah, Max...?”

“Yes?” he asked as he started to fade away.

“Congratulations.”

Max woke with a gasp, his lungs filling with the cold night air. It stung as it filled every inch of them, as if he had died and hadn't used his lungs for years. His eyes were still snapped shut, his ears were ringing. His body felt renewed. As he slowly took short breaths, he heard the soft voice break through the ringing. A voice that was sweet to his ears, a voice he feared he wouldn't hear ever again.

“Max?” she asked again, although Max was breathing, he still didn't open his eyes, scaring her. “Max?” she croaked, tears choking her of words.

“Liz?” he uttered, praying he wasn't dreaming. He slowly prized his eyes open and sure enough, there in front of him was Liz with the rest of his family surrounding him, each with a healing stone in their hands. Liz quickly grabbed at him, squeezing the life out of his body with the relief that overwhelmed her.

“Oh my god, Max. When we found you... you-you were...”

“I wasn't complete gone... I had a little help finding my way home.” he smiled into her hair, his hand cupping the back of her head as they held each over. Once they pulled away from each other the rest of the group bombarded him with a huge hug. “You know what... if you don't stop soon I will be dead anyway!”

The group laughed nervously as they looked at him, something had changed. He knew something that he wasn't telling them.

“Max... what happened?” Isabel asked tentatively.

“After the explosion I woke up in the middle of the rubble... I couldn't see anyone or anything for miles except for a car. I was headed home but it broke down. My leg was badly injured and I think I must have hit my head earlier because I couldn't heal it, blood was everywhere. I got out of the car and realised I was near this place... and just knew that Liz would find me.” He turned to look at Isabel who was stood by the door of the bus, exposing his branded cheek to the group. They gasped in shock, making Max wince.

“Who did that to you?” asked Tess as her finger tips hovered over it in wonder, pulling away sharply as he winced.

“Nicholas,” spat Liz as she watched Max run his own hand over his cheek, making it disappear, leaving a slight dimple as a reminder of what trusting Ava had done to him. “Ava made me watch him do it... but that's in the past because they are all dead...”

“Well...” cut in Max.

“He is isn't he?” Michael half demanded.

“I don't no” he blushed in embarrassment. “I think I would know if he was... there is something in my stomach that just makes me think that he isn't gone...”

“He must be” Tess said from her spot on the floor, hopefulness with a tinge of denial in her voice. “He couldn't have survived an explosion that big.”

“I did... just” Max pointed out. “Anyway...” he shook away the thought. “It wasn't that. I don't think he is actually on the planet in his true form.”

“What makes you think that?” questioned Alex, his arms folded as he listened intently as everyone spoke to Max. His calmness showing everyone he had been thinking, about what would have happened if they hadn't turn up when they did.

“Because he was in the body of some one else” He looked directly at Isabel, making her nervous. “He was in Dad's body.”

Isabel stood ridged with fear and confusion, trembling under the gaze of the group. “How...how can that be possible? I was in his mind the moment he died, Max. You must have been mistaken. He must have shaped shifted to look like him or something... it just couldn't be Dad... it's not possible. Not possible.”

Max slowly swung his legs round until he was sat up straight, his hands clasped on to the seat to prop himself up, his body still weak. “Iz... He didn't fight back. I shot him straight in the back and he didn't turn back to fight. He resorted to a bomb... He mustn't have been in his true form. He was willing to kill his body... if he knew I would be going down with him.”

“So where is he now?” Maria asked quietly.

“I think I know.” Max replied, a feeling about his encounter with Jim making his heart lead him to a place he vowed he would never go. “England.”

“Why England?” said Tess in shock, a gut feeling making her uneasy.

“Because that's where Kyle is.”

“But how do you know to go there?” Pried Michael, his grip on Maria tightening.

Max smile slightly before he simply said. “A friend told me so.” Everyone turned to each other, confusion on their faces and before anyone could ask he took Liz's hand, standing. “Now... let's go. We need to organise ourselves as quickly as possible before our trip to England.”

* * * * * * *

Liz and Max quietly entered the back door of the Crashdown, running up the stairs quickly hoping no one would notice. They still hadn't told the Parker's that Liz had returned due to not wanting to worry them and didn't want to tell them now because Liz knew they would go to extreme lengths to ensure she stayed. Telling Max about the vivid images of them tying her to her bed and locking the door behind them, throwing away the key, had him in stitches. To him it seemed hilarious, to Liz it seemed possible. She knew her parents inside out. They would do anything if it meant she didn't go and do something dangerous and the journey they were about to embark on was that sort of dangerous. They didn't know the dangers that came with being part of the alien club. One moment she could be sat doing homework then suddenly rescuing her boyfriend from the clutches of the FBI. She could go to England and find nothing but Kyle, blissfully happy or she could go and meet face to face with the man who had made her life hell and possibly wind up getting herself killed. But it was something they needed to do.

As she entered the kitchen of her parents apartment, she heard the sound of a shattering plate. “Lizzy?” she heard the hopeful voice of her mother say. “Liz!” she practically screamed as she ran to her daughter, pulling her close in a tight hug, leaving Max stood at the door, an amused look on his face. “Where have you been?” She took a step back taking time to look at her face, noticing the marks on her daughter's face. “What the hell happened?”

“Mum... It's a long story... one that I will tell you when... when I get back.” She pulled her hair behind her ear as she tried to avoid her mother's devastated gaze.

“You're going... again? Where to?” she asked sounding almost rejected.

Liz nodded. “Um... England.” She pushed past her mum and marched over to her room. Opening the door of her wardrobe she grabbed a bag and began franticly chucking her old clothes in her bag. Her mother just stood watching from the kitchen, her mouth open in shock unable to find her voice.

“When... when will you be back?” she finally managed to push out of her mouth as Liz marched back into the living room.

“I don't know.” she replied honestly yet sharply, trying to suppress her emotions from riding to the surface.

“So... what you are just going to leave us again? Were you just going to come get your stuff without saying a word to us? Not even telling us you were alive!” Her voice rose with anger. “We have been here sick and worried, not knowing whether you were alive or dead. And you don't even have it in your heart to just phone or leave us a little note?!”

Liz clenched her hand in a small ball. “Don't mum... don't start. I have been to hell and back these last couple of days...”

“And what?! We haven't?!” She threw the dishcloth on the floor as she stomped into the living room nearing her daughter with out caution.

“No! You haven't!” She pushed past her mother angrily, wanting to leave the apartment as quickly as possible, her bag thrown on to her shoulder.

Nancy violently grabbed her daughter's arm and spun her around. “So what... just because you have been to hell and back you think you are the one who has had it worse? Don't you think I cry myself to sleep not knowing where you are? Don't you think I get nervous every time I hear of a murder? You have been torturing us the last couple of months! All we wanted was a letter... a phone call.”

“But I couldn't give you that!” Liz shouted. “Don't you see.. I was being chased by a maniac alien wannabe king! I couldn't ring or he would find me! I couldn't even go out into the street... and... and.” Her hand came to her head as she began to feel dizzy.

“Liz?” Nancy asked, her voice suddenly full of concern. Her hand came to Liz's shoulder just as soon as her knees gave way, leaving Liz falling to the ground unconscious.

“Liz?” Panicked Max as he watched Liz fall. Once again taking her up in his arms he rushed over to her bedroom. As soon as her head hit the pillow her eyes fluttered open. “Hey,” he whispered. “you fainted. You want me to check you over?”

Liz shook her head. “It's just because of the coma.”

Max and Nancy both looked at Liz worried. “What coma?” Max asked worried.

“The explosion at Eagle Rock rendered me unconscious for two days.”

“What explosion?” Nancy said hysterically. “What's happened?”

“Like I said Mum, a long story. I promise I will tell you when I get back.” Liz answered as she sat up, Max guiding her with his hands just hovering just inches from her. “Now we have got to go before our flight leaves with out us.”

“Liz... I don't think you should go. If I had of known about the coma I wouldn't have brought you the plane ticket. You're not well enough...”

“I am Max” Liz cut in defensively.

“You're not... look at yourself, you are pale and you still have the majority of injuries Ava inflicted on you.” His hand cupped her cheek as he tried to drum some sene into his soul mate.

“Ava?” shouted Nancy. “Ava did this to you?”

“Yes mum,” Liz snapped as she turned back to Max. “Then heal it all and we can go.”

“Liz..” He began to persuade her to stay, not wanting her to go if she were ill. Not knowing whether he could forgive himself if anything happened to her.

Her hand came to his mouth quickly, stopping him in the middle of saying anything else. “Max... I am going. If not with you.... I am going. I will just get on the next plane after you... alone and totally unprotected. What would you rather have? Me protected or me alone?” She felt guilty as she tried to play on his emotions, but she knew it was the one that would ensure her seat on that plane.

Max knelt back on to his back legs, his eyes looking over her battered face. Surrendering he brought his hand to it, wiping away any trace of it. “Okay...” As Liz began to lift herself off the bed, Max stopping her mid way. “But the moment you feel something wrong you will be on the next plane home. Understand?”

She nodded. Standing, she came to her Mum who was stood by the door. “I could just tie you to the bed, you know... and not let you out of my sight until i know exactly what happened to my baby girl.” she cupped Liz's face with both hands. “But I know I can't treat you like a child any more.” She paused. “Just... promise me one thing... promise me you will come back safely.”

Liz's eyes welled with tears, her head shaking. “I can't promise that Mum... I wish I could. But I will promise that I will try my hardest to come back to you.” Nancy stood in shock once again. The realisation of how dangerous her daughter's life was just hitting her. Liz kissed her lightly on the cheek before lifting her bag from the floor whispering “Bye Mum. I love you.” Hand in hand she and Max walked out of the apartment, with Nancy staring after her child, not knowing if or when she would be coming home.

* * * * * * *

“Maria you're not coming with us!” Michael yelled at her as he threw the clothes, she had just piled in her bag, on to the floor.

“Why not?” She yelled back at him, shoving the same clothes back into her bag. “Liz is going!”

“Because it's too dangerous and she has powers! She can defend herself! You can't” He reminded Maria, instantly wishing he hadn't said anything.

Fury raged on maria's face. “And what I can't I'm just a useless human to you aren't I? You don't think I can defend myself... you just think I am just this pathetic little girl... Well spaceboy I am NOT a pathetic little girl and I can sure well look after myself... I'm going. You can't stop me!”

“I won't let you Maria. I will even lock you in this room if I have to!” He stood tall over Maria. “You won't be going and there's no more discussion about the matter.”

“OHHH don't even start with that tone Michael! I am going!”She shrieked.

“No you're not!”

“Why not?” she demanded frustratedly.

“Because I love you and we can't get married if you're dead!”

She threw her hands up in the air, the words obviously not sinking in. “You know what that's just typ...” Maria froze, her hand still in the air. She turned around, her mouth wide, her hands still in the same position. Both looked at each other. “What?” she managed to force out of her mouth as she finally let her arms fall to her side.

“We can't get married if you're dead.” He took a deep gulp, nervously taking Maria's hands, his loving gaze penetrating into her soul. “All my life I have been terrified to feel... to love because at the end of the day I always thought that me being different meant I couldn't and I always had it in the back of my mind that I wasn't going to be here anyway. Make no attachments so it didn't hurt when I had to go. But these last couple of years... I don't know. You have seemed to push your way through my stonewall, one I built on purpose to keep me from feeling the things I feel when I just look at you.” His hand crept to her cheek. “As soon as you brought my wall crashing down... I have had this overwhelming need to be with you... for the rest of my life. I want to have a family. With you.” He slowly knelt onto the ground, Maria's eyes full of happy tears. She had waited a long time to hear those words and she couldn't believe her ears. “Maria Deluca... will you... m-marry me?”

She held his gaze for a couple of seconds, her hands shaking slightly as she knelt before him. “Yes” she breathed through her loving tears. As a smile crept across Michael's face she put a silent hand to his mouth. “But you have to let me come with you. I want to be there. I can't be apart from you.”

As soon as he nodded with a sigh she jumped into his arms. “I love you Maria.”

PART TWENTY FIVE.

They landed at Heathrow, the sky dark with clouds, the rain hammering from the sky. The group sat in silence as they let the black Taxi take them to the train station. No one would talk, not knowing what to say. It had been a long day and they had run out of new things to talk about. They knew the one thing that they had to discuss just wouldn't come forth into the air. They had to talk about what they had to say to Kyle.

“What do we tell him?” Isabel finally pierced through the silence as she stared out of the window, watching each rain droplet slide down it. No one turned to her. “Fine,” she spat. “We shall just go in there saying... oh ... we are sooooo sorry Kyle to bring you back into the abyss... but we think that Khivar might be after your blood. Sorry.” Anger raged below the surface of her skin, heating her in the cold atmosphere.

“She's right guys.” Maria agreed “We need to think of something sensible. Something less...”

“Disturbing.” Tess added quietly.

“It's going to be disturbing to him no matter how we say it.” Liz replied. She looked to Max. “We need to tell him about his Dad.”

He nodded slightly in agreement. “It'll still be a shock for him though and he won't take kindly to us just showing up.”

“Oh well. We are doing this for his safety after all.” Michael said, his hands squeezing the life out of Maria's hand. “We have hauled ourselves all the way to England... if he doesn't at least let us in for something to eat or a drink I will be more than slightly pissed off!” he spat. His face was pale, the travelling getting to him bit by bit. He hadn't eaten or drank anything since the plane took off because he couldn't stomach it, now he was back on land he was starved... or at least acting like he was.

“So who talks to him?” asked Maria as she ignored the crippling pain in her hand.

“I will.” Came the soft voice of Liz. “He hasn't seen me in a while... plus he's my friend.”

All silently agreed.

* * * * * * *

Three hours of travelling in the Taxi and they were stood outside the large white house of Kyle Valenti. All just stood there, in the rain, looking at the door willing it just to open for them. They didn't want Kyle sucked back into this but they had no other choice, but they knew Kyle wouldn't see it that way. They all shot looks at each other daring the other to go knock on the door, yet no one moved. A soft sigh came from Liz, she looked at them as if they were pathetic before trudging towards the door. Her feet dragging behind her.

Kyle Valenti. Her ex-boyfriend and friend. A friend she had left behind without saying goodbye. Left him in the abyss as quickly as she had fallen in love with Max Evans. It took seconds both to fall for Max Evans and to leave. He had wanted to escape, wanted to leave them all behind yet he couldn't fully run away. Even running to England wasn't enough for him to escape the clutches of the pod squad.

“Can I help you?” Came the voice that forced her out of her thoughts, her hand was in mid air where she was about to knock, the person before her opening it seconds before. The woman stood tall her long brunette hair swung over her shoulder, much like Liz's at that moment.“Hello?” The woman's British accent took Liz by surprise, making her unable to make any sound from her mouth. “umm... can I help you?”

“Liz?” Kyle said in shock as he peered over the woman's shoulder.

“Kyle,” she replied softly, bringing her hand down to her side. He hadn't changed in the last four years, he still had his jock appeal to him yet there was something spiritual about him.

“You know this woman?”

Kyle looked at Liz. “Yes... I do.” he smiled slightly. “She's an old friend of mine.”

“Oh... well I must be off now.” she pressed her lips to his cheek “Bye.” She turned to Liz. “I'm Serena... nice to meet you. I must be off now. I will see you later perhaps?” She passed Liz, leaving her on the step gob smacked.

“So...” Kyle began reluctantly not knowing where to start. His eyes darted over her shoulder, he grimaced as he saw the rest of the group stood in a huddle their attention to his door way. “I should have known this wasn't a social call.” he spat, walking back into his house leaving the door wide open.

Liz walked in behind him, the others following. She walked down past the stairs in to the kitchen where she found Kyle sat on the wooden work surface his head down.

“Believe me we didn't want to come here... but your Dad directed us here.”

His head shot up. “My Dad?”

Liz stood ridged. “Yeah... your Dad.”

Confusion was written over Kyle's handsome face. “How is that possible?” sadness rang out in his voice. “He's dead.”

“I know,” Liz came forward, leaning against the cupboard that was next to him. “Max... umm.. died and when we revived him ... well he says that Jim was waiting for him. Telling him it wasn't his time yet and that you had started developing your powers.”

“So you came here to expect me to join the club?!” he growled.

“No!” Liz jumped up to face him. “Not at all. We came to make sure you were safe... because things haven't been so hot in Roswell recently. Khivar has been hunting me down... and Jim suggested that he might use you... because of your powers.” She placed her hands on both of his knees, looking up at him innocently. “Believe me when I say we didn't want to drag you into this. We are only here because Jim wanted us to come.”

“What do you mean Khivar has been hunting you down?” Kyle asked, brushing off what Liz had just said to him.

His eyes drew angry, welled with tears and almost laughed as Liz told him the whole story. He completely ignored the group who were stood in the doorway of his kitchen, his focus remaining on Liz as she remembered all that had happened to her over the last few years and the events that had occurred in just the last three months. Once she finished not a word was said. Kyle slipped off the counter and suffocated Liz in a large hug, holding her to his chest tightly.

“You can stay here,” he mumbled into her hair. “But how long do you think it will be before he will be here?” His hold became tighter as he said the word 'he', the thought of him getting Liz something he couldn't comprehend.

“We don't know.” She replied pulling away, tucking her hair behind her ear as she did so. “But I'm not leaving until we find him...”

“He's done too much to Liz... I am not just letting him get away with this alive.” She heard Max approach her, a hand resting on the small of her back as he addressed kyle. “I didn't want to drag you back in the pod squad... and I wouldn't of have if your Dad hadn't of been there when... I died.”

“How did he look?” Kyle whispered.

“Good... really good.”

Kyle nodded taking in the information. “Right... we have three extra rooms here. I take it you and Tess will be taking one

“Um... no. Me and Tess aren't together. I'm with Liz.” Max interrupted. Kyle looked between the two, his face emotionless.

“Okay... so it'll be you and Parker, Maria and Michael you have your own and ... Tess... you get the single.”

* * * * * * *

Kyle lead Tess to her room, the final one to be shown around. The atmosphere was full of tension, both wanting to say things but not having the strength in their bodies to pull up the past.

“So how is Budda boy these days?” she asked, trying to act cheery.

He shrugged. “Okay I guess.”

He opened the door of her room letting it swing into the wall. “This is a really big place... how do you afford it?”

“It's not mine,” He replied sharply. “It's Serena's place.”

Tess' head fell as she remembered the beautiful woman who had kissed him on the cheek earlier. She reminded her much of Liz and the familiar pang of jealousy was there in her stomach. Much like she had felt when she saw Max and Liz together. But that was over and this wasn't anything like the pang she had back then. This made her soul cry out in pain.

“So... Serena's your...” she trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

“Friend. She has helped me out in the last couple of years.”

“Oh... right.” she said as she sat on the comfortable bed. Both avoid looking at each other yet Kyle didn't move to leave.

After about 30 seconds Tess noticed out the corner of her eye Kyle acting oddly. He would take a step forward, opening his mouth to say something then shaking his head before closing his mouth and stepping back again. After he did this four times Tess couldn't help but giggle. “What?” he asked defensively.

“You look really silly doing that... I take it you have something to say?” she questioned.

Her heart dropped as he shook his head. “Nope... nothing.” He went for the door. All the time they had spent apart from one another Tess had always thought that maybe he didn't hate as he said at the time of their argument. She had hoped that it was all in the heat of the moment, words he hadn't meant in the slightest. But that hope was ripped away from her. All the comfort the thought gave her just left her body, sending cold unloved shivers down her spine. A sob came to the surface making Kyle turn round. “You okay?”

Tess looked up, her emotions unreadable as always. She wasn't going to let him see her like this. He wasn't going to find out how much it hurt her to think he hated her. She would rather die than let him see a weak and pathetic Tess Harding. “Yeah... Just tired... Jet lag.”

“Oh... okay. I'll leave you to, you know... get some sleep.” As he reached the door frame, his hand rested on it, forcing him to stop. “umm... Tess?” he asked warily, his head down and his back to her.

“Yes?”

“I don't hate you. I never did.” without letting her answer he rushed out the door, quickly closing it behind him, leaving Tess crying silent tears of relief.

* * * * * * *

Michael lay on the bed watching Maria sleeping, her blonde hair fanned out on the pillow her hands laid underneath her sweet cheek. The journey had taken all their energy and he wasn't surprised that everyone would fall asleep. What puzzled him was the fact he was still awake, watching over his future wife as if he were to look away she wouldn't be there the moment he opened his eyes. He hadn't lied when he told her she had brought his stonewall crashing down. It had fell fall force crumbling completely as it hit the floor. He remembered the exact moment it had, his heart filled with an emotion so strong he had gasped out loud, hiding it behind a cough as Maria had looked over at him concerned.

A lot had happened over the past five, six years that had brought Maria closer to him. Even though he had, at times, pushed her away because he felt he was dangerous, he had still held her firmly in his heart. He had ignored all the pain in the desperate hope that she would stay away and he wouldn't hurt her. He was terrified that being who he was would cause her pain and he didn't want that. He wanted her to be blissfully happy, not caring about whether or not he was happy himself. But now he realised they needed each other. She was only happy when she was with him, bickering like anything, and he was only happy when he could her in his arms at night, feeling her slight breath on his bare chest. That was the way his life had to be. He had to live his life with Maria firmly locked in his arms. He wanted all the things Max wanted. He wanted a family because that was what he lacked in his life and he wanted to do that with Maria. No matter how much she wound him up, pissed him off or made him want to scream, she was still his Maria and he wouldn't change the way she was.

Now he was just content in watch her sleeping.

* * * * * * *

Liz gathered her legs from Max's pulling away lightly so not to wake him. He hadn't slept since they had revived him with the healing stones and he needed his rest. Liz on the other hand, couldn't sleep. Something deep within her wanted to move around, jump, scream... do something. She generally felt weird. One moment she felt so full of life, bouncing off the walls being high as a kite on simply living, but then she would feel so dizzy and have to grab on to something to keep her standing. It was odd because it made her feel out of control of her own body and she needed control. If she didn't have control it felt like her life was spinning out of it. That's why she always had a plan.

She slipped a robe over her pyjamas, slipping out of the room and padded to the bathroom. As she got there Kyle came out, his hair in disarray, his eyes red and swollen. “Hi Kyle,” she said gently, her arms hugging herself, suddenly feeling cold. “How are you?”

He looked over his shoulder wondering where the voice was coming from and there he found Liz Parker, her face pale. “I'm ok. But I think I should be asking you that. You look a bit pale.”

Liz waved it off with her hand. “I'm just tired... but I can't seem to go to sleep. Just going to the toilet and then I'll try again.” She said with a slight smile walking past him.

“As long as you're sure.”

She nodded her head, “Sure. Night Kyle.” She avoided him as she tried to walk into the bathroom, she had started to feel dizzy the moment he had asked her if she was ok. She couldn't afford to feel dizzy right now because she knew Kyle would tell Max and she would be on the next plane out of England. She needed to be here. She felt that. She waited until she heard him moving away before grabbing hold of the door frame and shuffled in. As soon as the door was shut behind her and she locked it, the dizziness increased. She couldn't stand properly, it felt as if her head was spinning. The spinning feeling made her off balance, making her knees buckle under her. As she fell she hit her head on the sink, knocking her unconscious. She landed with an almighty thump that rattled around the house.

* * * * * * *

As Michael started to drift off he heard the thump and the sound of running. He was instantly off the bed, shoving a shirt over his chest and was soon out the door, meeting Kyle on the other side.

“Bathroom,” shouted as Kyle saw him. He knew immediately that it was Liz, there was something in the way she avoided his eyes the moment he mentioned she looked pale and the way he heard her move in to the room. Something was wrong and he was now kicking himself for not coaxing it out of her.

He tried to open the door with no luck, so he placed his hand over it, unlocking it with his powers. It felt Michael stood in shock for a second, he had forgotten that he had developed powers. He shook himself into focus as he realised that wasn't important right now. As he made his way into the room, Kyle shouted at him. “Get Max... NOW!” He stopped for a second to look at who it was on the floor of the bathroom. Liz was lying face down on the floor, blood around her.

He jogged back a couple of steps, worry on his face. He made a run for it as Kyle rolled Liz over, her face looked so lifeless, so white. His heart was pounding in his chest as he ran for their room up the long corridor. The house was big, which was a dangerous thing. He didn't know whether he would get there and back in time. Painful thoughts ran through his mind as he thought about what might happen if he didn't get there, making his legs all that much faster.

He skidded to a halt outside Max's room, not even bothering to knock but instead burst in. “Max!” he yelled from the bottom of the bed. “Max!”

Max sat up straight, his name ringing in his ears. He shot Michael an angry look, a look that faltered as soon as he took in his friends distort face. He didn't even search the room as he realised who this was about. “Where is she?” he asked as he bounced out of the bed.

“Bathroom.” Michael replied.

Its a couple of hours later... But I think you shall like this one! Thanks for me feedback! Keep it coming and I'll keep typing

PART TWENTY SIX
At once Max was out the room, his mind went blank. He couldn't think straight about anything. In no time at all he was in the room, after having thrown Kyle out, bent over Liz's still figure. As he started to heal her, something happened. Something out of the ordinary.

As soon as he healed Liz and her eyes flew open, his hands remained over her. Their eyes locked. A flash erupted in their minds, the colour red took over. White specks jumping around just below their vision. Their eyes came closer to one another as their foreheads pressed together, their arms wrapped around each other pulling themselves closer to each other. Deep in concentration their breathing became deep, Liz matching Max's speed of breathing unconsciously. For one moment they couldn't tell who was who, were one began and the other ended. It was as if they were suddenly one person, souls joined together, their hearts beating in time and their skin melding into one a thin layer that just stopped them from joining completely, body to body. They pulled at each other tighter as they unconsciously tried to seek out what had started this.

That's when they found it. Liz chocked back a sob as they found a tiny person resting comfortably in her body. The fingers and toes fully formed, the heart beat ringing through their ears. Tears streamed down their faces as they watched and they continued to fall when they fell apart, both covered in sweat.

Max took two long deep breaths as he laid on the floor beside Liz. Both were staring at the ceiling, in complete shock “You are on the next plane home,” he declared softly as he rolled over to her.

“Max...” Liz started to plead.

“No Liz... you have to go. If Khivar is coming here you have to be as far away as possible. Please...Liz... it's not safe... for either of you.”Suddenly he stopped his declaration of how she wasn't going to stay. He brought his hand to her cheek, bringing both their foreheads together. “Wow.”

Liz nodded in agreement, her cheeks flushed with boiling tears. “Wow.”

“I love you” Max declared tearfully.

“I love you”

They laid there forehead to forehead mouthing the word 'wow' over and over again, much like they had when they made love. Suddenly the situation didn't see all as bad as it seemed because for one moment they found pure happiness, pure joy that pulled them away from the chaos that was the world out side.

Seconds turned into minutes, 10 minutes turned into 20, 20 into 30 and Maria was becoming restless, where as Max and Liz couldn't see past each other, completely unaware that their friends hung outside the door, dying to find out if Liz was okay. They were so consumed with each other they didn't hear the knock on the bathroom door, or Maria calling their names through it. All they could think about was what they would call the baby, what the baby would look like. Would it have Max's ears, Liz's smile and their hair colour?

Soon everyone had enough with waiting.

“What's going on?” asked Maria as she barged in the room, followed by everyone else. She stopped dead as she took in the sight, Max and Liz, lying on the floor crying softly. “What?” she asked gently. “What's happened?”

“Something I didn't think would happen... ever.” Liz replied, her focus still on Max.

“A little miracle.” Max added.

“What?” she asked again.

“Life.” Liz whispered.

“What?!” Maria asked again, frustration starting to emerge in her voice.

“Something that will change our lives forever,” Max declared a smile on his face.

“WHAT!” Shouted Maria as the vein on the side of her head seemed to burst, neither looked away from each other, hardly noticing her frustration. She had been outside the door for 30 minutes practically dying to know what was going on in side and run to her best friends side. Now she was pushed over the edge. Maria wiped her face with her hand as she remained confused. “Stop talking in riddles.” she said more softly, hoping that tack would work better than screaming her heart out with irritation.

Max smirked slightly as he peered out of the corner of his eye and seeing Maria like that made him want to laugh out loud. He thought only Michael could get her that annoyed.

*Obviously not* he thought to himself, almost blurting it out loud but just about managed to keep it inside his head. A twinkle in Liz's eyes told him she was thinking the exact same thing.

After another couple of seconds of Maria drilling a hole into the back of his head he relented, giving her the information she so desperately craved. “Liz is pregnant,” Max answered her, his attention still fully on Liz.

Maria squeaked like a little girl as she flung herself to her knees dragging Liz from Max and locking her arms around her best friend. She knew what this meant for Liz. She had dreamt of having a family one day, even with the dream of following a career in science she had still wanted the family life.

Everyone gave their congrats as they finally managed to peel Maria away and soon they were all stood in the bathroom looking at each awkwardly. In some way they were still teenagers, the concept of sex was still an awkward one and the fact Liz was pregnant just blurted out the fact they had been at it. Isabel couldn't even look her brother in the eye. She had always thought of him as innocent, even when he was with Tess but for some reason it was more final now it was with the one person who meant everything to him. He wasn't just a teenager experimenting like he had been with Tess, he was now a grown man who was now making love with the person he cared about the most. She suddenly felt old.

“But i thought...” mumbled Tess from behind the group as she tried to break the silence.

“We did to.” Max said in wonder as he ran his hand down Liz's long brown hair. “But it means she will be going home first thing tomorrow morning. It's not safe.”

“That's where you're wrong Max,” came a voice from no where. Everyone turned to the woman you was stood behind Tess. “She will be safe here from Khivar... especially if I have any say in it.”

“Serena?” gasped Liz as she sat up straight with shock.

“Your highness,” she bowed slightly as she came in the room.

“So... that means you are one of us?” asked Isabel with uncertainty in her voice, her body tense.

“I am. I am what you would call here on earth a bodyguard. On Antar I am known as a Locack.”

“Hang on... Kyle did you know about his?” demanded Maria as she swung around like lightening, her finger finding its way in to his chest almost instantly.

He nodded sheepishly as he flicked her finger away. “I've known since the moment I arrived here at this house.”

“So hang on? You have been shacking up with an alien for all this time and you didn't have it in your heart to tell us Valenti?” Michael boomed at Kyle. “She could be a shapeshifter... a skin... and you just let her into your life without telling us! For all you know you could have been leading her straight to us!”

Kyle bit his lip, not wanting to cause a fighting match. “Shut up Michael!” bit Liz, who was trying desperately to stand up. “You really have to learn to trust people, you know.”

“Yeah... and see where it lead you?” he barked in return. “By trusting you have lead us into this mess!”

Liz's face dropped, her heart fell and her body started to sway. She tried to catch her breath as she fell in and out of consciousness, her eye lids finding it too hard to stay open, soon she just gave in letting the darkness take over. Immediately Michael regretted shouting at Liz as he watched her collapse into Max's arms. Max quickly picked her up and took her back to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

“Great one Guerin.” Kyle leered as he pulled the door open and walked downstairs. Everyone followed, giving him evil looks as they past. Even Maria gave him a disgusted look, slamming the door in his face as he tried to exit it.

“Lets go to bed,” he heard Serena say. “I'll talk to you all in the morning.”

* * * * * * *
Michael finally joined the group in the morning, after kicking the bathroom wall to pieces and spending the night staring at the ceiling of the room. When he came down he was ready to interrogate Serena, just to find that was already taking place before he got there. All were sat around the oak table that sat in the middle of the dining room. All the chairs were taken, leaving him to lean in the door frame. Max looked up for a split second, his expression cold. He was still angry with Michael because Liz was still in bed unconscious.

“So you are our protector?” asked Tess happily, her heart lightened by the idea of another alien in the group, one who wouldn't judge her on what she had done in the past.

Serena grimaced at the word. “Yes and no... I was sent here by your Max's mother to protect you but I am not like your original protectors... I don't usually like that word. It associates me and my people with them and they weren't exactly... you know... a thing to be compared with. They were an embarrassment. Cal couldn't even stay with the dupes and Nasedo... well he just got himself killed.” Her cheeks blushed at the way everyone looked at her. “Sorry. I have very little respect for your original protectors... and to be called a protector just makes me squirm. So I prefer Locack.”

Liz giggled as she walked into the room. “It's okay...”

Max jumped up from his chair. “Liz what are you doing up? You need to rest!”

She placed a hand on his chest as he tried to scoop her up in his arms and rush her back to bed. “Max... I am not an invalid. I'm pregnant, I need to act normally or I shall go crazy... Anyway I want to hear what Serena has to say just as much as you do. There is no harm in letting me sit down here and listen... is there?” Max sheepishly shook his head and sat down, his arms open for her to sit in his lap. An invitation she took willingly, snuggling close to him letting his warm body warm her up. She still wasn't used to the England chill.

“Like I was saying I am kind of a pro... bodyguard. I was sent here to guard those of who Max healed.” Serena explained.

“Why?” Asked Tess.

“Because we will develop our own powers,” answered Kyle. “When we are healed by Max, we are changed slightly. We can access all those abilities that we as humans can't access yet.”

“So Max made you more like us?” asked Michael, remembering what Nasedo had said back in the morgue of Eagle Rock.

“What?” came the voice of Max.

“When Nasedo was teaching me how to change my finger print, back in Eagle rock, he told me something. He told me that everything we can do is human. We were just programmed to be several thousands years ahead of mankind, that's all” He explained, proud of how he linked it into the conversation at had.

“Exactly... we have become more advanced than most because we were healed by Max. It's an advantage plus a disadvantage.” Kyle continued. “It means that Khivar can either brain wash as to be his followers... or”

“Use you as vessel for him.” Maria added quickly. All look at her surprised. “What... I can be intelligent you know!”

All feel silent, avoid her glare as she stood there defensive, her hand on her hip.

“Anyway... what Maria said was correct. He could use any one those people who have been healed to hold his consciousness for long periods of time.” Serena followed on after Maria's comment. “That's why I am here. I can sense when a person is being... let's say possessed. I also have the power to expel the person out of the vessel. However, I have to be with the person who has been healed for me to sense the possession... I call this house the safe house because it's exactly as it sounds... a safe house. This house has technology installed that will deflect the transmitters that are used to send the consciousness to the vessel. It is also safe from intruders at the push of a black round button that can be located by the light switch by the front door. Press it and steel doors block all windows and doors, reinforced with an invisible shield.”

“Even so Liz shouldn't be here. It's not safe” Max concluded. He was evident Liz wouldn't be here. He needed her back in Roswell, so she was away from the threat that had stalked her.

Serene shook her head lightly and shocked Liz slightly as she placed her hand on hers. “She's better off here, Max. This is the most secure building in the UK or New Mexico. This house was build for the purpose of keeping unwanted visitors outside.”

Liz smiled at Max. “See. There is no way you are getting rid of me now.”

“Liz... you know that wasn't what I meant. I just worry about you and now...” He smiled as he remembered. “the baby... and you haven't been all that well.” His hand wondered from her leg to her stomach where their child lay.

“How far along are you Liz?” Serena asked sensitively.

Liz blushed as she remembered the one time she had made love with Max. It seemed like years away but was only a couple of days ago. “A few days but if the flash we had is right I'd say the baby was 3 or 4 months.”

“Sounds about right to me. You will find the sickness, dizziness and fainting will disappear completely in a couple of weeks, but until then they can come at any point. But I assure you... everything will be just as normal as a human pregnancy... maybe just a little quicker than the normal.”

“How much quicker?”

“It maybe say... four or five months less than a normal human pregnancy because she isn't one of the hybrids. Tess' was only a month because of the fact she was hybrid. Since you aren't alien you might have the child after 4 or 5 months, but either way your child should be completely healthy. Just don't stress yourself and under no condition are you to go out with the others if Khivar rears his ugly head... we cannot risk it. Since you are pregnant... he could not want you because you have Max's baby or he might want you more. Because of the prophecy he will want you anyway because you are powerful, but being pregnant also means he has a child to take in as his own.. as an heir. But as long as you don't go outside with out me you shall be fine.”Serena said as she stood from the table, picking up the bag, which was on the floor. “Please excuse me... I need to go for a little while. I have a few more of my kind to check in with, we have made several safe points, other safe houses just in case we should need it and the others are getting worried about the fact you are here. I just need to set their minds at rest. Bye.” She bowed her head quickly before leaving the room.

All remained in silence. One by one they each left, leaving Max and Liz in the chair. “Wow.” Max exclaimed quietly. “We are having a child.”

Liz nuzzled her cheek into the nook of his shoulder, a blissful sigh blessing her lips. “Just months ago I thought I wasn't going to have children and would die alone. I didn't in a million years think that I'd be here, not dying and with a baby on the way.”

Max pressed his lips to her temples. “I can't believe I almost lost you,” he breathed tearfully. “If you hadn't of come home when you did... I don't know how I would be if I knew you were dead. I can't stand the thought of a world without Liz Parker to brighten it up a bit with her smile. Without you in the world everything would seem so dull... so dead.”

Liz ran her fingers over his collar bone. “That's something you don't need to worry about.. I'm not going anywhere... literally. It's going to drive me crazy! I need to have my freedom but being pregnant just seems to limit all the things I can do.”

Max pulled away slightly so he could be face to face with Liz. He gently pulled away a piece of her hair from her face, he swept his finger through her hair, down to her ear where he turned it down to her cheek. “It has to be done Liz. I don't want anything happening to you. You need to be out of danger.” He watched as Liz tried to suppress a small yawn, which just turned it in to a large one that made her face scrunch up. “and by the looks of things you need your rest.” His grip on her body tightened as he stood, swiftly moving through the house.

At the top of the stairs he felt Liz's hand rest on his chest. “Max... I need to go speak to Tess.”

“Liz...” his tone disapproving. “You need to rest.”

“I know and I will... I just want to talk to Tess about something...” Her hand crept to his cheek. “I'll be a couple of minutes. Promise.” Max went to speak, his mouth open, yet he snapped it shut, nodding reluctantly. Reaching into his pocket he took out his mobile. “I better check in with Alex, make sure Matthew is behaving himself.”

* * * * * * *

Liz stood outside Tess' door, unable to knock on the door, sweat building on her forehead. She didn't know why she was so nervous, she just was. It felt like she was going to take a test at school, nervous about nothing because she knew that she would come out of it doing great as she usually did. She knew she had nothing to worry about when it came to Tess yet it didn't stop her from feeling this way. She quickly straightened out her black top before she finally brought her hand on the door, knocking softly.

As Tess open the door Liz could see the tear tracks that stained her friends face and instantly she knew the things that had happened over the last few days were catching up with her. As soon as Tess realised who was stood at the door Liz could feel the wind warp over her. She frowned slightly. She knew Tess was guarded, yet didn't realise how much.

“Hi,” Tess greeted Liz meekly, her lip trembling.

“Hi... umm... can I come in.” She replied nervously, a feeling of intrusion overwhelmed her, but this was something she had to do. Tucking her hair behind her ear she waited for Tess to turn her away.

But Tess just backed away from the door, leaving it open as she sat on the bed. As Liz closed the door, Tess felt uneasy, almost wishing Liz was there. All she wanted to do was lie on her bed and cry. “So...” She muttered uncomfortably as she fiddled with the blanket on her bed. When Liz was around they didn't get on, now they did but it didn't stop Tess from not knowing what to say to her. They didn't have much in the line of conversation apart from Max and Matthew.

“So...” Liz said in just the same way as Tess, her hands crossed above her chest in a comforting way. “Um... Tess. The reason I came here was... because... God... I can't believe I am going to tell you this of all people.” She paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “I'm scared.” Tess' head shot up. “I'm scared of going through this because I am human... I'm scared that something will happen that is not normal in comparison to human pregnancy... I'm terrified my baby won't make it past birth.”

“Liz... Serena told you it will all be okay...” She said reassuringly.

“I know... But I need to know from you... what to expect when the time comes. It's not even like I am going to know exactly when this will happen.” Liz lent against the wall.

Tess, who was shocked, stood and approached Liz, taking her by the shoulders she lead Liz back to where she had just been sitting. “I'm not going to lie to you... it's going to be a difficult birth. But at the end of it all... you will have this tiny person that you and Max created. This perfect little person who will love you unconditionally. A person you will fall in love with the moment you set eyes on. It will be like falling in love with Max all over again. A one perfect moment when you realise that your life has changed for the better. Focus of that Liz and try not to think about anything else.”

Liz nodded, her fears quashed slightly. “Thanks,” She hesitated slightly. “Tess...”

“Yes?”

“I hope you don't think I went out of my way to take Max away from you... It wasn't something I planned... I – I” She jumped as she felt Tess' hand clutch hers.

“I know you didn't take him away from me. Truth is I never truly had him... We were so distant from one another. When you and Max split up my only focus seemed to be on making Max happier. I thought that maybe we could both find a way to love each other... It didn't happen. He didn't love me... and this time apart has made me realise I didn't love him.”

“You didn't?” Liz asked confused.

Tess shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing slightly as she did so. “Nope. It was just something Nasedo made me believe. It completely pushed aside how I truly felt about Max and the people around me. Like you... I didn't hate you. I was envious of you because you had the one thing I was told I was destined to have. You also had the one thing I wanted.”

Liz frowned. “What?”

“A family. Trust. I haven't had that. Nesado was cold, your family was warm. You had these wonderful people around you... and I was jealous. When you left and I took your place by Max's side everyone was warmer to me yet it was never the same. You were what brought life to the group... and I am glad you are back... because it has stirred the group back to life and made Max happier than I have seen him in years.”

Liz cocked her to the side. “So why the tears?”

Tess' mind warp dropped exposing the tears that were falling. She looked so vulnerable to the woman next to her. She was lost. “Because... I... I won't find happiness like you have with Max.”

“You could... you just have to find the right person.”

Tess sighed. “I have... but we won't have anything to do with me...”

“Why not?”

“Because the last time we truly spoke to each other... he blamed me for Jim's death.”

Liz searched her mind, the cogs turning more slowly than usual. Suddenly there the answer was. “Kyle.” she stated. Tess nodded. “I am sure he didn't mean it.”

“He did,” Tess argued quickly.

“Okay... what if he did? It doesn't stop the way he really feels about you.”

“Yes it does. I have never seen anyone look at me in that way before. Like he hated me. The only time I saw that look was when Nasedo told me I had done something wrong, accusing me of wanting to keep him here on earth.” She shifted uncomfortably as she compared the looks in her mind.

Liz put her arm around Tess. “But the way I saw him look at you down stairs earlier tells me different.” She stood and walked to the door.

“What do you mean?” Tess asked, not believing she didn't realise Kyle had been looking at her.

“If he hated you... why did he look at you like you were the love of his life?” She didn't say goodbye to Tess as she walked out of the room, she knew Tess was still reeling from what she had just heard. Liz knew Kyle inside and out and that look was not a look of hate. He was hurting but it still didn't mask the fact he loved Tess, she just hoped that she had pushed Tess to confront Kyle and prayed Kyle accepted what was in front of his eyes.

PART TWENTY SEVEN

Kyle was sat by the French doors, looking out on to the balcony, watching the rain still pour from the sky. A lot had changed in just a day. He was officially sucked back in, even though he never really left the abyss, yet something told him he was now more a part of it than he was before he left. Something in his gut told him something was about to change, something he hoped for.

He looked out at the clouded sky. To everyone it seemed like the sun was lost amongst the clouds, searching endlessly to appear from the cloud. He could see it at times just peering out from behind the curtain, but dashing back in when it got scared. It summed him up perfectly at that moment, summed him up completely. He was lost amongst a fog, a fog he had forced around himself to prevent any more hurt, any more pain. He could remember the moment that fog appeared like it was just yesterday. He could almost taste the pain on his tongue. It tasted like acid.

***** Flashback*****

He walked nervously to his bedroom. Tonight was the night he was going to tell Tess how he felt about her, tell her that she was more than just a friend or a sister like figure to him. He loved her and he needed to tell her that. The only reason he had told her otherwise at the prom was he was scared, scared of the rejection, but that didn't matter any more. He needed to do this.

The pink rose was clasped in his hand, behind his back as he padded towards the door.

His heart was racing, sweat was building on his forehead and his legs felt like jelly, yet he was used to it. It was generally the way he felt when ever he was around Tess and she had no idea. She had no idea what it did to him to see her walking around in one of his shirts and how her hair bounced as she strutted around the place. She had no idea that he could get lost in those piercing blue eyes of hers as she laughed at one of his stupid jokes or the way she called him 'Buddha boy' instead of Kyle. Since that Christmas he had been carrying around with him this weight on his shoulders, a weight which told him that he needed to tell Tess how he felt or it would crush him, transforming him into jelly.

A smile crept upon his lips at about what he was about to do because he knew she felt the same way. It was in every movement, in every smile and in every small thing she did. It was in how she hummed his favourite song as she made him breakfast in the morning. It was in how she let him watch basketball when she wasn't all that interested in it personally. It was in the way she went and watched him play basketball, tending to his injuries during time out.

His hand rested on the door knob. He turned it slightly, not wanting to wake Tess if she was awake. The door open slightly and he peered in. The room was alive with candle light that came from the flames dancing on the candles that were placed around the room. Quietly music filled the atmosphere. He pushed the door open a bit more. As he forced his head around the door a bit more, his smile faded. There lying in the arms of Max Evans was Tess, naked. Their bodies laid entangled together, their hands silently stroking each others skin as if they had no control over them. Neither had noticed the door opening or even noticed Kyle staring at them, one tear tracing down his cheek.

He backed away, dropping the rose on the floor as he did so.
*****End of flashback*****

That was the moment the fog surrounded his body, making him lost and pushing him away from the people he cared for.

That was the moment his heart broke.

He pushed himself out of the chair towards the kitchen, all of a sudden hungry for any thing unhealthy, a habit he adopted the day his father had died. He stopped by the stairs edging closer towards the door, as he heard the soft whisper fill the kitchen.

“Wow. So you had fun at the UFO centre with Uncle Alex?” She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. When Alex had threatened to take Matthew there she hadn't thought he would actually do it. She knew Matthew would see no sense in it. He knew all the stuff in there wasn't true, it was all from the imagination from mad men, or so she believed. “I'm fine... I just miss you sweetheart.” She paused, her eyes closed. She had just lied to her empathic child. She didn't want to fill his mind with all the feelings she had towards Kyle. It wasn't the sexual side she wanted to hide from him, it was the reason in which Kyle and Tess stopped talking to each other, how they fell out. “I have to go baby. I love you... bye.”

Kyle was now lent on the door frame, his head resting on it as he watched Tess sat at the counter on one of the stools that reminded him so much of the Crashdown, it was the sole reason for buying it. It reminded him of home. Her head was in her hands as soon as she placed the phone back on the cream wall. The sun finally appeared from the window. It shone down on her making her look like a lost angel. Her long blonde tresses covered her face, the sleeves of her flowing white top falling down to expose her arms. Kyle could see her slight arms trembling as she cried.

This was a sight he hadn't seen in the whole time he had known her. She had always been guarded and introverted, so seeing her like this was maybe why he rushed to her side. Maybe he gathered her into his arms and held her close to him, because he hated to see a girl cry. Or maybe he held her tight because he loved her. Either way he went to her, all past moments forgotten and for the moment forgiven.

Soon they pulled apart and Kyle sat on the stool next to her, Tess' gaze followed him. Neither spoke for a little while, both feeling awkward yet at ease all at once. “What's wrong?” Kyle finally started.

Tess' gaze fell on him, ready to talk yet she bottled it instead placing her hand on his red t-shirt, drying the tear stains that were on it. “I miss Matthew.” she replied lamely, lying through her teeth. Of course she missed Matthew, but it wasn't why she had broken down.

“Oh,” Kyle sighed. “Matthew.”

Tess' eyebrows came together in a frown. “What else did you think it could be?”

Kyle took a deep breath debating on whether to go there or not. But he had to know. “I thought it might have something to do with the fact Max is with Liz.” he blurted out quickly. He looked away onto the floor, expecting world war three to erupt in his very home. Yet it didn't and after a moment of silence he finally looked back up. Tess was looking at him.

“I have no problem them being together... for some reason it just seems right that they finally found each other.” Kyle snorted in disbelief making Tess to reply sternly. “Really.”

His eyes narrowed onto her searching for the Tess he had left back in Roswell. “Yeah... like I should believe that you would let your destiny pass through your fingers.” He snorted, remembering the way Tess had been.

“Yeah I would...” She replied, ignoring the comment. “B-because I don't love him Kyle... I was in love with the idea that there was this one person destined to be with me, waiting for me with his arms wide open. I was in love with an idea Nasedo drilled into my head... I wasn't in love with Max... I never was.”

Kyle shifted uncomfortably on the stool. He hadn't expect Tess to talk about her feelings for Max in such a way. He had always thought she felt that they were destined together for all eternity, no one else mattered. “Then... then why did you sleep with Max?”

Tess bit her lip as she thought about that question. It was complicated. She had felt compelled to do it, Ava's influence obvious to her now, yet at the time it felt so natural because she had been told that was what she had to do. As she thought back on that night she realised that she felt a bit emotional, like a part of her was crying out not to be there, to turn back time stopping the whole event. “I don't know... all I do know is that I didn't want to. It didn't feel right.. not with him.”

“If not Max... who?” Kyle couldn't stop himself asking the question, it just flew out of his mouth like he was breathing.

Tess jumped off the stool, placing her hand on his chest as she forced him to look her in the eye, to confront her own feelings. “You know the answer to that question.” She backed away, her hand lingering on his chest until all that she could only touch him with the tips of her fingers.

She padded quickly across the kitchen leaving Kyle sat there his body telling to go after her and not let her out of his life again. Something in the back of his mind niggled at him, almost trying to throw him off the stool and to her so he stood, his feet moving quickly as he made his way to her. Grabbing her arm he turned her around gently to face him. Blue met blue as they gazed into each others eyes, the sunlight playing with the colour of them. There they saw mixed emotions of hurt and unforgotten memories yet they also saw raw passion and undeniable love. Each second they moved a bit closer until they were just a breath away from each others lips. Neither knew you took the next step as their lips collided with each other yet that didn't matter. It didn't matter because they were finally admitting their feelings to each other and they carried on admitting them to each other as they backed out of the kitchen door.

They continued as soon as the Kyle's bedroom door slammed closed and they slowly backed on to his bed, each piece of clothing disappearing beneath their hands as they caressed each other. Painfully. Tenderly.

* * * * * * *

Liz smiled to herself as she heard the door of kyle's room slam shut, the lock being welded. “Finally,” she breathed, finally able to close her eyes and follow her lover into slumber.

* * * * * * *

Maria sat on the widow ledge of their bedroom, a brush tracing through her long blonde hair thinking about what it would be like to be Mrs Maria Guerin. Just the mere thought fired her heart and soul in to sheer excitement. Every moment she pulled the brush through her hair she couldn't contain the smile beaming out to the world. She only smiled like this when it was something wonderful yet had to be kept under wraps, like her first kiss with Michael where they both silently agreed it would only be between themselves. She had a smile so bright on her face it lit up the room as soon as she entered it. It was always a smile that made Liz wary.

Yet this was a smile she wanted announced to the world because she didn't want to keep a secret, she didn't want to hide away and pretend to the world it didn't happen. She wanted to scream from the roof tops that she would soon become Mrs Guerin!

The sound of Tess' slight moan caught Maria's attention, bringing her back to reality. She gave the wall menacing evils, she didn't want to hear that sort of thing going on in the room next to her. Her evils turned to soft pools of love as they fell on to Michael who was peacefully sleeping on the bed, his rugged hair flattened slightly where he had been sleeping on it. She watched his bare chest rise and fall, the rhythm taking her to a deep trance. She could feel every last one of those breaths filling his body renewing every cell's energy. He was still suffering from lack of sleep and she knew why. He had spent the night staring at the ceiling wondering what if it had been Maria lying on that bathroom floor instead of Liz. How would he have coped with out her in his life? She had seen it all the moment he kissed her when they entered the room earlier on. He was worried about her and it warmed her heart.

She placed her brush on the window ledge and pulled her legs to her chest, stretching Michael's black t-shirt over them. She rested her head on the window peering out on English life, not that she could see much from there with the rain obscuring her view. A rain that had made the sudden burst of sunlight seem like a distant memory, not that it mattered whether or not it was sunny. The place was so isolated you could hardly see a thing other than green trees or fields. Green field after green field made Maria feel home sick. She was used to the stretches of the desert and although the grass was much more prettier than the brown sand, it wasn't the same. It wasn't home.

As she darted her eyes across the green, her attention snapped back to a figure limping towards the house. She couldn't make out the face, yet knew that the rain soaked figure was Serena. She was instantly on her feet, shoving a pair of battered jeans on and trying to pull Michael from the bed.

“Maria... leave me alone,” he said annoyed flicking her arm away as she tried to pull at him. “Maria!” He practically shouted as he grabbed her wrist, half trying to pull her back onto the bed.

“Michael! Serena's walking towards the house...” She started frantically.

Michael sighed as he lent up on his arms. “So? Aren't people allowed to walk these days?”

Maria slapped his arm before explaining. “But I was sure she went out in a car and who is stupid enough to walk across the grounds in the rain!”

Michael finally nodded in agreement. “But what do you want me to do about it?”

Maria screamed quietly with frustration, Michael just didn't understand at times. So she pushed him out of the bed, in just his boxers. “Just look out the window and tell me what you make of it.” Her finger darted towards the window as he hesitated. “Go! Look!”

Michael looked at Maria as if she was crazy for a split second before relenting and going to the window, just to shut her up. He searched the green. “I see nothing.” He declared as he turned back to bed, hoping for a couple more hours sleep. But Maria's arms pushing him towards the window told him he wasn't going to get any until he saw what she wanted him to see.

“There!” she pointed out on the window pane and sure enough there was Serena, limping quickly towards the house. His eyes fluttered towards just a couple of meters away from Serena and they widened in horror.

“Go!” he yelled as he turned Maria towards the door. “Go get Max. I think we have trouble.” He threw on some jeans before he ran for the stairs, practically jumping down them and racing towards the front door. He threw it open and dashed outside, bare chested, the rain drenching him the moment he stepped out.

Serena was just a couple of meters away. Dodging every last blast that were aimed at her back from the line of skins that were marching towards the safe house. Soon they were focused on both of them. The skins marched slowly, side by side as they threw blasts at the two Antarians. Most of the purple shots missed them, hitting the front of the house leaving small scorch marks on the white paint. Michael dodged them as best as he could as he ran towards Serena and quickly picked her up in his arms, making a run for it as quickly as he could back to the house. Serena clung on as she threw her hand out towards the moving skins, giving as much as she got.

* * * * * * *
Max dashed out the bedroom door, Liz in toe, yet he stopped for a second to throw Liz back against the bed when he saw the look on Maria's face. It could only mean one thing and he wasn't going to risk it.

“Max!” Liz bit as she tried to get back off the bed.

He glared at her not to argue with him. “You promised you wouldn't get involved. Now you are staying here until I say so!” He quickly closed the door on Liz as she charged at him. His hand glowed over the lock. He turned towards Maria. “It won't hold her for long, but it will keep her distracted for a while. When she gets out, stop her. I don't care how you do it. Just do it.”

“Ok.” she whispered to her commands, she didn't know how she was going to stop her best friend, but she would definitely try with all her might.

* * * * * * *

Michael felt like he had been running for what seemed hours but was only a couple of seconds. Everything was happening in slow motion to him, the blasts flew past his head taking for ever to finally hit the wall. His eyes were focused on the door, all his might driving him towards it. His hair stuck to his face, blocking some of his view yet he was determined. His spirits lifted the moment Max came into view.

It was also the moment when he felt the pain ripple through his body, making his spine rigid. He flew through the air, his hold on Serena still intact. Once he landed on the muddy ground he forced himself to stand up and ignore the pain. In seconds he was back on his feet, Max running out past him, his shield protecting them as they backed up against towards the door.

* * * * * * *

“Let me out!” Liz screeched as she pulled at the door with all her strength. She had to go out there. She had to be where the action was.

“Sorry Chica. I'm not allowed to let you out.” Maria apologised through the door. As soon as she said that the lock clicked and the door flung open, Liz's green eyes glaring out at the world. “Liz...” Maria pleaded cautiously. “Liz you can't go!”

“I can!” Liz replied fiercely as she made her way towards the stairs, her legs practically running, a pace that dwindled as she got to the stairs. Her legs were wobbling as she lost all balance.

Maria ran to her side, helping her up. Steadying her she lead Liz back. “You can't Liz. Max knew that this would happen.” Liz started to cry out of frustration and hormones.

“I need to go and be with him! With them! I'm not totally useless! I've had the training to!”

“I know you want to be there... but you need to be here. But if you want to see what's going on... you can look out my window.”

* * * * * * *

“Where is she?” Khivar asked under his breath as he walked behind his troops of skins. Knowing Liz he would have expected her to be there at the front defending her home, yet was no where to be seen. His eyes scanned the windows of the large house. He could see Tess, Kyle and Isabel all making it down the stairs gathering around the door and pulling Michael and Serena back into the house. Max edged closer to the door while the skins maintained position a couple of meters away.

His eyes scoured the house one last time.

“Sir!” came a shout from one of his female soldiers. Her pale face and white blonde hair looked bright white against the dark outside. Just an hour ago it had suddenly became sunny then the sun disappeared as the rain decided it wanted to play havoc once again. “I've spotted her! She is in the top left window of the house”

Khivar nodded, a smile on his face. “Fire at her. Lower the intensity I want her alive...”

* * * * * * *

Max finally made it into the front door, his shield still around the door. The troops started moving quickly towards the door, thinking they had them completely surrounded. Max let down the shield for a couple of seconds to allow Isabel and Tess to send blasts out towards the skins that were approaching.

“Sit.” Kyle commanded Michael as he pushed him into the kitchen. “Face away from me.”

“Why?” asked Michael cautiously, yet in an impatient manner.

Kyle just spun the stool around making Michael face the cabinets. “So I can heal this.” He placed his hand just millimetres from Michael's burnt skin. Kyle had no need to touch him or even connect with him. With in seconds his hand glowed and the bare back of Michael was now healed.

Once it was done Michael swung back around, nodded quickly and ran towards the door. “Maxwell! Get away from the door.” His hand hovered over the emergency button that Serena had told them about. Once Max was in he flashed the skins a quick smile before he slammed his hand on the button, instructing the steel walls to clamp shut on every door and window in the place, plunging it into complete darkness. All that could be heard was the harsh breathing from each individual.

That was until they heard the scream that came from up stairs.

“MARIA!”

* * * * * * *

PART TWENTY EIGHT

Maria watched helplessly at what was going on downstairs. About 50 skins soldiers stood in a line, their blasts directed towards the one thing that meant the world to her. Michael. She screamed as she watched him fall to the ground, Serena in his arms. A sigh of relief flooded over both her and Liz as they watched Max rush ahead as Michael got to his feet, the soldier in him not allowing defeat. From the window it all went in slow motion as they started to watch in horror the small army push forward.

Something in the horizon of the murky countryside caught Maria's attention. There seemed to be a group of about 10 skins, huddled together at what seemed like a gun. She watched as one woman, her white hair and pale face distinguishable in the darkness around her, walk up to a man his long blonde hair tumbling around his shoulders. He appeared an ordinary, attractive and young man until she noticed the darkness of his eyes.

*Khivar* she thought to herself.

She couldn't tear her eyes away as the woman turned to the skins, her arm in the air as a signal and brought it down quickly.

“FIRE!”

The black blast came hurtling at them, at Liz. Maria went into a trance, her body taking over as she pushed Liz to the ground, turning back to the window in time to see the blast burst through the glass and hit her in the chest, sending her flying against the wall.

Her body absorbed the shot, black lines sparking all over her body then disappearing into nothing. Suddenly the whole room came pitch black as the window shutter slammed shut.

“Maria? You ok?” she heard Liz gasp.

Maria nodded. “It doesn't seem to affect hum...” Her body started to glow a bright white light as she started to convulse. Her blonde hair shook just as violently as she did as she was thrown to the floor.

“MARIA!” Liz screamed as she searched for something to put in her friends mouth. She searched frantically on the surfaces until she came to the hairbrush that had been thrown to the floor after the blast. She quickly picked it up from the floor and pulled Maria's head into her hands. She tried to maintain her hold on Maria's head, managing as soon as Tess came into the room placing her hands on Maria's head. Soon the handle of the hair brush was in Maria's mouth and all anyone could do was sit back and wait for the seizure to stop.

* * * * * * *

Michael swept away Maria's damp hair as her episode calmed down to a slight twitch every now and then. The white glow had also dimmed to a slight sheen on her skin, like glitter powder. However it was more harmful than it appeared.

Liz reached her hand out again, Max grabbed her wrist sharply. “Liz.” he said sternly. She pulled away just as quickly, remembering the shock she had received the last four times she had done so. There was something about the glow that made her want to reach out and touch it, it entranced her. It was as if she was compelled to touch it yet had the shock of something nasty, like a pretty flower that has thorns.

“So... this won't... harm her in any way?” asked a worried Michael who held Maria close to him, suffering shocks from the need to have contact with her. The pain in his expression was from the shocks, shocks that delved straight to your very core, but from the belief he could have prevented this. He sat there stroking her hair berating himself for not being more forceful, for being more stern, for being more Michael. This one moment he regretted letting his wall down that day because if he hadn't of Maria wouldn't be lying on the floor right now.

Serena sighed as she realised Michael had now asked that question roughly one hundred times. At first she thought it was adorable that he cared that much, it then turned into a enough is enough later turning in to a case of ...

*if he asks me that question one last time I'll have to tape his mouth shut.*

Her hand landed on his arm. “For the last time Michael... she's going to be fine. This kind of weapon is used to stun and cause both distress and pain... but yes she will be fine. There is no lasting problems after a shot like this and the glow will disappear the moment she wakes.” He nodded acceptance finally visible in the way his hold weakened slightly.

The glow disappeared as soon as he did so.

* * * * * * *

“So what do you think we are going to do with those guys?” Tess pointed at the window, sure that the skins were still stood outside, hands at the ready.

Kyle shrugged as he pulled her close, his chin resting on her head as she lent her head on his shoulder. Neither cared about the way Isabel looked at them, disgust over the fact she actually decided to go down stairs to give Maria room not realising what had occurred between the two earlier that day. “I guess we just wait and see what they are going to do... or we come up with something before they try to attack... which by the way is completely impossible. The shielding around the house will stop them from getting through.”

Isabel rested her chin in her hand as she lent on the kitchen surface. Her other made small circles in the black marble surface. “Do you believe what Serena said back there?” She asked her attention never leaving the work top.

“Yes... why?” Kyle asked cautiously.

“Well... you have to admit the fact that all the other 'protectors'” she said using air quotations. “turned on her just seems a bit off. All of those people out there are supposed to be our protectors, yet they are in alliance with Khivar... we can't be sure she isn't one of them as well can we?”

Kyle let go of Tess, taking a defensive stride forward. He stood tall over Isabel, his face stern and angry. “She is NOT one of those people. She isn't a killer. She wouldn't intentionally try to hurt anyone! Don't let me hear you say that again... or you will end up outside with them!” His finger pointed towards the window.

Isabel turned her gaze away. “I'm sorry... it's just... I dunno. I find it hard to trust someone after what Ava did. She really had us believing that we were her friends. But she tortured the people I care about. She hurt them... and god. Think about what might have happened to Liz's baby... if... if they had stayed there. Think about what life Liz could have ended up living if we didn't manage to get there in time.” She lifted her glass to her lips taking a big gulp before she looked at Kyle, her voice sincere. “Sorry.”

He nodded. “It's okay. She had to prove herself for me to be able to trust her myself...” he smiled sheepishly. “I suppose i over reacted because I know she isn't like that. The others I don't know. She wouldn't let them met me... as if she had her suspicions.”

“That I did.” came a voice from the hallway. Serena limped into the room her held high ready for any bashing criticism or theories she was involved but instead receiving Isabel rushing to her side taking her to the stool she had just vacated. Her blood dried eye brows came together as she looked at the woman leading her to the stool. “Why?” she asked in confusion. “I thought...”

“That I would think this was all your fault that you lead them here?” Isabel filled in the blanks of Serena's question. “I did. For a moment.”

“So what changed?”

Isabel cocked her head towards Kyle. “He trusts you. That's what changed. It takes a lot for Kyle Valenti to trust... and for him to have such trust in you must mean that you are safe.”

“Thanks,” Serena whispered as she downed the rest of Isabel's water.

Tess shifted into the seat next to Serena. “So... what actually happened out there?”

Serena looked at Tess. “The beginning of world war three.”

*****Flashback*****

Serena waved her hand over the rock formation that laid at the bottom of the old abandoned chalk mine that was just a couple of miles away from the house. The silver hand print was just about visible in the bright white chalk it was hiding in. She placed her warm hand on the cold wet surface, white was left on her hand when she pulled it away, watching the door open before her.

She hesitated for a moment. Something felt wrong, from the light that shone down on her, to the air around her. Something was off. Something just wasn't right about it. She peered into the dark hole. Even the chamber it's self seemed wrong. She had her suspicions for a while now that the group of 'protectors' she had been assigned to weren't exactly playing by the rules of the game. The game was to protect the royal four and, if the prophecy was true, Max's chosen one and keep Khivar at bay. But some how there was something in the eyes of the others that screamed they were playing on the other side. The one person she practically knew was in Khivar's court was Azaria.

She charged into the chamber, her held high, ready for some sort of confrontation if not from just Azaria but the rest of them. As she set foot in the chamber she knew what was coming. She could feel it in the air around her, it made it stale and smelt of death. She made her way down a narrow corridor paved with black marble, lit by flames that never seemed to go out. For the 50 years she had been on earth she hadn't seen those flames die down, in the same way she didn't. She didn't seem to age on earth. Her people, who did in general look like humans anyway, aged much like those on earth but for some reason she didn't age here. When she had left Antar she was barely 20, fresh out of the academy, and still looked just as young 50 years on.

She marched in her youthful stride down the corridor until she came to a slightly parted door, a door that was always locked even when there was someone inside. Her hands started to tremble, something she had declared she would never do because it was a useless human emotion, one that the Antarians were taught to quash when they were in the academy. But something about the door itself just made her scared. This didn't feel right.

She stepped towards the door, pushing it slightly open enough to peer through. The room was blanket of darkness. No light escaped into the room so she stepped in and closed it behind, counting to ten to calm her fears. She knew who was here. As soon as she reacted the number ten in her mind appeared the one thing she was expecting. The white eyes wondered around the room as Azaria darted around the room looking for information. Serena moved towards the lamp that she knew was just inches away from her hand and flicked it on startling the woman who was in the room with her.

“Well well. What do you think you're doing?” Serena sneered, a sneer that displayed the sound of horror that was in the back of her throat as she found five of the other protectors slumped across the table, blood oozing from their mouths. She made sure she didn't seem appalled by the scene as she focused just on Azaria.

Azaria flicked her white blonde hair over her shoulder as she approached Serena. “What do you think Rena? We both know you ain't stupid.”

“You won't find what you are looking for there, you know?” Serena bit back a smile as she tried to remain straight faced. The fact that Azaria was looking for it in the conference room was hilarious, they both knew it was in her mind. Locked away in her mind.

Azaria smiled. “I know.” She took another step forward. “I know exactly where I can locate the Royal Four... and the chosen one.” Azaria took another step forward. Her finger traced over Serena's cheek, as she froze her to the spot with fear, a talent that was unearthed at the academy when they were both in skill development class together. After years just their mere presence in the room meant that Azaria could freeze them to the spot, making them unable to move whether or not they wanted to. Serena's eyes darted towards Azaria.

“You can't.” Serena smirked. “You aren't powerful enough for that... not for the mind rape. I thought you would have realised that years ago Azaria.”

“I know.” she whispered into her ear, her breathing heavy with excitement. “But He isn't.”

Serena's muscles grew tense as her eyes widened. Her hands clenched into small balls. If she could of she would have ran like the wind, praying to God to escape. “No. He can't, not if he's in a human body.” she tried to remind both Azaria and herself. Her heart was thumping with panic in her chest.

“What if I were to say he was actually here?” she leered. “What if I should say he was just a hundred miles above your head in a ship...” she lifted her hand to show what she clutched in it. It was a small black square device with a blue symbol in the corner that was much like the symbol found on Max's pendent. In the middle was a small blue button. “What if I were to press this button and open a wormhole that would bring him here.”

“That's not possible,” Serena stated half hoping it was impossible.

“It is.” Azaria announced with pride as she pressed her thumb hard into the device that shot a blue beam at the wall. In the middle of the wall a swirling white circle appeared. Blue and green beams of energy crackled within it as the energy surged inside. In a flash it was gone and in it's place stood Khivar in all his glory. His long blonde hair flowed down his back and his coal black eyes sparked with red energy that crossed the black as he searched the room. He was taller than she had seen him on the projectors back on Antar. He would easily tower over most men she knew and his muscular build seemed to made his dominance over all creature seem more powerful. To the untrained eye he looked almost God like dressed in his white Royal robes.

His search of the room stopped on Serena. A smile full of malice, which probably had once been cheeky and sweet in youth, erupted on his face. He didn't even speak a word as he gracefully wound his way round the table and the body of his enemies towards her, his hands outstretched, ready for taking the knowledge that he thought was his by right.

Serena tried to will her body to move, to break Azaria's tie on her body but couldn't even get herself to flinch as she felt his hands come to her face, his thumbs resting on her temples.

Suddenly all she felt was a searing pain that penetrated her skull, shattering any conscious thought into a hundred pieces and to the furthest corners of her mind, out of his way so he could take what he wanted. He knew she knew where his future Queen was. He could feel that knowledge leak through in her body language as she stood rigid under his hands. His own mind seeped through her consciousness like a dense fog, her mind loosing all ability to see where he was. Panicking she gathered all the information she had gathered in the last day into the back of her mind. She even forced herself to bury it so deeply it was as if it were erased completely from existence.

But he found it as soon as she closed the door on it. He ripped through the door like it was paper, soaking up all the information with glee as it all flashed through his mind. As soon as he let go of her head Serena crashed to the ground sobbing hard. She had failed her king, she had failed her mission. Azaria and Khivar left the room quickly, stupidly believing she wouldn't move from the floor where they had left her.

Once the door slammed shut behind her, her crying stopped dead and she shot a look at the door. They really had left. She jumped to her feet quickly, determined to get there before them. She may have failed to keep the Royals hidden away secretly but that didn't mean she couldn't get there first. Hey didn't know the short cuts to the safe house like she did. That information was hidden behind a fortress. One Khivar couldn't be bothered to go and find.

Soon she was walking to a secret door by the place in the wall that Khivar's worm hole had appeared. Shooting through it she darted out into the open air of the chalk pit. Shots hit her hard as she was spotted in the bright sunshine, her black clothing obvious in the white surroundings, shots that brought her to her knees for a moment. Rolling on to her back she shot the offending skins who were stood along the chalk ledge half way down the slope of the pit. Quickly she sent three shots, one on the right, left and centre of the ledge, making it crack and fall from the wall bringing the skins with it. Soon as they touched the ground they were dust.

*****End of flashback*****

“I quickly jumped back onto my feet and sprinted out of the pit and along the country paths that run through the field just about a mile away from here. I ran as quickly as a could hoping I would get here before they did. But they saw me as soon as I finally managed to see the house... The rest you all know.” she finished just as Kyle backed away from healing her wounds. “Thanks.” she whispered as she ran her fingers over her arm where the last shot had hit her. As usual Kyle had felt nothing. Not one mark as a reminder of all she had gone through, as if it didn't happen.

“So what are we going to do about them outside?” he asked as he went round to Tess, slipping his arm over her shoulder protectively.

“I don't know.” she replied watching the pair. Something had happened in the short time she had been gone. They had connected. She smiled slightly with remorse. She had always liked Kyle and had hoped that one day he would have seen past Tess enough to see her there waiting for him. Obviously he hadn't felt the same way, because he had connected, something you could only do with a person if you truly loved them. He loved Tess, she could see it in every movement he made. The way his fingers soothed her silently letting her know it would all be okay. Letting her know she was safe from the world outside with him by her side. Snapping out of her funk she stuttered her words. “I-I t-think that... that Max really should be the one to think about this. Not me. I'm just here to protect you... I don't know all the tactical stuff like you lot seem to.”

“Ava trained us,” Isabel muttered, the pain of her betrayal still beneath the surface. “She trained us so she would know what we would do when we tried to rescue Liz.”

“But hang on... I thought she took Max as well.” Serena asked confused.

Isabel nodded. “She did. But the original plan probably didn't involve Max at the time. She had been planning it for a long time... so she only thought Liz would be involved and would have probably expected Max to stick to the training he was given... well she stupidly took him as well leaving the people who weren't that likely to take the back door.” She smiled at the way they had just walked in, no questions asked by anyone stood at the door. It was completely unguarded. That fact was special because it stuck in her mind, but not like the way she saw the two skins disappear before her. That stuck in her mind as it yelled 'murderer!' at her. She felt guilty for the destruction of her enemy. Pushing it aside she carried on. “We were trained by her so she expected us to follow... what she didn't expect was us to use our brains for once.”


“Which we are going to do to deal with this problem.” Declared Max as he walked into the room, heading straight for the sink. He turned on the taps, running his hand under the cold water before splashing it on his face. Backing away he let the water drip down his face, removing all the dirt from his skin. “I won't let this monster run our lives any more.” His composer was calm and cool as he spoke, so cool it made the hair on the back of Isabel's neck stand up on end. She knew what he meant. She knew what he was asking of them. “We are going to use force.”

“But that means...” Isabel trailed off, her distaste at what he was asking her evident.

“It means we will have to kill, if it ensures our survival and our lives so be it.... I don't want to do it either... but I see no other alternative.”

“Well... what if we kept the death toll to a minimum at least?” Negotiated Serena, not wanting to kill all those people who she had once considered friends. “The only people we need to target is Azaria and Khivar, without them the group is without orders. Without orders they have no reason to fight. The likely reason the rest are fighting with them is Azaria putting on pressure, threatening all sorts. They mean no harm alone, without them they have no strong leader.”

“Then we could use Max to bring them back onto our side right?” asked Maria who bounced into the room, a picture of pure health. Of course she had Liz and Michael rushing behind her, worried at the way she had just come back to life in a matter of minutes. “Serena can you pleaseeeeeeeee tell these guys I'm fine!” She indicated behind her with her thumb. “I am fine... if anything I feel better than I did before I got shot!”

“You're not fine Maria!” argued Michael as he tried pulling her towards a stool to rest. “You were shot by an alien device! Lord knows what it will do to you since you are human!”

“Maria... Michael's right... you need to rest.” agreed Liz as she too tried to drag her friend to a stool.

Maria sent Serena a pleading look. She stood quickly, placing a hand on both Michael and Liz's shoulders pulling them away from Maria. “She's right. She's fine. That was just to temporarily disable a person, usually someone they want to capture, from action not to cause any long term damage.”

“That's why they fired it at Liz... wasn't it?” Asked Maria. As she sat on the stool out of her own accord, her mind whirling around processing things.

“What do you mean at Liz?” Max inquired, half glaring at Liz for not telling him this bit of important information.

“I.... I... well you know...” She started immediately wondering why she had a big gob. She just couldn't seem to ever keep it shut unless it was a secret about aliens. Liz shot Maria a forgiving look allowing her to actually start. “They had sent the shot directly at Liz and I saw it, knocking her out of the way before it hit her... but it got me instead.”

“Right! This is it!” Max declared to the group. “Enough is enough. I'm not having Liz or anyone of my friends being harmed by that guy again!”

“What do you think we should do Max? Go out there going... 'ohhh we have had enough of you... you have to leave now before I tell my mummy?'” smirked Kyle in his usual sarcastic manner, a manner which Max hadn't missed in the slightest. It was a manner that would usually have fired him up, making him what to hit Kyle with an energy blast, sending him half way across the world so he wouldn't have to deal with Kyle Valenti again.

This time he clenched his jaw and chose to ignore him. “We need a plan.” Tess' answered for Max, her hand on Kyle's her energy pleading him to stop having a go at Max. Kyle was tense and scared, she knew that. Sarcasm always came out then and when he wanted to wind up Max. This time it was because of his fear. Sarcasm always kept everyone from thinking he was terrified. But he couldn't hide from everyone this time. Tess knew him inside and out now, she could feel his rational fear.

“And I think I have one.” added Isabel, her arms folded as she came out of concentration.

PART TWENTY NINE

“No!” Yelled Max. “I won't use you as bait Izzy!”

“Why not? I was the one who betrayed you the last time... maybe I could make him believe that I would be willing to do it again this time in exchange for my own life.”
The pain of her betrayal in her past life was still fresh in her mind and even when she did finally tell the others about it a couple of years ago she still felt shame. They had taken it well, saying the exact thing she knew Michael would say next.

“But that was Vilandra! Not you!” He exclaimed. They had been through this conversation hundreds of times and it was starting to grate on him because she still felt responsible, like she was the one who had betrayed them. In reality he knew Isabel and she just wasn't that person.

“I know I'm not but he doesn't know that... It's our only hope.” She stated in a matter of fact way.

Liz stepped forward, her hand moved absently to her stomach as she approached. “It's not and think about Sophie... and Alex. Iz you can't do this. You have other people to look out for now. I want to know you will be able to watch Sophie growing up. I won't let you do something life threatening because of something I brought into your lives.”

“Liz...” Max started but she threw her hand up in the air.

“Stop it!” she barked. “I am not guilt tripping here. I'm not saying this is all my fault because I know it was all Ava's plan... but that doesn't make it entirely not my fault. He is here for me so I am not letting anyone,” she shot a look at Isabel. “Go out there. We do this as a team. We were pulled apart for a while because of Ava's meddling and we did exactly what she wanted. We weren't truly united. So I say we do this as a team. Me included.” Her emphasis on the last word made Max's head shoot up and within seconds he was taking a step forward, his hand out to try and make her see sense. “Max... no.”

“Liz.” came the stern voice of Serena, which slightly shocked everyone because it looked like Max had said it. “You know full well it won't be a good idea if you were to get involved.”

“I agree.” Nodded Tess as she lent against Kyle. “You aren't the only one who has someone to look out for. In fact... we all do.”

“Except us.” Kyle pointed out between Serena and himself. He quickly received an elbow in the stomach that took the breath out of him. “What was that for?” he cried as he rubbed the sore bit with his hand.

“What about me?” Tess asked fluttering her eye lashes to get his sympathy, yet in her tone she was really asking the question. They had just seen into each others souls just hours before and knew she wanted him for life. “Don't you have me to look out for?”

“Yeah... I do.” he replied with a smile, one that disappeared as his lips crashed onto Tess'.

“Ew... guys!” squealed Maria, her hand flying over her eyes. “I just got shot with some alien mojo and feeling a bit queasy here! Please don't make me sick.” She shot a smirk at them as they quickly jumped away. “Oh hang on... it wasn't the alien mojo that did it... it was hearing you two at it that made me queasy.”

The two of them blushed, pulling away like teenagers who had been caught making out by a teacher. “Look... can we just focus here?” snapped Isabel coldly. “I don't want to know what anyone gets up to. We need to figure out a way to stop this and to tell you the truth I still think my idea is the best so far.”

“It's not!” Added Michael.

“I agree with Michael,” included Max. “I am not loosing you. And anyway we all have a part in this. I'm not letting you go in alone.”

Liz's mind started ticking over. “I'm not letting you go in alone” Max's words repeated in her head over and over as the rest of the group they strongly discussed their ideas.

“Couldn't you just go out there and blast them all sky high?” Maria asked innocently.

Michael's head swung round to look at her properly. “Are you sane?” He demanded.

“Deadly.” Her hands flew to her hips as she stood up to face Michael face to face. “And since when haven't I been sane?”

“Since always.” smirked Isabel. “Come on!” she exclaimed defensively as Maria sent her a glare. “You are marrying Michael for Christ's sake! You CAN'T be sane!”

“HANG ON ONE SECOND!” She screamed as she directed her glare back at Michael. “You told ISABEL! I couldn't even tell Liz and .... you told ISABEL! God! I just can't believe you!” Michael failed to duck as she swiped across the back of the head, a move that made everyone laugh. “What happened to the God damn stone wall you had? I thought I was the one with the leaky gob!”

“What can I say... I learn from the best!” he jived, ducking at the right moment this time, but left a certain part of his anatomy unguarded as he smiled to the group. A smile that turned sour as pain surged from the place where Maria's knee was now embedded.

Once again the group were in stitches. “Good one Maria!” Yelled Kyle clapping. “I knew that would happen the moment he told u...s”

His words slowed to a stop as Maria's eyes narrowly focused on him. “You all knew but didn't think to tell me about this?”

“Well...” Serena started. “We wanted to ... but we wanted to see you whip his arse.” Everyone looked at Serena with shock. “What? Can't an English girl say such a thing?” a small smile crossed her lips. “Come on! I know you all wanted it to!”

Everyone smirked. They had all felt the same, even if they didn't voice it to each other. The glare they received from Michael just shut them up, no one brave enough to start speaking even though their minds were still on the way Maria had slapped Michael. It had been worth keeping their mouths shut.

Liz lent against the wall. This was what the group used to be like before the Future Max appeared at her window, before she was thrown into the whole situation with the skins, the dupes. This was what it had been like before, back in the day when they were all so innocent to the world. Before they were forced to fight for her freedom. She smiled slightly. They were still those people, just older. Time hadn't changed them in the slightest, the only difference was they were older and relationships had strengthened.

“I really think we should still use my idea...” Isabel broke through the silence, her arms crossed definitely, standing tall in her black leather trousers and her black top that just showed she meant business. Isabel spotted her reflection in the mirror and her mouth opened slightly in shock. She was wearing black. The day she married Alex was the day when her alien side seemed to be thrown into the wardrobe, her customary black clothes were thrown out of sight and right now to see it she knew it was the day she had been waiting for.

*****Flashback*****
*Out of sight... out of mind* she thought to herself as she neatly folded the black garments that she had worn when ever she meant business. After Liz had left the group it seemed like all interest in them had slowly disappeared completely, although they did have their troubles with the skins every now and then and bits of conflict with the FBI, so she had no use for the black any more, the black she wore when ever they were in alien trouble. She smiled slightly. *A fresh start. Maybe we can have a normal existence.*

She sighed sadly as she placed the leather trousers in the box. She loved those trousers, she felt sexy and a person not to be messed with when she wore them but she had to move on. She had taken the first step, she was now married to the man who was currently showering off the champagne she poured over his head, something she had done in the aim to give her enough time to lock away the rest of her alien life. She ran her fingers over the lid of the oak chest that her past life laid in.

In the chest lay everything she had ever known, everything she didn't want to know, everything she wanted to forget. Now she was to make a new life for herself, one she wouldn't want to forget. She wanted to make a life for herself, one that she was proud of. She needed to shut Vilandra, Zan, Rath, Ava, Khivar and Antar out of her life for a while. She needed this break now. She needed to take a step back, only then can she see what was really going on, to see if she was truly Isabel Whitman or Vilandra. But it was just that, a step back; a break. She knew she would be back at the chest, carefully removing her leather trousers and she knew she why. She knew it would be to face the one person who threatened her family. Alex, Max, Michael, Tess, Kyle, Maria and even Liz were her family and for them she would make the choice to use the one thing she knew that would save them. Herself. She let go of the breath she was holding as she swiftly shut the chest and turning the key that sat in the lock.

She smiled once again.
*****End of Flashback*****

“...After all I was once Vilandra.”

“No.” Michael, Max and Kyle said in unison.

“Hang on...” Started Liz. “She might be on to something.”

“You can't really expect Isabel to do something like that do you?” asked Tess, shock in her tone. “You can't expect her to hand herself over to Khivar for you ... do you?!”

“God! No! I'm not saying that!” retracted Liz quickly, hand on heart. “What I am saying is we could use her idea... but I have an idea of my own...”

* * * * * * * *

“Hello?” she heard the gruff sleepy voice crackle over the mobile phone she had clutched in her hand. She could just picture him lent on his one shoulder, the blanket slipping off his body slightly as he rubbed his tired eyes. She could just see his brown hair sticking up in all sorts of different angles and it made her chest tighten. “Hello?”

“Hi.” she whispered. “It's me.”

“Isabel?”

“Yeah.” She gingerly played with her hair as she looked at the picture of Alex that was now just placing back on her bedside table.

“How are you?”

“I'm okay... missing you and Sophie though.” She replied almost indifferent, like she didn't mean it. She closed her eyes, listening to his breathing. Just listening to it made her nervousness just disappear.

“I miss you to.” His voice cracked slightly. He really did miss her, even though for the last two days she had visited him in his dreams. “Iz... what's wrong?”

“Nothing.” she lied.

“Izzy...”

“Alex... There's nothing wrong. I-I just wanted to hear your voice that's all.” Once again it sounded like she was faking it and once again she lied. She missed out out the words 'just in case'. She walked towards the window of her room and rested her weary body against the frame, wishing she could see past the steel panels that were blocking her vision. She clicked her fingers turning the light off, clicking them a second time to light the candle, which was on her bedside table. She wanted to feel like he was there holding her close and candle light always made her think back to their first time, on the floor of pod chamber after graduation. The candle light had engulfed the chamber, lighting it romantically and from that day on she loved the sight of candles. They were scattered around their home. She would just light them to make her feel like she did that night.

“Iz... tell me.” He demanded softly, a hint of worry evident as he spoke.

“I-I... J-just remember I love you... okay?”

“How could I forget?” He asked worry in the back of his mind. “Isabel... what's going on?”

She sighed. “I have to do something I have always known I would need to do... which is part of why I have been a mess since I found out Khivar was stalking Liz.” She slid down the wall one hand clutching the phone she held to her ear and the other on her forehead.

“What do you mean?” His hand tightened around the blanket.

“I... you know the chest... the one that was in the wardrobe?” she asked.

“Yes... the one you wouldn't let me anywhere near...”

She swallowed. “The reason why I wouldn't let you near it is ... is because it reminded me about what I was supposed to be... that I was supposed to be this Vilandra... the one who betrayed her own family... the one who loved Khivar”

Alex sat up in his bed, tightening his hold on the blanket. This was something he never expected to hear because Isabel didn't ever want to talk about it. “But she wasn't you... Iz you are Isabel Whitman... not Vilandra.”

“But that's the thing... I've always been Vilandra and she needs to come out right now.” She paused. “She needs to go back to the man she truly loves.”

“What!” he yelped. “You can't be serious?”

“Deadly. Until now... I have been ignoring my feelings. I thought I could love you... but I can't... not like I love Khivar.”

“What's changed?” he said in a quite whisper, desperation and sadness leaking out into his voice. She was so far from home he couldn't do anything. He knew that. All he wanted to do right at that moment was to run into her arms and make her see sense.

Make them all see sense.

“The fact he's here. The moment I saw him out of the window... I knew. It just came flooding back to me. He loves me... and I love him.”

“W-What about me? What about Sophie?”

“Alex... I love you, my human side loves you, but I have to do this. My alien side calls out for him more strongly than it does for you. It wouldn't be right for me to not go to him. And... and Sophie needs someone who will be dependable, loving and nurturing. That was always you Alex. I wasn't supposed to lead that role; that life.” She bit her lip quickly as a sob almost came to the surface. After a moment she let it go. “I was born into this world to be Vilandra, not a mother. I'm not supposed to live a human life.... and some where deep inside me I.. I didn't want her.”

“Is... you don't mean that!”

Isabel hands trembled as she swapped the phone in her hands. “But.. I do mean that.”

“Why are you doing this? I could be what you need... not him.”

“I need to ... to go to Khivar. To offer myself to him...”

“But... Isabel... you can't!” He practically shouted down the phone hoping it sounded convincing.

“I... have to... it might be the only way to make this feeling of... of longing go away.” She closed her eyes as a tear made her way down her cheek. “My human side loves you Alex... never forget that.”

“Is... Is!” Alex called down the phone as he knew she was ending the call, but she barely heard him as Isabel threw her head into her knees letting her emotions crash in on her after she snapped the phone shut. She needed to drain all emotion out if she was to do this.

“Did it work?” She heard Liz asked tentatively from the bed.

Isabel brushed away the tears with her palm trying to regain some sense of composure. She nodded quickly before she clicked her fingers twice once again filling the room with the light from the ceiling. “It should have... Alex... well... took it in the expected way.”

Liz smiled slightly. “Good.”

* * * * * * * *

Khivar pulled the headphones from his ears, beaming to the whole world.

“Vilandra.” He whispered almost lovingly.

Howdy ho there guys! Firstly I'd like to say thanks for the feedback. Love ya for it! Right... I need to tell you that the writing in the italics is from Khivar's point of view/his perception of things. The normal writing is Isabel's. This will happen after the flashback... Sorry If I confused you but you shall see what I mean in a wilhe once you start reading

PART THIRTY

Clothes were chucked all over the place. They covered the bed, the chair, the bedside table that was next to the chair. They hung on the back of the door, off the wardrobe, in the wardrobe. They were on the floor. They were everywhere. All Max could see as he walked into his room was girls clothes and five beautiful women stood in the middle of it all with puzzled expressions.

“What the hell do I wear?” cried Isabel in frustration. If she was dressing up for Alex it would have been a completely different matter, she knew he liked seeing her in red. This was Khivar though and she had no idea what he liked. That's when she remembered and her hand shot straight for the dress that laid on the bed.

*****Flashback*****

On the dream plain...

“Tell me you understand what I am asking of you?” Isabel asked worried that Alex wouldn't understand. When she had suggested that they did the phone call to lure Khivar he was happy to oblige. That was until she told him about the other half of the plan.

“I do... but... why do you have to do this Izzy?” His hands were rested on her shoulders as he looked her in the eye.

“Because of who I was... I was Vilandra.”

“But you're not her now.” He exclaimed. He didn't want Isabel to do this, he didn't want her to go into the lions den not knowing exactly what to expect.

She brought her hands to his wrists and skimmed her fingers down long his arms, on to his bare chest leaving them there as she stepped closer. “I know.” She whispered as she took another step closer, another step into his arms. “I know Alex... believe me the day I married you... was the day I knew. I even locked away all my past things that reminded me of her in the chest I don't let you near.”

“You mean all the black you just stopped wearing all of a sudden?” She nodded against his chest as she made the final move into his body. “I kind of miss those black leathers... they were rather... becoming on you.”

She just giggled as she pressed harder in to his body. “When... when I make the phone call in a minute... I want you to remember... that I don't mean anything I say about my alien side loving Khivar. I feel no longing towards him. The moment I closed the chest I just knew I never would, as if I slammed the door shut on her. I'm Isabel Whitman... I will always be Isabel Whitman.”

“Good.”

*****End of flashback*****

“Why that one?” Liz snapped her out of her memories.

Isabel held it up to her body as she looked into the mirror. It was a plain and simple black silk halter neck dress that had came to the floor with an exposed back and with two slits running up the side, exposing the leg slightly. “I... I just think it's very... Vilandra. She likes black and he likes her in it.”

Maria's brows came together. “How do you know that?”

“Yeah... I thought you didn't remember a lot about your past life?” Asked Tess, remembering her sessions with Isabel to recover her past life being a complete disaster.

Isabel shrugged as she pulled away from the mirror. “The day I married Alex I packed away... every last thing that reminded me of Vilandra, everything that I had. The one thing that seemed to go in there... was everything black that I owned. Now I know why.” She paused. “They both liked her in it.” Her hand wound round to the back of her head where her clip kept her long hair up out of her eyes. Soon it was tumbling around her shoulders. “With her hair down...” Her hand then lightly skimmed her light pink lip stick, turning it into a bright shade of red. “Wearing bright red lipstick...” All of a sudden she felt sick, repulsed by what she was about to do. Turning she tried to make a run for it out of the room, charging past the girls who were frantically calling her name. But she was stopped, two pairs of strong hands wrapped round her shoulders keeping her from leaving the room.

“Izzy... Izzy... look at me.” Max whispered in her ear as Michael held her tightly in place so she couldn't run away.

She eyes wondered up slowly, tears filling them. “I... I can't do this... she... she's there in the mirror.”

“But she's not... It's all you Isabel. All you.” Michael said softly trying to calm her down. “This is what Vilandra used to wear... now it's what Isabel Whitman wears...”

She felt Serena come up close. “He's right. You aren't Vilandra... it's all you Isabel. Just because you know what she liked... doesn't mean you are her.” Isabel turned around. “I remember Vilandra,” She whispered as she pushed Isabel's hair away tenderly like she had been doing it all her life. “I remember you. We were friends. Good friends.”

“What was I like?” Isabel asked quietly, desperately to calm her nerves.

“What was Vilandra like? Vilandra... well... I hate to say it but she was gullible and in love with the wrong guy... but that isn't you any more Isabel... you aren't gullible and you are in love with Mr Right.” Her hand wrapped around Isabel's. She squeezed it once before letting it go. “Now... go get into that dress. We will be waiting for you down stairs.”

She nodded slighty and walked out of the room, her hand twisting the dress.

As soon as she was dressed and made up she looked in the mirror. She felt sick and disgusted with the way she looked at that moment. It practically screamed that she was Vilandra, the woman who would betray her brother for the sake of love. As that feeling of disgust flooded over her in huge waves she backed away from the mirror. Her head heavy that had sharp daggers piercing through her head with intense scolding heat.

Then it happened.

She could remember everything.

* * * * * * *

“Do you think she will be okay doing this?” Michael questioned Tess.

She shrugged, “I don't know if she will be personally okay doing it... but Isabel is strong and she agreed with this.”

“But I don't see why it has to be Isabel... why can't we send you in Tess?” Queried Maria as she sat on the window ledge cross legged. “Why can't we send you... after all couldn't you mind warp him to see Isabel walking towards him?”

“It doesn't work that way Maria.” Answered Serena who was sat at the table, her back to everyone as she tried to remain focused. It wasn't everyday she would come face to face with Khivar so she needed her strength and watching them pace, much like Max was at the moment, was making her crazy. She thought Kyle with his mediation, chants and incense was bad enough but she had been proven wrong by the very people she had been sent to assist and protect. They were making her mentally unstable, something she thought only those with the power of the mind rape could do. “He would know it wasn't her if we sent Tess.... he loved Vilandra, knew her inside out. He could practically taste what flavour her soul was made out of... so believe me if we sent Tess he would know.”

Maria unfolded her legs, letting her legs dangle off of the edge of the ledge. They swung slightly as she thought about what Serena had just said. “You mean he... he could see her aura.”

“Yes and no... he could literally see into her soul, much like Liz can see into Max's.”

Max stopped pacing the floor and swung on his heel to face Serena's back. “You mean... they were soul mates.”

Serena shook her head quickly, disgust on her face as she faced Max. “No! It's worse than that. Khivar has this way of... seeing into a persons soul whether they want to or not. He loved Vilandra and when she didn't return his love he forced a look into her soul, saw what made her tick... and kind of changed it to the way he wanted it. It was how Vilandra 'betrayed' you. She didn't have a choice in the matter.”

Michael's eyes bulged out of his head as he realised what had been said. “So... you mean Vilandra didn't do it on purpose... it wasn't her fault?”

“Exactly.” Serena nodded secretly pleased they had finally figured it out. “But you can't tell Isabel this... not yet.”

“Why not?” asked Liz as she walked swiftly into the room, targeting Max and walking towards him, wrapping her arms around his body as if to tell the world he was hers.

“Because she needs to think like Vilandra would have when Khivar messed with her mind, body and soul. If she knows about this it will show. She needs to act like Vilandra... the way she has seen her to be. Only that way will Khivar believe that Vilandra has come back to him.”

“Okay... so I don't see why we can't just mind warp him into thinking Isabel is there.” Kyle thought out loud as he gave Tess a light squeeze against his body.

Serena shook her head disappointedly at him. “Don't you remember anything I told you when I trained you?”

“Nope.” he answered as he took a whiff of Tess' hair that was just under his nose.

“You are useless... you know that right?” She questioned, her hand on her hip in a Maria style.

“Yup.” He replied quickly, not really looking at her or caring about anything else at the moment other than Tess.

Serena rolled her eyes with everyone in the room. They all knew Kyle Valenti was useless but after a couple of years they thought he might have picked something up from Serena. He had once again proved them wrong. “He will see straight through it. Once Isabel is in his sight he won't be able to. It was his only weakness... Vilandra clouded his mind.”

“I see. But I still don't understand why I have to send my sister... why can't I just go?” Max asked in a pleading tone.

“And I'm the only person you have that he wants other than Liz,” came Isabel's strong voice from the doorway. She stood tall, her blond hair swept over one shoulder. Her eyes blasted with determination and seduction as she glided into the room giving a small twirl. “So how do I look?”

* * * * * * *

“Ready?” She breathed out more to herself than to anyone else that was in the hall way. She ran her hands down the side of the black silk, straightening the material when it didn't need it. One wipe of the hand across her face made all traces of her sweating disappear completely. The red flush of her nervous face was also gone, it left her looking cool, calm and collected. The final touch was the eyes. She closed them concentrating hard on what she wanted. After a second they flung open, coal black empty and expressionless eyes.

She quickly smoothed her hair down before bringing her trembling hand to the black round button that sat on the wall. It hung there as she tried desperately to urge it forward. All she needed to do was press the button and let the games begin, but some how she couldn't that was until she remembered the people she was doing this for. Liz needed her freedom, a life worth living. Max, he needed Liz. Every year spent without her had him at near breaking point, his son his only salvation from depression. Maria, she needed her best friend in her life and even though she had been there for Maria, she had never felt good enough. Liz was what Maria needed most of all. Michael, he needed Liz back so Maria wouldn't lay into him about things telling him things that she should only have told Liz. Alex, he needed his best friend back to. Over the years Isabel had tried her best to fill the void, but it hadn't worked. He still missed her. Sophie, she needed to do this for her safety. Until Khivar was no longer a threat to her little girl Isabel couldn't be the perfect mother she had always dreamt of being. She needed to do this for everyone. Liz, Max, Michael, Maria, Alex, Sophie, Tess, Matthew, Serena and most importantly herself.

Isabel was doing this for herself because she had a huge score to settle. She knew Vilandra didn't betray her brother, her family, her life. She was hacked away at, manipulated by a man who wanted the one thing he couldn't have because she wasn't going to give herself to him. Now it was time to bring justice down on Khivar for the crime of tearing her soul apart. This mere thought had her bubbling with energy and determination.

She could do this.

Her slammed down on the black button.

* * * * * * *

Khivar's hearts skipped a beat as he watched the door of the fortress sprung open leaving a beautiful sight take his breath away. Vilandra stood dressed in black, her hair tumbling around her shoulders the golden colour of it reflecting in the sunlight. She slowly opened her eyes and from where he stood a hundred meters away he could see the black pools that just screamed she had embraced her alien side, deserting her human.

* * * * * * *

Isabel could see him from where she stood and it made her rigid with fear, a fear she quashed as she knew she was safe. She tentatively started to take a few steps out of the door walking as slowly as possible, down the steps that led from the door to the path. She counted under her breath.

“1”

“Izzy?” came Michael's panicked voice as he ran out behind her, grabbing her arm. She didn't squirm at all, just turned as coldly as she could, her face expressionless.

* * * * * * *

He watched as she turned towards her former lover, her face as expressionless as the last time she had seen her back on Antar. He saw no love for Michael in her eyes, not even a sibling kind of love, they still remained as cold and vacant as the day she helped kill her brother and lover back when she was Vilandra. He beamed a huge smile as she placed her hand on his chest as if to embrace him, yet she didn't. Michael howled in horror as she burnt her hand into his skin, slowly bit by bit killing her 'brother' and her former 'lover'. His eyes too became black as his alien instinct came out, making a grab for her throat yet not reaching it in time. His arms flung open in the air, as he screamed. Vilandra backed away two steps watching as Michael burst into flames before disappearing into the wind, part of the air as dust.

Vilandra looked unfazed.

* * * * * * * *

But inside Isabel was crying out in pain

Her expressionless manner was just about hiding away the grief she felt. A grief that intensified as she flung a hysterical Maria against the wall with a mere flick of her hand as she ran out into the glorious sunlight. She moved gracefully to Maria's battered form, just staring.

“2” She uttered to herself.

Then she began to kneel.

* * * * * * * *

He practically jumped up and down with excitement as he witnessed his Vilandra at work. His Vilandra was merciless to those of lower status and being human meant Maria was just that. She was a lower being. He leapt from his seat as Vilandra rested her gentle hand on the pathetic woman before her and began to burn her inside out, melting her organs, frying her brain and boiling her blood until it poured from her eyes, ears and nose. It ran down her face as she screamed in horror, half begging for mercy as she grasped for the hope there was something human still within Vilandra by grabbing her wrists.

Soon the screams had stopped and Vilandra stood triumphant above the carcass of her first human victim.

* * * * * * * *

Isabel was stood over the body of her human friend, her best friend. One she cared dearly for. Bile was quickly making it up her throat, a thick, bitter and guilty bile that she wished would just choke her to death. She wanted it to just take her there and, then drown her as she held her lips pursed together, but instead she just forced it back down as her focus remained on the lifeless body of Maria, she imprinted the image into her mind as a reminder that this needed to be done.

* * * * * * * *

His eyes narrowed when instead of running to his side, Vilandra didn't turn away from the body of the pathetic human. His mind ticked over as he processed this, a feeling in his gut telling him something was off. Within seconds the thought was washed away by Vilandra turning around and shining him a bright loving smile, her eyes remorseless. She soon started making her way slowly towards him, the loving smile still upon her lips as she did so. He could feel the love run through both their veins, warming his entire soul.

* * * * * * * *

Isabel felt cold and lifeless as she made her way towards Khivar, smiling at him to disguise the disgust that she felt. She imagined Alex's face above on the face of Khivar making it a little easier. As she saw his handsome face light up she felt sick. Her gut was twisting inside out and the acid in her stomach seemed to be burning away at the walls, seeping into the rest of her body. It ran through her veins, making her arms and legs heavier as her body tried to force her to stop.

Her body protested as she neared him. The sharp shocks of electricity that erupted from her finger tips were a warning, a warning she refused to listen to with the need to end this all. All the while she hoped Khivar didn't notice and sure enough the shocks stopped as he started to walk down to meet her.

His arms were spread out wide.

* * * * * * *

He wanted to just hold her in his arms tightly, feel her presence fill his senses and feel her sweet caress once again. It had been too long with out her touch and now he would finally have her again. But she needed to prove herself to him.

To make the ultimate sacrifice.

“Vilandra.” he uttered sweetly as his hands reached out to touch her bare arms slightly.

“Khivar.”