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Shadows of the Past chapter 1

Alex-

Alex pondered yet again the symbols that filled the Destiny Book. He and his compatriots had ran program after program with only limited success.

There were ancient human languages they were not sure of, let alone a literally alien one. What they needed was a Rosetta Stone of sorts. Something that would give them some idea of where to start.

Still the quantum computer they were using had produced some results.

He just wasn't sure what to make of them.

He heard his door open and someone enter. He paid only token attention. It was probably only Jenny or Becky. His assistants. He probably would not be as far as he was without them.

And when he left they could carry on. Alex wasn't sure what they would think if the document was translated in part or total, but he simply could not stay.

Absently minded his eyes drifted up to the pictures of his girls. The picture of Liz and Maria was one taken before the alien chaos had claimed them. Both of them were dressed in their Crashdown uniforms arms wrapped around each other smiling into the camera.

He missed them.

The other picture was much more recent, taken by Becky a couple of weeks ago. Alex had taken Isabel out for a dinner at a nice restaurant and dancing. He was dressed in a suit, one that Isabel had made him buy for his first meeting with the Director at the Litvack building the computer was housed in.

Isabel was ravishing in her strapless gown of red and gold.

He missed her so much.

He felt a hand touch his shoulder and he almost jumped out of his chair. "Argghhh!" Alex nearly fell, still not stable.

Rebecca Williams stood there, a look of amusement on her face. "Well, you didn't say reply to my question. Why aren't you ready?"

Alex finally regained his bearings. And glanced again at Isabel's picture. "I am not going."

"Alex, this is non-negotiable. Isabel told me to keep you from becoming a hermit. And that is one girl I do not want to cross." Becky shuddered. "Both of us are leaving in a couple of days, and you won't be coming back on a regular basis. Come on, Trevor already went home back East. Please?"

Alex looked back at Becky. It was strange how even here in Los Cruces he was surrounded by women. While neither Becky or Jenny would take any of his love for Liz and Maria away, he would miss them too.

Well, he could always visit them. In fact he would have to, if he was to keep up with the Project.

He shook his head for a moment, a brief searing pain flaring through his head. Why was this Project so important to him?

Oh yeah, Isabel. He was doing it for his friends and Isabel. He just hoped that Tess would let him tell the others when he got home.

He looked up and saw the disappointment in Becky's eyes.

She looked down. "Well, I guess I can go by myself. Um, I will talk to you tomorrow I guess?"

Alex sighted, "Hold on a couple of minutes and I'll get ready…."

Becky let out a whoop that would have done Maria proud.

Alex walked into his room muttering how he always seemed to be pushed around by the women in his life. But in truth he didn't really mind. For he loved them.

And in three days he would be home and see his glittering golden lady. In three days he would see Isabel again.

------

Michael-

Michael stared at the window in front of him. She would be mad at him for not using the front door, but he was too agitated to deal with any of the parental units. They would always drone on asking him how he was doing.

Their learning of his status had changed how they saw him the most of all of them.

He shook his head, this was no time to waste thinking.

He reached up and knocked on the window. He had to knock several times before Isabel answered.

Caustically as always. Some things never changed.

Not even in a second life.

Isabel glared at him, already dressed in her satin red pajamas. "What?"

"Isn't it early to be dressed for bed?"

"I have a lot planned for tomorrow. Speaking of which…." Isabel turned around and moved toward her desk and the dreaded clipboard of Christmas projects.

Michael clambered in, struck at some of the tiny changes that had followed even her. Scented candles.

Sure, Isabel had liked candles to a degree before, but now that she and Maria were on good terms…. Candles everywhere. A couple were lit filling the air with an almost familiar fragrance.

He had candles in his apartment too. With Maria it was always wise to choose your battles carefully. They listened to his music but he had to live with the candles smelling up his apartment.

It was a fire hazard for heaven's sake!

Michael watched as Isabel turned around, rummaging in her mind for potential Michael projects. "No."

"What? I haven't even asked for anything."

But you will, mein Fuhrer. All hail the dreaded Christmas Nazi. Of course, he didn't say that aloud. Not where she could hear.

Maria wasn't the only thin skinned woman in his life. Come to think of it, most of them did like to hit him a little too much. Even when his only sin was to be realistic and honest.

"No."

Isabel looked a little crestfallen, but Michael knew she would rally. And tomorrow he would be asked again. If only to go caroling.

Isabel nodded and looked anywhere but him. "Well, so what are you doing here?"

All of a sudden his real reason seemed…. Inappropriate to ask her while she was dressed in her pajamas in her bedroom. Have to think of something fast….

"I need advice."

Surprise washed across Isabel's face. "Advice? You? What have you done now?"

"I need to get Maria a present. And I have no clue what to get her. You're infatuated with this season, surely you know what to buy."

"What did you get her last year?"

"I didn't get her anything."

"What? You didn't get her anything for Christmas! Your first year together and you didn't get her anything?"

Michael looked at her, admiring her as always. She was so lovely, so spirited….

But she wasn't Maria. That is what the hell of it all was. She wasn't Maria.

Then why…?

"I don't think we were speaking at the time."

"Would you have gotten her one then anyway?" Her dark eyes slowly softening her glare.

This time Michael broke off the gaze. Things were bad enough. So many changes in such a small time. Was it any wonder his head wasn't working right?

"I don't know." Michael said softly. It had probably hurt Maria that he hadn't given her one. Not even a card.

He still had the one Maria had given him. He'd been trying to fight against his feelings then, trying so hard. But he couldn't throw the card away.

Anything from Maria was too precious to discard. Even if it was attached to a stupid commercial holiday.

Isabel sighed. "Okay. Here is what I want you to do. Go home. Think of all Maria means to you. Think of something that would show how much you care for her, something that symbolizes your relationship."

"Right. So you're not going to tell me are you?"

"Michael…."

Michael sighed and walked back towards the window. Maybe Max would be able to help him. He would have gone to him first, but he was at the Crashdown waiting for Liz to get off. He was halfway out the window when he felt her hand touch his arm.

And felt again that rogue wave of desire flow through him. He could not stop from turning to look at her. Her eyes were luminous and smoky, her lips slightly parted.

Both of them stood there for a few moments.

Something inside of him screamed to embrace her. He reached up to cup her cheek. She closed her eyes and trembled.

But she wasn't Maria.

He turned to go.

"You didn't come here for advice did you?"

"No."

"Oh."

It took all of his will to finish climbing out the window. Even then he couldn't not look back at her. "Isabel, have you, have you been having dreams again? Dreams about us?"

She looked away for a moment before looking back at him. Her eyes were still open, but now they radiated guilt, shame, and fear. "Yes."

He reached over to caress her hand. "What are we going to do?"

She just stood there, tears brightening her eyes. "I don't know."

It would be so easy to give in. A little over a month ago he doubted he could have stopped himself. Even with all the painful fallout that would have ensued.

But even with those dreams, even with the love he still bore Isabel…. She wasn't Maria.

They stood there for a long time.

------

Maria-

Maria stood in Michael's apartment and glared at the stupid rock set before her.

"Focus, Maria." came the calm voice behind her.

There had been a time she had hated Tess. After New York, Tess seemed to shed some of her superiority complex. She had treated both Maria and Liz as people rather than obstacles.

Turns out that Tess wasn't completely evil. There was a sense of fun in the short blonde alien that the other aliens didn't seem to possess, although Isabel showed some signs of it from time to time.

If anyone had told her a month ago that she would be friends with both of them, she would never have believed them. She sometimes wondered if they were friendly because they saw her as a person, or if the fact that she was now like them had something to do about it.

Hard to say.

Still, it was ironic that of them all, it was Tess who offered to teach her. She thought Spaceboy might have suggested it to her, but even so, it was a nice change. Neither Max, nor Michael were really suitable. Michael did not have the patience, and Max was not eager to destroy, to learn to use his powers as a weapon.

Maria had thought Isabel would have helped her, but it had just led to frustration. It wasn't that she couldn't teach her things, just that the basics were just so natural to the statuesque blonde that she had a problem spelling them out.

Isabel could just do things. Liz postulated that it was Isabel's memories of a previous life cropping up. Plus since school had let out, Isabel had seemed uncomfortable in her presence. Not mean, just uncomfortable.

Maria kept meaning to corner Isabel to find out what was bothering her friend, but both of them were so busy getting ready for Christmas. Well after the holiday, she would be able to take the time. Both of them.

Or maybe another sleepover. That had worked surprisingly well, even with the bad moments.

"Maria, we do not have all day, focus on the rock!"

"Why do we have to do this again."

"You need to be able to focus your power when you want to, not just when you are wound up. It needs to flow at your beck and call. Make the connection to the rock and add energy to it."

Maria glared at the rock. Nothing. She felt nothing. She felt resentment at the rock as it just lay there. The familiar tingle began to run up her arms and she raised her hand and blasted it. She felt satisfaction as the burst of gold and green blew the poor rock apart.

Tess just sighed. "You know, part of me really did not want to do this. You are as bad as Michael in a lot of ways. All this power and talent. And no patience. Well at least you don't blow things up when you get mad."

Maria immediately thought of a couple of stuffed animals she had accidentally set afire, or then there was…. No better not to think about it.

"Well I blew up the rock."

"But not in the right way."

"Your as bad as my math teacher."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Maria, blasting is easy. Power blasting apparently for you and Michael, God help us."

"So?"

"Maria, you don't understand. I can't do what you just did. I mean." She closed her eyes and a rock shattered, "I can break rocks at this range with the best of them. Better than you at the moment, but the only one I can probably blast better than is Liz." She shook her head.

"Well why don't you try teaching me something more interesting. I mean, I would love to be able to change the color of stuff, or you know fixing things."

"Both of which are actually hard, Maria. We hybrids can do it because we're programmed to be able to. You have to learn. You're just lucky that Nasedo took no chances and taught me from the ground up. Or my powers would be like Ava's probably. I mean, that is why we are here, so I can teach you. If you will let me." Tess walked over and set another rock up. "Okay, now focus."

"I just wanted to thank you…"

"Noted, now stop stalling and crack that rock!"

Maria glared at the new rock. It was going to be a long night.

-----

Max-

Max glared at the diagram that sat before him. The perfect tree. What was it about this holiday that drove his sister to the height of insanity?

He took another sip of his Cherry Coke and sighed. Liz's shift had ended a few minutes before, and they would be able to hang out for a little bit after his errand.

"Hello stranger," Liz said.

He looked up. Liz's dark hair gleamed and her eyes were bright. She had that soft smile that he thought of as his. How could he have ever believed that she would betray him? How could he have doubted her love?

"Well, hello yourself. So, what do you want to do? A movie?"

Liz frowned, "Well, I have to get back early. I open tomorrow and…."

"Okay, well that gives us a little time. I do have a little errand for Isabel first." He couldn't quite hide the annoyance in his voice at the last.

Liz laughed slightly, "Well she can't be that bad. Michael was comparing her to Ghengis Khan earlier."

Both of them walked to the Jeep.

"You haven't seen her yet in full holiday mode."

"Well, me, Maria, and Amy are baking cookies for the kids doing the pageant. Christmas cookies didn't seem so bad. What do you have to do, anyway."

"A tree. I have to get a tree."

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad."

Max handed her the diagram.

Liz was silent as they drove to the tree lot. As they stopped, she said, "Well, she is thorough."

"The perfect tree Liz. I go through this every year. I used to at least have Dad with me to spread the blame with. Now it is just me."

Liz's laugh filled the air with mirth, "Come on let's find the perfect tree. Hmm, do you mind if I grab one for the Crashdown?"

Max shrugged and began looking at the trees.

He felt her stiffen beside him. He glanced down at his tiny love.

"No, I can't. I can't let it happen."

And it all happened so fast.

There was a bang.

And Liz was moving. Moving so very fast. Max watched her dive for a little girl that was staring into the headlights of an oncoming car.

Max felt himself run to catch her, to stop her.

But Liz got there first and moved both her and the little girl out of the way. The little girl's father slowed some in shock, but was still hit partially by the car and lay screaming on the ground.

Max ran over to the man, who was obviously in severe pain. "Someone call an ambulance!"

He looked down at the man, someone he could easily take the pain away from.

But at what cost?

Memories of last year. Of Pierce flashed through his mind. He was shaking slightly when he felt the warmth of Liz's presence enfold his.

"Max," Liz said softly.

"Daddy!" The little girl had to be restrained from hurting her father more. But he had stopped crying out and held her little hand in his large one until the paramedics came.

Both of them stayed there and gave their statements to Deputy Hanson. He seemed to be acting a little strangely and kept grilling Liz on how she had known to save the girl.

Liz just smiled and looked gently at Max, "I want a little girl like that myself one day. I couldn't let her get hurt." She looked up at Hanson, "You have a little girl too, don't you Deputy? Wouldn't you try to move heaven and earth to save her?"

Hanson just looked at Liz. He opened his mouth once and closed it again. "Thank you, Miss Parker. Thank you both for your cooperation." He walked off to harass other witnesses.

"I hope that man never gets his wish," Liz said softly, "I don't know if Roswell could survive him."

"A flash?"

"Yeah. Uh, lets find those trees. Then maybe hunt down some mistletoe or something. You know, got to keep up those traditions."

"I can take you home."

She looked up at him and smiled, "You are my home Max. I want to be with you."

He smiled back at her. How had he gotten so lucky?

They were sober and maybe a little clingy while they looked for their trees. (At a different lot. The other being closed down for the night because of the accident.)

It wasn't terribly late when he dropped Liz back home and helped her put the tree inside the Crashdown.

And they found that mistletoe.

Not that they needed the excuse….

Shadows of the Past chapter 2

Kyle-

Kyle stared up at the stars. In particular there was a dimming patch just above Orion he stared at. He forgot what Aeron had called it, but it was close to where they were all from.

All of his problems seemed to stem from there, that little blotch in the sky.

His old life was in tatters now. Sure he was still a big part of West Roswell's athletic community, but he was no longer its leader. His former comrades were too different from him now. And both he and they knew it.

He was considered strange now. The fact he was a Buddhist now had leaked too. Some of his old friends mocked him behind his back and thought he wouldn't notice.

The truth was stranger than anything they could possibly believe. For from time to time he could sense them. It was the reason he was out here now in the cold December air, rather than at Vicky Delany's big Christmas party.

At two hundred feet they just seemed a blur of presence. But he could tell that a hundred paces off to the left two others were doing more than stargazing. There minds were blurred. Alcohol or drugs of some sort, probably.

Kyle shivered and not from the cold. He was just glad he didn't feel this all the time. There were some days that school was simply torture from it.

Part of him was afraid he was going to be like Liz now. She picked up everything now. All she had to do was touch something and flash…. He had talked with her about it, and about his new found whatever.

She had talked about learning to ignore things. To be aware without being consciously aware, because some of the stuff was useful. Maybe he would have to learn to do the same.

But there were some things he couldn't avoid no matter how far he got. Tess and Aeron still lay muddled in his thoughts. Muddled in his dreams. For while he had a couple of dreams that had featured both, he knew he could have both.

And from time to time a tiny filament connection would open up between one or the other girl. Most disorientating where the few times he could feel both. That always made him feel dizzy and torn. It felt wrong.

What was he going to do?

-----

Tess-

Tess tried to hide a smile as Maria glared at one of the rocks. The girl was making progress, but she had so much to learn.

It was nice to no longer be the enemy. Everyone had been nice to her when she got back from New York. There was still a little lingering tension between herself and Liz.

It wasn't like Tess had not said she had no plans for Max only to deceive before. Only now that she really had started to move on, the lingering resentment was a little trying.

But Liz was trying, trying hard to fit Tess into their little group.

Surprisingly it was Maria who was the most open of the three other girls. Partly it was due to spending so much time together training. And Tess had some amusing stories about Michael's own missteps learning to control his own powers that took some of the sting out of Maria's own difficulties.

As far as Tess could tell, Maria was only a little weaker than the hybrids. And her aura was still that bizarre mix of human and Taran. Each of the humans Max had healed had matured differently.

For Kyle had powers now too. It was probably only a matter of time before she would be training him.

That might be awkward.

She still loved him.

But the anger was still there. The anger and resentment over his sleeping with Aeron….

It should have been her. It could have been her.

She felt a touch on her shoulder.

"Hey are you okay?" Maria asked, genuine concern lacing her voice.

"Yeah, just…."

"Kyle, huh?"

Tess nodded.

"I don't know her well, but I really didn't think Aeron would do that to you. Now, Kyle is a guy and…."

"Do you think Michael would cheat on you?"

"You know I really used to fear that. I used to fear that his past would catch up with him and he would slip through my fingers. That he would leave me. And the more I loved him, the more important he became to me…."

"And now?"

"I still fear it, you know? I think I always will. But, he loves me. He really does. He has no clue how to show it sometimes, and well he's really not very civilized."

Neither were Kyle or the Sheriff to Tess's mind. Maybe Maria would have some tips? But then did she still want Kyle?

Yes. But she was confused and needed time. And she was afraid she might need to much time and he would slip away.

Fear had always been a big component in Tess's life.

"So that is your new mission, to civilize Michael?"

"I don't know. I guess. But the thing is, what I have learned from all the flashes with him. I can't make him change. I can make him want to, to feel the need. But he makes the changes. I can't force it, but I can make him aware of the need to change. That is a hard thing to realize, you know? And the rest of my life is just chaos. Mom doesn't know whether to yell or apologize or, yeah." Maria shrugged.

Tess walked over to a chair and sat. "I know what you mean. This is going to be my first real Christmas. And I am stuck at the Valentis."

"Football?"

"It is like I'm not even there! They just glaze at the screen and scream along with their favorite teams. Hmmm, hey do you mind if I invite your mom over to the Valentis on the 23^rd?"

"Uh, no why?"

"Just planning a dinner."

"Need any help?"

"Nah, I've got the menu planned. Just don't tell either of them okay?"

Maria's eyes tightened momentarily. "Are you playing matchmaker for the Sheriff?"

"They are cute together. Hmm, you can't see it, but they do care for each other."

"You can see that?"

"I need to focus, it isn't something I would casually notice, aside from just how they act together. But when I saw that, I just looked and yeah. The attraction is there."

The door opened and a distracted and slightly worried Michael walked in.

"Michael," Maria happily cried and flew into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around her as he smothered his face with kisses.

And then Tess could feel the atmosphere change.

Michael and Maria just stared into each others eyes.

Maria said in a tone of utter certainty and anger, "She can't have you. Mine, Michael. You are mine."

He started to say something when she kissed him again, this time possessively.

Tess started to gather her things. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Michael lift Maria up and head to the bedroom. Yeah, time to go.

Only they did not make it there. Maria came up for air and suddenly Michael crumpled like he'd been zapped by a taser.

Which in a way he had. Delicate filaments of green and gold lightning played along his body as it trembled.

Maria was not a good person to anger.

Maria picked herself up from her boyfriend's twitching body, "Now, now, Michael we will do that later. If you forgive me for killing Isabel, of course. And there is the possible jail time. But at the moment I have a friend to see."

Michael just lay there.

Tess stood there by the door. "What was that for?"

Maria gathered her keys and her purse. "You remember what we were just talking about?"

"My dinner plans for Christmas?"

"Boys."

"Oh. Did he cheat on you?"

"Yes! And I want answers!"

"Who?"

"Isabel."

"No way. You have no clue how much she, well she's about as gone for Alex as you are for Michael. There is just no way."

"Apparently there is." Maria's eyes filled with flitting emotions, always in a constant whirl with her. Sudden suspicion filled her eyes as Maria gazed at Tess. "Are you sure you are done with Destiny?"

"Yes." Tess paused a moment. "You think? No way, Maria. If I were going to mind warp someone it would be Liz. I wanted Max, remember."

"There were those dreams," Maria almost growled.

The air began to smell slightly of ozone. A warning sign that Maria was wound up. Tess noticed Maria's fingers beginning to twitch slightly, small flickers of green amongst them.

"I was just doing what Nasedo told me to do. He told me it would help with Max. To awaken their programming."

"Programming?"

Tess shrugged, her worry completely hidden. "The people who sent us here were worried about us mixing with the locals. According to Nasedo, we needed to get home and our, our creators made it so we would find ourselves drawn to our specified mates."

"Damn it! Won't the alien chaos ever leave us alone! So, is it all pointless for me then? Should I just give up?" Maria looked pleadingly into Tess's eyes.

Tess burst into laughter. Of all the irony. All the work she had done for months and months. And now….

Maria reached out and slapped Tess.

Tess shook her head and rubbed her cheek. "Thanks, I think. It is just," A tiny giggle escaped, "I spent so much time. Trying, trying to get all of you to give up. And now, now that some of my work is paying off…. I need to argue the other way? If there is a God he must really like pushing me around." Tess tried to hold back the laughter that still threatened.

"So you just think…?"

"Yeah, if you want Michael you are going to have to fight for him. I can't promise it will get easier, because I really don't know. But, Maria, I really want to be your friend. Yours and Liz's. And Isabel, so don't kill her okay. I mean, it is Christmas time after all. I will do what I can to help you."

Maria hugged Tess, "Thank you. And I will help you get Kyle back. If that is what you want. Or whatever. We girls need to stick together." She broke the clinch and rushed toward the door, "And Tess, can you make sure, I didn't hurt him. Much. Please?"

"Focus, Maria. You need to control your powers, not them you."

Maria nodded, "Tomorrow?"

Tess just nodded.

Maria left.

Tess stared after the excitable girl. She shook her head and walked over to Michael who was starting to get up. "So what is going on between you and Isabel."

Michael glared up at Tess. "I don't know. You don't have anything to do with it do you?"

"You and your girlfriend always so suspicious. If I had a part it was last summer when I activated your programming. So unless something has changed since then, I have no clue." Tess paused a moment, "How bad is it anyway?"

Michael stared at her a few moments, obviously trying to think how much he trusted her. Which knowing him wasn't much. Still.

What did she have to do to gain his trust anyway?

Michael sighed and ran his hand through his hair, before rubbing his left eyebrow.

He was worried. Not good.

"It's pretty bad. I'd never felt anything like it except when I'm with Maria. It is just…. Intense. Do you think someone laid a whammy on me or Iz?"

"You still have your bond with Maria."

Michael nodded.

"And it doesn't affect it? I mean you don't feel a bond between you and Isabel?"

Michael shook his head. He cocked his head a moment and said, "We didn't have one on Antar, either I think. I wish I could remember more." He looked back up at Tess, "When you first got here you said you had a technique to remember our past lives?"

Tess sighed. "Yes. I thought I knew one. I really did. But everything I learned in New York casts doubt on all I thought I knew. I think…. I think it was just something Nasedo made me think to keep me in line and on his plan. It hurts to not trust him anymore. I just wish I could force him to tell me the truth." There was a slight pause. "He wasn't a good father, but I miss him."

Michael nodded, disappointed. "What about that book?"

"The Destiny book? I don't know. I mean how can we translate it. Nasedo couldn't read it. Or at least he said he couldn't."

"I don't know, couldn't a computer translate it?"

A sudden rush of fear flooded through Tess. It was so easy to forget what she had done to Alex. He still had not completed the translation, but he was trying.

She had forced him to do it. Had mind warped him. Would any of them forgive her of that? Of pushing him to do it and not telling any of them. Tess still did not understand why Isabel agreed, why Isabel did not rush to tell the others about it.

For Isabel did know, a fact that Tess had learned the hard way on a Saturday a few weeks ago. It had taken a little time to track Alex down, but seeing both of them dressed up in that restaurant….

Three days later they had formed a little company, just the three of them. Only Tess knew that it was all at her doing. That she had forced him, was still forcing him….

And as far as she could tell the mind warp was working on Isabel through her link with Alex. Tess had manipulated Alex to the degree that he thought he wanted to do this. And that was all Isabel knew.

Would she lose all her friends? Could she keep it up? Would they ever forgive her?

Tess licked her lips, "I don't know. I guess we could ask Alex when he comes back from Sweden."

-----

Isabel-

Isabel sat on her bed. Tears stained her cheeks.

How had things gotten so complicated?

She desperately wanted Alex to be here to hold her. But how could she look him in the eyes after what she had felt with Michael?

It had not touched the bond she shared with Alex. But then even in her last life her relationship with Rath had merely been physical.

Vilandra stared at the ceiling above and felt the warm body beside her. Part of her felt flush with elation and joy. And another felt the pang she always felt.

Rath, as special as he was, was not Khivar. No matter how great the pleasure, how complete the release the emptiness remained.

But Khivar was in open rebellion, fighting against her brother with all his might. And she would not betray Zan.

Never.

She had sworn an oath at his birth, promised that she would protect him. And she had. And she would. No matter the cost to herself.

No matter the talents that Khivar possessed, and they were immense, there was no way he could achieve his goals without massive bloodshed. Things were too delicate right now for there to be another Interregnum.

The Cathians for one would definitely invade, perhaps even the Padanians. It would be a nightmare not seen for generations.

If only there were some way to convince him to side with Zan, the two of them together would easily be able to fix the problems besetting Antar…

Rath moved and looked at her. "You are so beautiful. And yet…."

"Still thinking of that alien girl?"

Rath just looked inscrutable, but Vilandra knew.

"If it makes you feel better, I was thinking of Khivar."

"Your crying out his name was a dead giveaway. Vi, we are so pathetic. You I can understand, your love story with Khivar…. That was a story style love affair. But me. I am the lord of all the military on Antar. If I wanted to I could overthrow your brother. And yet, here I am laying in your arms, thinking of a woman who doesn't even exist."

"I recognized her exobiological physiotype."

"What?"

"Her race exists. It is a long way away, but the Travelers have been there. I've actually requested a genomaping of the species. They're primitive, probably two or three thousand years behind us in development. They are the fourth living sentient technological culture the Travelers have found."

"Wow. But…"

"I got a flash off of you. You think of her often."

"And I don't know why. She calls to me."

Vilandra stared at the ceiling. "We should get married."

"What? Both of us are in love with someone else, mine obsession possibly fictional and you want to get married?"

"Because both of us know that we will never know love in this life. Look, it would solve innumerable political problems. And you understand that I will…. I will never love you like I love Khivar."

"And I have my pointless dream girl. We are pathetic, Vi. Pathetic." He hugged her close, "Plus your brother would never agree. I'm surprised he hasn't hung me already for, well…."

"He knows about us. He trusts me. And for that matter he trusts you. So what do you think?"

He had said yes. And Zan had said yes.

And they had all died six months later on her wedding day.

Isabel closed her eyes. It was all coming back to her. Slowly but she was beginning to see who she was.

But who was she now? Who was Isabel Evans?

She did love Michael. As a brother. An annoying brother with bad fashion sense. This sudden surge of emotion was just… wrong.

But how was she going to convince her irate friend of that. For Maria was on the way. Tess had called her from Michael's, saving them both another awkward moment.

She reached deep within herself. "Oh, Alex, I need you."

And stared at the ceiling waiting for Maria to arrive.

-----

Alex-

Alex woke with a start. "Isabel?"

Becky lifted him up. "Oh, thank God you woke up. I was really starting to worry."

Alex looked around. He was laying on a couch he did not recognize. He could hear music in the background.

"I should get you home. Oh, I wish I had not made you come."

"What happened?"

"You just started to babble some bizarre language that I couldn't recognize. Your face brightened up and you were drawing, "Becky wiped some tears off her face, "some of the sigils we are working on. And you passed out. Everyone thinks you are drunk."

Alex rubbed his head. He'd been having blinding headaches the last few days. And missing moments of time. "Well, despite my aching head, I haven't drunk anything remotely alcoholic. At least willingly."

A tall blonde hurried into the room. "I heard. Is he okay?"

Alex looked at Jenny, "He is fine. And he would like to go home now?"

Jenny just looked at Becky, "Is he speaking of himself in the third person again? What did he drink?"

Becky just shook her head.

"I didn't drink anything. I just need, I just need…" He patted his pockets and grabbed his now familiar cell phone and speed dialed Isabel.

"Hello?"

Alex just sighed and relaxed as the pressure began to fade. He missed her so much. How he thought he could have done without her for a month he wasn't sure. "Izzy?"

"Alex," came the pleasant sigh. "I miss you."

Alex looked at his friends in the room. Becky was rolling her eyes and Jenny shaking her head.

He willed himself down the phone. He wanted to be there. To be with her. "Promise me, that next time I need to do something like this, we find some way to do it together."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I promise Alex. We will find a way. Together. I… oh, Alex, I need to call you back later, okay? Maria is here and I need to talk to her."

"Maria? What is wrong?"

"Later, sorry Alex." There was another pause, "I love you, Alex."

"I love you, too, Isabel."

The line died. Alex stared at his phone, wondering how he had ever lived without the ability to call her at whim. Or the knowledge that she would answer.

"Are you done?"

"Do we need to medevac you? Or did Nurse Isabel kiss you booboo over the phone and make it better?"

"I just want to go home now."

There wouldn't be a phone call from Isabel later. But sometime in the night his dreams would be visited. And he wanted to be asleep when she went to visit.

And so with much kidding his two new friends took him home.

-----

Brody-

Brody waited for the new arrivals from New York at the Albuquerque Airport. It was silly but he didn't trust the smaller planes that flew into Roswell. So he would meet his party here.

He saw Alicia first, her green eyes catching his. He was glad she had come.

Maybe, just maybe there was a future there.

And then he saw his little darling sprinting toward him.

"Daddy!"

"Oh, Sydney."

She was a little pale, but seemed so energetic. He looked up at Alicia. There was worry in her eyes.

His offer to let Alicia come to Roswell too had not merely been a chance to reconnect.

This might be his daughter's last Christmas. How could he make his ex-wife miss something like that?

If Larek did not make contact soon…. Brody had a few ideas of his own.

Risky perhaps. But he would do anything to save Sydney.

Anything at all.

Shadows of the Past chapter 3

Maria-

Maria sat in her truck and glowered at the Evans home. She needed to calm down. The green and gold lightning was playing all along her hands and arms.

She tried one of the calming exercises that Tess had shown her.

Breath in slowly and then exhale. Focus, Maria, focus.

An image of Michael trying to do the same thing earlier this year when she was near. When he didn't want to break the image that he was over her.

He hadn't been. Not then. Not now.

Maria knew that. She could feel it. Could feel the bond that linked them.

And yet those damn feelings for Isabel. Those dreams he'd had….

The pain in her hands began to flare.

Focus, Deluca, focus. Breathe.

Part of her wanted to rush over to Liz, to be comforted by her best friend. But Maria knew that Liz would be with Max. Liz would be there for her, but there was no reason for both of them to be miserable.

Liz and Max were so cute together. Sickeningly sweet maybe, but still cute.

Alex would be back Friday. Hopefully Maria wouldn't have killed Isabel by that point. Then again, Alex had promised to maul Michael for her if he hurt her again.

She had to smile at the thought of gangly powerless Alex attacking Michael. But he would do it.

She missed him. It just didn't feel right without him around. Plus watching the Ice Princess dissolve into Izzy-goo with him around was almost as cute as Max and Liz.

This situation would crush him. She knew that she had fear it, feared that their past would steal Michael from her. And Isabel was so damn beautiful. How could she compete?

She looked down at her chest. It was maybe a little fuller than last year. But there was no way she was going to use that stupid aquabra again.

Not in December. Brrrr.

Besides Michael liked the way she looked. In his eyes she was always outlined in a luminous halo to his eyes. Even now he desired only her.

And sometimes against his will, Isabel.

Maria could feel the hurt and pain in him in his silent acknowledgement to her. He had not hid this. Not that he would have been able to in the long term anyway. But the gateway that let her in had not been barred.

He trusted her. He loved her.

She reached up and wiped away a few tears. There had been a time when she had been able to walk away. To protect her heart from breaking, to cut her costs. To know it would hurt, but that she would get over it.

No longer. She was committed.

She took a couple more shuddering breaths and wiped her face carefully. It would not do for Isabel to know she had been crying..

Maria must show no weakness in the face of her potential competition.

Maria got out of the truck and headed to the Evans home. She knocked the door.

Mrs. Evans opened the door. "Hello, Maria. Max is still out and Isabel is sleeping."

Isabel peeked out of the living room, "Mom, I was expecting her."

"Honey? Are you feeling any better?" Diane looked at her daughter, in her red satin pajamas.

Isabel gave one of her perfect smiles, "I guess I just needed a little quiet. I'm feeling a lot better.. Has Max come back with that tree?"

"No dear. You just need to take it easier this Christmas. Those headaches of yours are starting to worry me." Diane turned to face Maria again, "Pardon me, please come in. Do you need anything to drink?"

Isabel still had her beaming smile focused on her mother. "Really mom, I'm fine. I'll get Maria anything she needs."

Diane still looked concerned as she looked at Isabel. She reached over and kissed Isabel on the cheek, "Okay, honey, let me know if either of you need anything." She walked back further into the house.

Isabel looked up at Maria, her grin fading. "We need to talk."

"Yes, we do."

"Do you need anything?"

"An explanation."

Isabel winced at the venom Maria couldn't quite hold back. She walked to her room.

Maria followed her. As Isabel closed the door behind her, Maria took a seat at Isabel's desk. It was loaded with calendars and a couple of full clipboards.

Christmas projects.

Maria focused all of her attention back on Isabel as she sat down on her bed.

Isabel rubbed the back of her head and winced slightly.

She was still angry, but the part of her that considered Isabel a friend, even now, could not stop from asking, "Are you okay, Isabel?"

"I don't know. I mean everything is getting so complicated. And I, I…."

"Isabel, we both know why I am here. What is up between you and Spaceboy?"

"I don't know, but I, I" Isabel's face filled with fear and regret, "I'm in trouble, Maria."

Maria cocked her head slightly. Isabel wasn't acting like she had thought. She wasn't defensive at all. She seemed troubled. "What is wrong."

"I'm late."

"What?"

"My period is late, Maria."

Maria just stared at Isabel. Her arms began to tingle and the room began to glow from the green and gold foxfire that was traveling along her hands. Surely she couldn't mean….

"I think I am pregnant, Maria."

Maria stood up and forced herself not to strike out at Isabel. Not until she was sure. "You slept with Michael?"

Isabel's eyes widened with shock. "What? No. No way. Not if he was the last man on earth. I think of him like a brother…."

"And yet I saw what happened earlier this evening. I saw how close you were, how you reacted to him."

"He let you see? God, this is just so awkward! It just felt so strong, and, and right. But so wrong at the same time. I, I just don't know." Isabel looked up at Maria, "How would you feel if you felt sudden intense desire towards say Alex, or maybe Liz?" Isabel arched her eyebrows at Maria.

"I…"

"It would feel wrong wouldn't it. Particularly if you could still feel Michael. And I am bound as tight to Alex as you are to Michael. Or Max to Liz, for that matter. Something is wrong with me, and I don't know what. But, but I'm afraid…. Afraid that I really am pregnant this time. And that the dreams are echoes, I don't know from last summer? But then, I didn't feel this draw. Maria, I just wish I knew what was going on!"

"Do you have morning sickness?"

"No. As far as I can tell I am symptom free. But Maria, not everyone gets sick. I, we, don't get sick remember. And it is Christmas and there is so much to do!"

Focus Deluca. Get yourself under control. Maria walked over and held her friend. There was a bit of stiffness, but Isabel hugged her back.

"Thanks, I needed that." Isabel rubbed her eyes slightly. "I must look a fright."

"Moderately."

"Oh, thanks, Maria. Just what I needed."

Maria shrugged. "Have you tried any over the counter stuff. To like, you know, be sure?"

Isabel shook her head. "Would that stuff even work? I mean, I'm not really human…. And…. And the thought of going there, of letting the world know…."

"That the Ice Princess might be knocked up? I'm, uh, trying to think of a way of getting some of that stuff without one of us getting killed. If Mom found out I had bought a pregnancy kit…. Well it wouldn't be pretty."

"What am I going to do?"

"Have you talked to Max about this?"

"Oh, that would go over well. I mean, I'll have to eventually I guess. But, um, I would like to have an idea of what is going on first."

"And those headaches your mom mentioned?"

"A couple of weeks. And I know your next question. Also a couple of weeks, but it, my attraction to Michael has only been bad for the last couple of days."

"Okay. Uh, is it okay if I get Liz involved? I mean she's good at fixing things and coming up with a plan and, well I just would feel better with her on board."

"I guess. But she has to promise not to tell Max. Not until I am ready."

Maria nodded. "She's good with secrets."

Isabel reluctantly nodded.

"Uh, Tess?"

"Maria, the fewer people who know the better. I know we are trying to get her more involved, but, well…. She's my friend and all, but…."

Maria reached over to the phone and prepared to dial Liz. But all the reasons she had thought of before still applied. Liz would help, yes. But she and Max were still dancing around in their relationship. Maria sighed. The least she could do is give Liz one alien crisis free day.

But there was one other person who would be both willing and able to help Isabel. Maria looked up at Isabel, who was nervously biting her nails.

Maria made the call.

-----

Max-

Max sat in his Jeep and let the fragrant smell of the Christmas tree fill his nostrils. He should go home. Liz had helped him out with his tree, and hopefully the Christmas Nazi would be mollified for once.

But that accident at the first tree lot bothered him.

Not that Liz had saved the girl. But that he had been unable to help the girl's father. Or the driver.

Sure. No one had died. But the pain…. He could have taken it away.

There had been a time when he had toyed with the idea of being a doctor. But the idea of being surrounded by people who he could heal and letting them die or suffer needlessly just so he could be safe.

He had talked about it a little with Liz, but he could not wonder what he would have done if one of them had been seriously injured. Would he have let them die?

How could he have this wondrous power and not use it?

But the memories of the White Room came back to him. Could he risk that? Could he risk that any of his friends might be subjected to that horror.

The truth is that he thought he would have let them die. To avoid the pain. To avoid the terror.

Could he look at himself in a mirror if he had let that little girl die? Or her father? Or even that driver?

He felt off balance. Not in control.

And that was why he was seated her in his Jeep at the park and not at home. He was desperately trying to think it all through.

Alone.

Which was stupid. He needed Liz. He needed to talk with her.

Tomorrow. He would talk with her tomorrow. His love was sleepy.

He would let her sleep.

Tomorrow.

He drove home.

-----

Sean-

Sean stared at the moon glowing off the snow from the balcony. It was cold, but that was okay with him.

His life had taken turn after unexpected turn. He had expected when he had gone to Roswell to find some dead end job and a plan to build a life away from the drugs and crime of his youth.

Aliens had not crossed his mind. But he had fallen hard for Courtney. And try as he might he could not help but feel like he was falling for Aeron, too.

Not that he had done anything about it. All she wanted or needed right now was a friend. And that Sean would be.

But maybe someday….

He heard the door open behind him and looked behind him. It was the owner of the place they were staying at. Richard Williams had some connection to Aeron and Tess from back on Antar. And he apparently was willing to help them.

Richard had convinced Aeron to not go to New York until after the New Year. He would be going with them and would be able to help.

His resources would sure be useful.

Richard lit a cigarette and looked carefully at Sean, "So how are you enjoying Vail?"

"It is nice, sir. Thank you for letting us stay with you."

"No problem. It has been nice to have people here again. Neither of my sons or their families were able to make it this year, and Becky, well she has a job she's busy at. You'll meet her in a few days."

"Okay."

"Just one thing, Sean. Becky is not involved with this whole alien conspiracy, and I would like that to continue. It may drag her in some day, but the longer she can just live a normal life…."

"Crystal clear, sir. Trust me I understand."

"Do you ever wish you were not involved?"

Sean cocked his head sideways, "Maybe I will someday. But right now…. I really didn't have anything I was doing, and well maybe I can do some good…."

Richard took another long puff on his cigarette and nodded.

Both of them stood in companionable silence for a few minutes before Richard finished his cigarette and stamped it out. "Well, it is good that Aeron has someone she can trust with her. Just don't push her and be there for her if she needs it. Goodnight, Sean." He walked back into the house.

Sean stared after him for a few minutes before continuing to regard the bright snow. He stood there for some time.

Shadows of the Past chapter 4

Kyle-

Kyle breathed a sigh of relief as he felt his awareness begin to fade. Enough to allow him to say goodbye to Vicki and leave the party.

Enough that it should be gone by the time he got home. Worse than sensing his classmates was sensing Tess. Feeling Tess as she lay there or sat next to him. Feeling her pretend to not desire him.

Feeling her anger and resentment, and paradoxically her self-doubt and regret..

Everyone else was a jumbled mass of confusion, but somehow, somehow he just knew with Tess.

He turned back and glared at the house full of inebriated teens. How he wanted to be one of them again. He even missed the boredom.

Surely it had better than waiting for some alien psychopath to attack them again. Or worse be taken away to be experimented on by some demented scientist.

And he had to pretend to be normal. He had to try to be who he had been before the Alien Invasion.

But he couldn't. He couldn't be who he had been.

Who was Kyle Valenti. Or more to the point what was Kyle Valenti?

Kyle sighed again as felt as someone ran out of the house and down the road. She was whimpering and had her shoes in one hand as she jogged down the road. He winced as he saw her stumble.

He walked down to help her. At first, in the dark she had seemed like Liz. Same straight hair, same build. But she was a little taller.

Pam Troy.

He almost stopped. It wasn't like he really disliked her exactly, but she was nosy as hell. She spied on everyone, used her position as photographer for the Yearbook committee ruthlessly, and basically was the font of much of the gossip at West Roswell High.

Worse no one had ever caught her in a lie. Ever. She was occasionally wrong, but she never lied.

This had led in the past to some people using her to carry false stories. But she had a nasty of habit of ferreting out who had pushed her into spreading a false rumor and getting even. And she took pictures.

She knew where the bodies were buried among her classmates and could be assured to exhume them if necessary to prove her point. Rumor was she knew a lot about the faculty and various city officials, too.

She was feared by many and respected by many more. She had floated through the last few years with no true friends. Until Tess came to town.

Kyle shuddered slightly at the amount of damage the two could conceivably cause. Of course, Tess would have to tell the gossipmonger of West Roswell that she was an alien for maximum damage, but still…

"Hey, Pam. Are you okay?"

"Stay back,… Kyle?" She gingerly got up and then threw herself into his arms and began to cry.

Okay, now this was ridiculous. This had never happened in the old days. Oh, sure, he'd always been able to get dates until, well until last summer. After the shooting he had been so confused, so uncertain.

Buddhism had helped him some. Not enough in some ways, but enough to get through the days. The old confidence, the sense of his importance had gone. Who cared about the hometown football star when you have a damn alien king nearby?

Add that his dad sometimes seemed to care more than the Evans' kids than him. It had always hurt that he'd always been second to his father's job, but to be third? And then there was Liz and Tess.

Max Evans seemed to be constantly grinding his face into the ground. And Kyle owed his life to the man….

But somehow that horrible Saturday last month, when they had been surrounded and nearly killed…. Well some of the confidence had come back. And there had been Vicki.

For a few glittering days he had thought Vicki would be enough. That he could get over Tess.

Not so fast. For Tess had been falling for him. And as much as he liked her, Vicki just wasn't Tess. Vicki was too placid, too mild.

Maybe in a different world. But not this one. Here it would be Tess. Or Aeron.

He couldn't have both. Well only in his dreams. And even there if felt strangely wrong….

It would be Tess. Or Aeron. No one else. He desired them both passionately…. And could feel no desire for anyone else.

A couple of days ago, Isabel had cried in his arms, just like Pam was doing now. And all he had felt was concern for her.

Sure that was natural. But it had been Isabel freaking Evans! Sure she was part alien, and involved with a friend of his. Still…

He was safe. They thought he was safe.

Damn it, when had he become Alex Whitman?

Kyle looked down, "What's wrong Pam."

She looked at him, emotions rapidly coming under her control. She backed up a little and looked at him. She opened her mouth and shut it. She looked at him curiously, as if examining him for the first time. "Nothing good, I fear. But that is neither here or now. Um, can I ask you a favor?"

"M'kay. Sure, I guess."

"Can you take me home?"

"Um, don't you have a car?" Her father was a fairly wealthy businessman. She had a nice car. Not as nice as the Mustang, but still….

"I left it at home. My date is a lying piece of…. Well you get the picture. Can you take me home?" She started to shiver. It was December after all, and she was only in a dress.

"Right. Let me just go say bye to Vicki…"

"Can you let me into your car and I will wait there?"

"Pam, I might be able to help you more if I knew what was going on."

"You don't want to get involved. Some secrets shouldn't be shared. It won't help anything."

Okay. That was true, as he knew to his sorrow. But this tidbit was coming from Pam Troy.

So he nodded, opened up his car and went to see Vicki. She was well on the way to being hammered and obviously still angry at him for their little talk the other day. But despite that she still seemed happy to see him.

And that was it. He drove Pam home and she gave him a little chaste kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks Kyle, you're a good friend." She looked at him seriously again. "Maybe Tess isn't completely blind. Good night."

Kyle shook his head and watched as she walked into her house. Something was going on, something bad.

Not his problem.

How could he know that he was wrong?

-----

Isabel-

Isabel clambered out of Maria's truck. It had been a little hard to convince her mom to let her go. But Maria had helped persuade her mother that a quiet talk away from home would calm Isabel.

Of course, calm was not what Isabel was after. She wanted answers.

Maria had been silent as to who they were going to meet, only saying that he could help. That he was taking a big risk in meeting her.

It was late enough that pedestrian traffic was light in the plaza. She stopped for a moment to admire the decorations.

She loved Christmas. She loved all the family oriented holidays, but somehow Christmas was best. Last year's had been a little tense, but she was sure that with a little work and dedication this one would be better.

Alex. Everything would be better with Alex back from Los Cruces.

Maria turned and called back to Isabel, "Come on Isabel, I don't know how long he will wait for us."

And just like that all her fears and problems came crushing down on her. Her strange dreams of Michael. Her possible pregnancy. And… No she wasn't quite ready to admit the last bit yet.

She had been running so hard, trying to make everyone enjoy the season, trying so hard not to think of how her life was slowly falling apart.

Still answers awaited. So she followed the foot tapping Maria.

Maria looked anxiously at the fountain.

Who she expected to see, Isabel wasn't sure. "So who is it we will be meeting?"

"A friend. He has helped Liz before. He said he'll help us, too."

"I still don't see why you are being so secretive…. Hey, Liz is waiting for us by the fountain. Did you call her too? Does she know yet?" Isabel hurried past, not noticing Maria slowing down.

Liz stood up and looked Isabel over very carefully. In a very precise and clipped tone, "We meet again, Your Majesty."

Isabel looked shocked at 'Liz'. "Who are you, are you like some shape shifter…." Only there was something there. Something she recognized.

Or rather that a part of her recognized.

Vilandra stared at the wall of her new room. It was well appointed, and the lab she had been promised would help. But it still felt like a cage.

Maybe doing this hadn't been the best of ideas. Maybe she could have just stayed neutral. Not fought against her family, not fought against her brother….

She sighed. It would not have happened at once, but she knew that if she had stayed, she would have been pulled into it. She had been forced to choose sides and she had.

She had kept her promise, made so long ago.

But her body ached to feel Khivar's touch just one more time….

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

A tall thin Household Guard Officer strolled into her apartment. It felt very much like a cage. Like a jail cell.

And he would be her jailer.

"Good evening, Your Grace," The officer said in a clipped tone. He had an accent she could almost place. He certainly was not a central territory Taran. Someone from one of the colonies or a rural backwater?

"My name is Vilandra. There is no need to stand on ceremony with me."

"Yes, Your Grace, Vilandra. There will be times when it will be unavoidable I am afraid. My name is Commander Dorian. I will be leading the guards that will watch over you and your entourage."

"My jailer."

"I must admit that I will be striving to prevent any lose of state secrets leaked to members of the rebels that you or Karis might leak. But in truth you must know that you have few friends in Court. There are many who will seek to harm you or your protégé here."

"Let them try."

"Yes, well it is my job to discourage them. And I am very good at my job. Even if my skills are somewhat, unusual."

Vilandra looked at him closely, there were slight oddities about him. More than just his accent….

"You are Rhyajhaelian!?"

"Your brother said you were perceptive. Zan indicated that you would not hold my ancestry against me…"

"Dorian? How, I don't understand."

Dorian, still looking like Liz, "As I was on Antar, so am I here. I am your Protector. Now what was so important you must see me?"

Maria touched Isabel's arm, "Wait, you know him?"

"I, I remember him."

"Remember him. Like remember, remember him? Like in your past life."

Isabel merely nodded. "But how can this be, you were Rhyajhalian?"

Dorian nodded, "I was reprofiled to be Chalsei. I was wounded at your wedding. It was the only way I could continue to serve. Now how can I help?"

Isabel stared at the alien being who looked uncannily like Liz. If he truly was Dorian, she could trust him. "But, why haven't you helped us? Where have you been?"

Dorian rubbed at his/her eyes. "I've been there, watching over you. And to an extent Michael. And yes, Maria, I am sorry I didn't help Michael more. Please, I could really use some sleep. I just got back from covering up Courtney's disappearance."

There just was so much to ask! But instead she blurted out, "I think I am pregnant!"

Dorian blinked a couple of times. "Alex or Michael."

"Alex I think. I mean I haven't slept with anyone else and Tess said we had to do it like humans but I have been having creepy dreams with Michael and I am really not sure and I am just so confused and, and, what do I do?"

Isabel noticed a slight twitch to Maria's mouth.

Dorian just nodded. "Okay. How long have you suspected this?"

"A couple of weeks. And what about my dreams?"

"Or your headaches, you said you keep getting headaches," Maria chimed in.

"Yes, I've been having these severe headaches."

"Any other symptoms?"

Isabel shook her head. She couldn't help a few tears slipping down her cheeks. What would her parents think? What would Max? Isabel smiled at Maria as Maria gave her another hug.

It was nice to have a real friends.

Dorian looked down, lost in thought. "Well it is still early. There is a chance that something is causing your missed period. And your dreams are probably part of your secondary programming. That might be what is causing your headaches too."

"There is no, like alien way to. You know, know?"

Dorian looked up at her shocked. "Isabel, if you had a child it would be a fairly normal pregnancy. It will take months before a secondary aura might appear. Even then your aura is so strong it might drown out your baby's until into the third trimester. No, I will get some human pregnancy tests."

"But would they work on me?"

Dorian just looked at her. "Why wouldn't they?"

"I, uh, you should know more about this than me. I am not human."

"Oh." Dorian sighed. "I'm really too tired for this, Isabel. You know you are hybrids?"

Isabel nodded.

"You are hybrids, yes, but not in the way you think. In all the ways it truly matters, you are human. We wouldn't be having this conversation otherwise. Look, I will get some tests and I will get them to you by Friday. Until then, just keep calm and pretend everything is normal." He/she walked away and suddenly stopped. "And Isabel, please don't tell your brother about me yet. The day he knows about me, my days of freedom are numbered."

Isabel's mind was racing with questions as she watched him walk away.

'Trippy, huh? The first time I saw him, he was impersonating me."

"How long have you known?"

"About a month. Liz mentioned him to you when she did that strange appear to Max thing."

Isabel nodded. She remembered Liz mentioning a Protector. But nothing had come of it.

Until now.

Why did it seem that every question answered only meant more questions?

Thanks to everyone reading this story.

xmag- The programming is part of it. Please also remember that the Roswell Pod Squad are part of the 'defective' batch. Things are about to become complicated.

Shadows of the Past chapter 5

Tess-

Tess walked past the sleeping Kyle to her room. He had been sleeping on his couch long before she had gotten home. Which was strange because usually Vicki's parties lasted much longer.

Tess shrugged and got ready for bed herself. Quietly so as not to wake Kyle.

When she was done and she had tidied things up a little she headed to bed. But she stopped to look at Kyle first.

Her attraction to him had always seemed strange to her. Not because he wasn't good looking, because he was. But because when she had first met him he had been just another obnoxious jock who wanted in her pants.

And she had used him to taunt both Max and Liz, to make them follow her to the Library. Plus did she mention he was cute.

Of course she had known nothing would ever come of it. In fact, she hadn't really felt all that much for him.

Then.

Now she knew so much less. Every answer she had gained only earned more questions.

There were only two things she knew for sure. Max would never be hers.

And she loved Kyle.

She was still mad at him. There was no way of knowing that they would ever work. That she could ever forgive him for sleeping with Aeron.

But she still loved him.

And so she found herself drawn almost against her will towards him. Until she was right next to him watching him sleep. She placed a tiny kiss on his forehead and began to walk to her bedroom, sending occasional glances at the still sleeping Kyle.

She held back a yelp as a hand softly grasped her arm. She looked up and saw a tired Sheriff Valenti.

"Is this going to be a problem," He asked softly, glancing at Kyle.

"No, I, no, of course not. I…." She looked again at Kyle.

Valenti wisely nodded his head. "You know he cares for you."

Tess nodded.

"And you care for him."

"I, I…" Tess started but then just nodded.

"Have you two….?"

Tess vigorously shook her head. "No. Sheriff. I, I don't want to cause any problems. I can leave. I have money, I can, I can…"

"No, Tess. You don't have to go. But I need you to be honest with me. If something happens, if something develops, please tell me you will be honest with me."

"Okay. I promise." She cocked her head for a minute and seriously thought about it. If she was going to truly change her life, if she was seriously going to live her for a long time…. When she had lived with Nasedo they had never truly stayed in any one place long enough for her lies to catch up to her. Now, if what she had done with Alex ever came out…. Where would she go?

She couldn't tell anyone about that. Not yet. She needed to think. To come up with a way to mitigate some of the distrust she had undoubtedly earned.

But how?

By helping. And by being honest.

It wasn't in her nature. Not in Tess's nature. But Ava, the real Ava had been honest. And Aeron had said that she deserved the name as much as Aeron ever had. So maybe she could try….

"Sheriff, I can not promise to tell you everything. There will be things, well things I won't be comfortable talking about. But I will be honest. I won't lie to you."

Valenti nodded. "That is a good start. Well you look about as tired as I feel. But well, would you mind spending a little time talking with an old man about what has been going on lately. I feel like we haven't spent any time talking. Kyle and I have been bonding over Bowl Games."

Tess smiled. She used her powers to heat up the water for some coffee and they talked quietly. He had a few funny stories, but mostly they talked about her. About school, and a bit about what had been happening on the alien front.

All in all, a pleasant evening. Until they received a panicked call from Maria….

After she had gotten dressed to help Maria with Valenti, who reluctantly admitted he needed her help, she walked over and gave another kiss to Kyle's forehead, "Sleep well, my prince."

Somehow she knew that he had heard her, could feel his dreams shift to a happier theme.

She looked up at Valenti's worried, but amused eyes, and said, "Let's go."

And they did.

-----

Michael-

Michael flipped through the channels on his TV. Nothing could seem to grab his interest. Video games sounded boring too.

He was worried. How much alien chaos would it take before Maria called it quits? He knew that she loved him, he could feel it. But Maria had limits. He knew it.

He just wasn't sure how far out they were.

Maybe another set of shared dreams between himself and Isabel would be enough to end it? He hoped not.

This was pointless. Wasting time. No reason to waste a perfectly good homework free week obsessing about his girlfriend.

He turned off the TV and walked into his bedroom. To his bookshelves.

So, what to read? For knowledge or pleasure. He looked fondly at a dog-eared copy of Ulysses. Nah. Sun Tzu or Machiavelli? Both seemed just common sense. He used to be tricky. Back on Antar. Not as slick as some of his fellow generals, but not too bad.

He just had to get Michael over his adolescent overreactions. Rath remembered being a bit like that, too. It did not help that he had so little enforced discipline. Rath had not liked the Academy, but he had learned things there….

Michael heard a sound from the other room and grabbed the baseball bat he had just in case. Sure he could flash fry the trespassers with his powers, but that would get hard to explain. He quietly walked up to the door and looked inside.

Maria was quietly stocking some things into his fridge.

Why couldn't he ever bring himself to thank her?

He stood there quietly watching her, feeling her through the bond.

She turned and smiled sadly at him. "Hey, Michael. I, I saw you were running low and I picked up some food for you."

Something wasn't right. Michael walked over to hold Maria, to figure someway to find out what was wrong.

It was more than Isabel. Maria had been understandably upset about that. This was something more.

She melted into his arms and cried.

"Hey, babe, what is wrong? Is Isabel…."

Maria looked up at him, her glistening eyes more luminous than normal. "We talked with Dorian."

Michael grunted. "Our Protector. The one that won't give me the time of day? The one that left me with Hank?" A month ago he would have backed off and started a tirade.

But from Maria he could sense it might break her. That she was fragile at the moment.

So he did what seemed the hardest thing. He held his temper, he did not back away. Did not raise those walls that had protected him for so long.

And it was so HARD! So hard to trust someone so completely.

Rath never had. Both Reyla and Vilandra had come close, but even there…. Even there, the two women he had loved on Antar had never been fully let in.

Maria blinked back tears and looked down, "I, I'm sorry. I just didn't know who else to get involved. I mean, I'll be talking to Liz about this too, but…. Michael, the man had resources. He can help us. I'll, I'll talk to him, and, and make him see you. He's, he's most afraid of Max…."

What could he say to take the pain away from her? Why did he always come off as the heavy?

He lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Maria, I didn't mean to make it sound like it was a bad idea. It is just I don't trust him." He looked into her tearstained eyes and sighed. "Okay, Maria, what is wrong. What have I done or not done now?"

Maria shook her head, "No it isn't you. It's, it's." She tried to look away, the tears starting again.

Michael could feel a stifling pressure in her, and tried to take some of the pain into himself. He could feel her try to hide…. He lifted her head, "Maria?" There eyes met again.

Flash-

Maria quickly unlocked the door, striving to be quiet.

Amy was waiting at the door. "Where have you been young lady?"

"I was with Isabel, um, she hasn't been feeling good and…."

"With one of your new friends, huh. And you couldn't call me? Maria, why can't you just be honest with me? You were with him, weren't you?" She walked away from the door dramatically waving her hands above her head. "My little baby is having sex with a half-alien freak! And does she even call me? No she's too busy destroying her life. I am going to have three eyed grandkids any day now."

"Mom, I am on the pill. We are safe…"

"Sure, that's what I thought, too. But a couple quick mistakes and there you are, with a little girl and worthless man who runs out on you when the going got tough. Do you really think Michael will stand at your side? I trusted Stephen and that wasn't even his real name! At least he was human. Look at you? Just like I was at your age. A worthless tramp! A fool trusting a man to be there when you need him!"

"Mom, what is wrong with you? Why are you saying this?" Maria could feel her heart breaking, which after tonight was only too easy. Her hands began to tingle as her stress levels began to rise….

Amy turned around and rubbed her head. "You aren't my daughter are you? You just look like her. Go away. Courtney was right. My daughter died protecting an alien. And now, look at you? My little Maria could never do that?"

Maria looked down, she was covered with a corona of green and gold, literally glowing. And the stress of realizing what she was doing only made it worse. Made the pain of it worse. "Mom?" And Maria began to cry.

Amy walked over and slapped Maria. "Don't call me that. You're not really my daughter. You are only an alien imposter. But I am on to you missy! Get out!"

Rage flooded into Maria! How dare she! Maria could feel a blast build within her, could feel it build up in her hand that in reflex went to slap her mother back.

Maria held back at the last moment. What Tess had said applied here too. To be in control of her emotions, not to let them control her. To not act solely on instinct.

To think. Something was wrong with her mother.

"Going to kill me now that I know the truth? Going to touch me and burn me from the inside out like all of your other victims. Oh, yes, they showed me the pictures when I was recruited. Showed me how evil you are. But why do you have to look like her?" Amy slumped to her knees. "Why her? Why did you have to steal my little girl?" Amy began to sob, heartbreaking sob after sob.

End Flash

"Oh, Maria…"

"Max and Tess and Valenti are over there now. Trying to figure out what is going on. I, I only seemed to make it worse. Can I, can I stay here for a little while?"

"Mmhmm," Michael mumbled as he pulled her closer.

When he got a hold of the enemy who was causing such pain to Maria…..

Michael carried her over to his couch and just held her. He held her until she fell asleep in his arms.

------

Alex-

Alex knew he was dreaming. After being dream walked so many times by Isabel, he could just tell. There was a certain feel to the landscape, that made him realize it was all in his head.

And for whatever reason he was dreaming of working on the Destiny Book. It was worse sometimes in his dreams. Because here he could feel like he almost understood what was written…..

He looked up from the computer screen. He was waiting for Isabel like he always did. He already had a couple of ideas for their dream date.

It was important that she know he wanted her for more than her body. Which he wanted, oh, yes. But he wanted more, too. And it was important that she knew it.

Somehow he had lucked out and gotten a hold of her. And he was going to do his best to hold onto her. And more, to make her want to hold onto him.

Forever. He wanted forever.

He could feel time passing and yet she still wasn't there. At any moment he could slip into a normal dream where he wouldn't have this much control. Where his subconscious would be in control.

What was keeping her? He could feel her off in the distance. His sense of her in the dream state had grown over the last month, and he could feel her.

Hmm, maybe he could follow the link to her dream for a change?

It was hard and scary. There was a heavy blankness between him and her, and it resisted him. But he pushed and pushed.

It hurt, but he so wanted to see her….

And suddenly he was there.

In her dream.

God, she was so beautiful.

Only she was not alone. They were on a playground. A playground in the shadow of the rock formation that hid the Pod Chamber. Alex had only been there in his dreams, but he knew it well.

His cheeks blushed slightly at the remembrance of one very vivid dream regarding the spot.

Alex shook his head. Time to focus.

For on the playground Isabel and Michael were playing with a cute little girl. She would have to be around two or three as she squealed with joy as Michael pushed her higher and higher on the child swing.

There were no words, just sounds of pleasure from the girl. Isabel looked on lovingly at the child, and Michael seemed so happy.

Had Isabel changed her mind? Was his mission going to drive her away from him?

It was the one true fear he had about the whole project. He didn't want to lose her.

He watched as the blonde child continued to happily swing. There was something about that little girl's eyes….

Alex sighed and walked up to Isabel, her reached out his hand and placed it on her arm. "Is this what you truly want, Izzie?"

Isabel blinked a couple of times, "Alex? Alex what are you doing here. What is? Oh."

Michael shook his head and slowed down the swinging girl. "What is going on? Isabel, another dream? Damn, and Maria is lying in my arms right now. And she's already so broken…."

Alex was surprised at how open Michael was in his feelings. Of course, this was a dream Michael in Isabel's dream."

Isabel looked down, "Oh, God this is so complicated. How did you get here, Alex?"

"I guess I dream walked you."

"You can't dream walk me, you are human."

Michael just stared at both of them, "Okay, maybe I am going nuts. I can almost picture my having a dream Isabel, but man, why is Alex here?"

The little girl squirmed out of the swing and began to amble slightly unsteadily towards Alex.

Alex gripped Isabel tighter, "I don't know how I did it. I, well, I followed the connection between us. How long has this been going on? Is this what you want?"

Isabel looked up at Alex, "No Alex, I want you. But, but these dreams…."

"How long?"

"Two weeks. And…."

"And you didn't tell me. Isabel I thought you knew that you could trust me with anything…." He felt the little girls arms hug his leg. He looked down. He had been right about the eyes.

He could see signs of Michael written all over the girl. It was strange but he knew this girl was Michael's.

And not Isabel's.

For the eyes were a brilliant forest green set in high cheekbones.

Isabel shook her head. "I'm late."

Alex was only paying partial attention as he said, "Late?"

Isabel lifted his chin and glared at him in the eyes, "I think I'm pregnant. I think I am having your baby."

Michael, "What? You're pregnant? Then why am I here? Does Maria know, I mean she'd kill me if she thought…."

Isabel's voice was firm, "Michael calm down, if anyone is going to spaz out right now it should be me or Alex. I think I'm the reason for these dreams, I think I've been pulling you in Michael because of those dreams we shared last spring. Only I think this dream baby is real."

Alex's voice was still soft as he lifted the little girl in his arms, "Well if that is the case then I don't know if you have much to fear. But we might still have a problem."

"What are you saying?"

The little girl gave Alex a little kiss.

Alex smiled at her, "Look at her Isabel. Who does she remind you off?"

Isabel looked at the little girl, at her fine cheek bones and her green eyes and gasped. "Maria?"

Michael said, "Maria? What are you talking about, man?" He walked over and looked at the little girl, "Oh, shit!" He made vague motions as if grabbing motions.

Both Alex and Isabel averted their eyes as Maria dressed in a Crashdown waitress uniform half unbuttoned and sans bra….

"Oooh, Michael, don't stop…. Michael? Alex!?! Isabel?!?" She rapidly buttoned up her uniform. "What is going on? I thought you weren't going to pry!" Maria glared at Isabel, face burning.

Michael had a smirk as he kissed his girlfriend. "Pleasant dream? Thinking about someone?"

She slugged Michael in the arm as she finished buttoning up her uniform and straightened her antennae. "Okay, what is going on? I was having a perfectly normal and dare I say pleasant dream before it was interrupted."

Alex still had his face somewhat averted, his cheeks still a little red. "Apparently we are having a little dream get together. Did you know about these two sharing dreams?"

Maria nodded solemnly. "They told me tonight. Oh, God, Mom, I had forgotten all about her. I hope she's okay!"

Isabel spoke up, "What is wrong with your mom."

"Another attack like on Mr. Parker or your mother," Michael said tightly. "When I get my hands on them…."

Maria hugged Michael tightly.

Alex could feel the little girl in his arms grow restless, making small despondent noises. Alex set her down and she ran straight at Maria and tightly wrapped her arms around her right leg.

"Hello, little one," Maria said as she reached down to pick her up. She was silent as she looked deeply at the child. Her voice was a little hoarse as she spoke up. "Is this the baby you were talking about. I can see Michael, but I'll be honest Isabel, I don't really see you. Of course, we don't really know much about this whole alien thing."

The little girl made happy noises and buried her face in Maria's shoulder.

Alex looked at Isabel and then at Maria. He said softly, "Maria look at her. Really look at her. Tell me who she reminds you of."

"She's so precious, and her eyes…. Oh. My. God. Thisisimpossible. Thiscan'tbehappening. Oh, God, is Mom right, am I, am I…."

Isabel walked over to Maria, "We'll take those test together."

Maria nodded and cried as she looked in wonder at the beautiful little girl in her arms.

Alex walked over to Michael. "Do you understand any of this? I mean, we've been pretty careful…."

Michael just shrugged.

Alex shook his head. Of course this was just a dream. Maybe that was it. But it felt real. Then again dreams did didn't they? "Isabel is this real? I mean you do this all the time. Is this real, are we really here?"

Isabel closed her eyes for a moment. Her voice was not steady when it started again. "We're real. All five of us are real…."

Alex went over and held her.

How long the dream lasted, he could never be certain. But while it spoke of future difficulties, he cherished it.

For he was with friends. With family.

And he would do what it took to protect them. Come what may.

-----

Liz-

Liz knew when she woke up that it was going to be a long and stressful day. How she knew, Liz wasn't sure. It also did not make a dent in her happy mood.

Liz was in love. Max was hers. And she knew that no matter what happened today would not change that. Max was her soul mate and that was that.

He was hers and she his. Unchangeable. Unbreakable.

And if it changed or got broken she would fix it. She was not going to accept despair regarding Max again. Never again.

So even though she was tired she was whistling slightly off key as she ran down stairs and helped open the Crashdown. Her father was running the kitchen this morning and couldn't help chuckling at her.

Not that she cared.

He still didn't know about everything yet. But they would get through that too.

Everything was going to be fine.

Not even serving the groups of early morning Air Force officers changed her mood. Nor getting coffee for the two FBI agents that apparently were going to be permanent early morning fixtures.

She did feel a sudden tension around seven in the morning as Deputy Owen came in with a couple of coffee mugs. She placed his order for her father to cook and filled the coffee mugs.

The tension began to grow as she walked back to him and his hand grazed hers as she handed him the coffee mugs.

Flash- A woman gave Owen a kiss as he left, handing him one of the mugs.

Flash- The woman suddenly felt strange and collapsed, her perceived world becoming increasingly odd until darkness closed in.

Flash- Deputy Owen holding one of the mugs calling for his Janey…. Only to find her dead in the kitchen….

"Are you okay Ms. Parker?" The Deputy asked.

Liz nodded stiffly. Her mind was racing, seemingly going into overdrive trying to figure out what she had just seen. And….

Flicker

Flicker

Flicker

Flicker

Her father was looking at her a little strangely as she bagged up the order and added a couple of muffins. She also grabbed an orange juice and added a couple of sugar packets to the bag.

She knew what she had to do. It was risky. So very risky.

It could go so very badly.

But to do nothing…. She couldn't do nothing. She had to help.

So she walked up to Deputy Owen. "Um, Deputy, you have to go home. Janey needs you."

"What are you talking about Liz?"

Liz bit her lip. "She needs you. I can't tell you how I know. I just do. You have to go Deputy. You have to." She put all the force she could trying to persuade him….

Deputy Owen staggered back. "I, what is going on? What?"

"Please, just go home. Please! You have to hurry."

The Deputy just nodded, skepticism plainly drawn up on his face. But he left.

Liz hoped he listened to her.

A woman's life depended on it.

Somehow the day no longer seemed so bright. At least until she felt Max, a very tired Max near.

She was so happy to feel him, she almost could ignore the sense of tension she could feel roll off of him.

It was going to be a long day.

And unfortunately she was right…..

Shadows of the Past chapter 6

Tess-

Tess walked up to the front door with the Sheriff. Valenti had not been happy about having her with him, but she had argued its necessity. Plus, it would give her more practice on seeming invisible. That was a useful trick, but a hard one to master.

Tess saw as the window shade was lifted.

Amy met them at the door. She stood there in a provocative posture. "Well if it isn't my favorite Sheriff." She invited him in.

The Sheriff just looked at her with such longing…. "Amy. I…."

Tess rolled her eyes as he followed Amy in. Just what she needed. Tess held her low level warp. But they were here on business….

What was keeping Max anyway? Tess looked at the street as Amy moved to kiss the unresisting Sheriff.

She should have been paying more attention. What was it in her that repeatedly broke all the strictures her father had tried to instill in her. And Nasedo had believed in harsh discipline at times.

For by the time she turned back the Sheriff was slipping to the floor. Amy looked tired but she held Valenti's service pistol in steady hands.

Tess reached out to take control of the woman's mind…. Tess flinched as if she'd run full out into a brick wall. "What?"

Amy's smile was vicious as she raised the pistol. "Good-bye, my Queen." The gun fired once, twice.

Tess reached for her powers. Too strike out one more time…..

Tess shivered at the memory. A pale Amy was cooking Tess and Valenti breakfast. She wanted to make something for Max, but he said he needed to see Liz.

Amy's eyes were still wide from the healing she had received from Max. Tess had cut her fairly badly apparently.

How can we just sit here and be friends after we just tried to kill each other?

The Sheriff was almost as bad. Two people under his protection had nearly died within arms reach. One of them by his pistol.

Amy handed them both some coffee. "So what happened. All I know is that I blacked out and I was bleeding all over the kitchen. And God, I can almost remember some horrible things I said to Maria…."

Tess spoke up, "Maria called us. She warned us something was wrong. For all the good it did us. Do you remember anything?"

Amy shuddered. "All I can remember is that it wanted me to die. That it wanted to hurt you all. To hurt Maria. I, I can't remember all the reasoning. I…."

"Amy if it is too hard…." said Sheriff Valenti.

"No we Deluca women are made of tough stuff. It hurts. To think I actually held that, that thing and shot you, Tess."

"You weren't fully yourself. The people from my world can possess humans apparently. You know Brody?"

Amy nodded.

"He was at the Summit. Possessed by a guy named Larek."

"Did you know him?"

Tess wriggled a little uncomfortably in her chair, "No, but I felt like I should have. He recognized me."

"It is so strange to ask this, I mean I know Courtney looked different, do your people?"

"Yes. Yes my people don't really look human. But he's Mitharan, and so he probably could just see me. I can recognize people by feel. That is what he would have seen. Not this, this shell," She waved to her body, "but the real me. The person who I had been."

"So you still think of yourself as your past self."

"I did. I was certainly raised to. But lately…."

"Who?" said Amy.

"What?" said Tess.

"Kyle." Valenti said drolly.

"Seriously." Amy sounded both surprised and amused.

"Awkward."

"Yep."

"Hey, hey stop. We are not talking about Kyle. We. Are. Not." Tess said finally blushing furiously.

"But he is a reason to stay."

Tess's face was still burning as she glared at Amy.

Amy just smiled. "You and I are going to have to talk, my dear. Maria said you were raised by male."

"He was an alien…."

Amy looked fondly at the Sheriff, "Aren't they all?" She walked over and puttered around the kitchen for a few moments.

Sheriff Valenti just shook his head and ate a biscuit.

Tess had to get control of the situation. "So, um, do you remember anything else. Any reason why you tried to kill me?"

Amy sighed and stirred the eggs. "I don't know why they chose me. They wanted to hurt my daughter. But not physically. It was like they wanted to break her. I was, I was thinking of ways to…."

"Amy…"

"No let me finish. She recognized you. In fact, I could feel more of myself wake up when you were there. It was like there was a different pressure pushing at the, the presence."

"I was trying to warp you. But your mind was too full."

"Too full."

Tess stared at both of them. She'd never really explained her powers to anyone except Nasedo and Aeron. She closed her eyes. A choice. She had to make a choice. She opened her eyes. She would be here.

Roswell was home. These were her friends. Her family. If she could not bring herself to trust them, would she ever be able to bring herself to trust anyone?

Nasedo had taught her to trust no one. And what had that gained her. Even those who should care for her held her with suspicion. Her actions had prompted it.

Would it be a fight every time she tried to trust. Would it ever get easier?

Maybe Maria would know. Or, or Liz.

"My powers work by finding, I guess you could call holes in your thoughts. A lot of what your brain, my brain, any brain does is screen a lot of useless data out. This makes gaps I can, well infiltrate and fill. And I can change what you perceive."

"So Maria was right when she said you could mess with peoples heads."

Tess nodded. And swallowed hard. This was part of what she feared. What if she let people see who she was, see what she was… And they hated her?

"Can you do other things? Can you make me, make me safe? I don't want that thing in my head again. I'm afraid that it will happen again."

Amy was facing away from them, but Tess could tell she was scared. Scared for herself and scared for her daughter.

"I will do what I can. I promise you. I promise you both….."

Tess could feel a little bit more of the old dreams die. The more they tied themselves to the humans, to any humans, the less likely they would be able to bring themselves to leave if the opportunity appeared.

But would that be a bad thing? A mental picture of Kyle making some stupid joke or comment. And could he be clueless sometimes, for instance….

Amy set a plate in front of Tess. A bottle of Tabasco followed. "Maria said you folks like this stuff. She certainly stocks enough to keep Michael happy on the few times he's eaten here…."

Simple small things. It was the simple small things that made her want to stay.

That and maybe something more. Or someone more.

------

Max-

Max was tired. Bone deep tired. Both Amy and Tess had been badly wounded.

The sight of the Sheriff cradling both bodies…..

Why wouldn't their enemies leave them alone?

All he knew is that he needed Liz. Needed to be near her. His tanks were nearly empty and she was his fuel.

He pulled into the Crashdown, next to Maria's truck. It was strange to think of her not in the Jetta. Well she had to go somewhere. At least he could tell her mother would be okay.

For now.

How much healing did it take to change someone? Just a little? A serious wound? Or did they have to be near death?

Amy had been badly hurt, but she would have lived with decent medical care. Would her life completely be ruined now by his healing her?

A worry for another day. Tess and Valenti were staying behind to make sure Amy remained safe. Tess said she was going to see if she could block whatever had possessed Amy.

As if worrying about the Skins and FBI had not been enough, now he had to watch all the normal people too. There had to be some clue, some limit on his enemies ability to possess people.

Or he and his friends would be dead already.

And why did they want Tess dead. This was the second time someone had just randomly attacked her. Valenti had just been knocked out. But Max had gotten a flash from Amy when he had healed her. And it had not been Amy he had felt.

It had felt cold and calculating. Alien. Completely alien. And it had wanted Tess dead.

But why?

Max got out of the Jeep and walked into the diner. He could feel as his sense of Liz grew stronger and stronger. Their eyes met across the room as entered. She was surrounded by an agitated Maria and Isabel. He walked over to a seat at the bar, his usual booth taken.

Liz walked over, "Hey."

She was so beautiful. "Good morning. Feeling a little better?"

"Yeah." She pursed her lips, "We need to talk. But Mar, Isabel and Maria are basically demanding I speak with them first." Her eyes dipped down and then focused on his.

He felt the impact of her eyes as the connection already strong with her so close became all but transcendent.. He just looked at her with a soft smile. He would wait.

He would always wait for her.

Maria stalked over. "Alright enough of that you two. Sorry Max, I have to borrow your girlfriend." She blinked a couple of times. "Max is my mother…?"

"She's fine, Maria. She's okay. She did not mean any of what she said."

"I didn't think so, but after your mom and Mr. Parker…. I just wanted to be sure."

"That is what friends are for. She'll probably want to speak with you later though."

Maria nodded, tears lurking in her gaze.

Liz gave her a quick hug. "It'll be okay. We will make it all okay."

Isabel walked over. "Hey Max. You look terrible. You should get some sleep. I heard about Amy. Is she okay?"

"Yeah, it was complicated, and this isn't really the place…. We should gather everyone later today sometime."

"Okay, um, we really need to talk with Liz…"

"Well, I guess I will just have a nice hearty breakfast…."

Liz kissed him on the cheek. And they all left. He could feel Liz walk away from him, never quite leaving the zone where he could feel her presence clearly.

He was tired but he could wait for her. She was worth it.

-----

Michael

Michael stared at the ceiling. He had felt when Maria had left. He heard her call Isabel

Michael had never been more frightened in his life. Before when he had thought the baby, if there was one, would be Isabel's, it had never really felt real.

But if Maria were pregnant…..

He wasn't ready. He was still in high school. He barely made enough money to keep himself afloat, how could he support a little baby? It wasn't like he had a support network. No parents to help him out if he got over his head. No one to give him advice….

And yet there was also a sense of elation. That he might actually have a family of his own. Maybe not the way he had planned, maybe not the way he had thought .

Certainly not the time he had thought this might happen. In truth the idea had never really crossed his mind.

But if this truly was real. If he truly was to make his life here and now. /Things would have to change.

He would have to change.

Maybe it was time to start growing up.

------

Liz-

Liz stared at her two friends in parliament. "Okay, so you both think you might be pregnant? Isabel has headaches and a missed period, and you Maria because the dream baby looked just like you?"

Isabel and Maria looked at each other and nodded.

Liz slumped down on her bed. Was this better or worse than rampaging enemy aliens?

Liz wasn't sure.

And to think there had been a time when she had been bored. A time when the only aliens she had ever thought about were the imagined ones she slyly taunted her customers about.

Now she might be one herself.

Isabel spoke up, "I did meet Dorian. He said he would help."

Maria added, "I, I need to tell him to pick up extra stuff for me too. Mom will kill me." Maria began to tear up.

Liz reached over and gave her a hug.

After a few moments Isabel joined them.

For a brief moment Liz felt an odd sensation, like and unlike the connection that she felt with Max. That odd feeling passed, but the sense of closeness, of deep abiding friendship remained.

Even from Isabel.

The hug ended and all three of them looked at each other with a small sense of wonder, each having felt that, but none sure of what it meant.

Liz looked at the two other girls. "Okay. I take it Dorian is going to need a little time to gather what he needs?"

Maria shook her head, "That part is easy. He just needs a little time to rest. He said he'd be ready by Friday."

Isabel said, a trace of wonder, "He said I was human, that the human tests should work. But how can that be, Liz? I mean you found out about Max from a skin sample…."

Liz looked at her friends. "I don't know. There is still too much we don't know. Does Tess still have that book?"

"The Destiny Book? Are you really sure we want to even touch that nightmare again?"

Liz shook her head, "Just because they made plans doesn't mean we have to follow them. I was told once by a wise lady to follow my heart. And I plan to. So whatever it says, well we need the information."

The other two girls nodded. Isabel a trace defiant, and Maria a little cautiously.

Liz nodded to herself. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to find out what had been planned for Max either. But they should know. To many of their enemies knew more about them than they did.

That needed to change.

But not today. "Okay, we all need to lighten up a bit. So how about some Christmas shopping and then a movie?"

At the slight grins on her friends faces, she could tell she had scored a winner. The problems would still be there, but until Friday, there was little they could do. It wasn't like Isabel could go to a family planning clinic.

And with what Maria had been doing lately, maybe she shouldn't either.

The Alien Chaos that dominated their lives would remain. But there was no reason not to cut out time for a little fun to unwind and forget for just a little while.

"Let's go tell Max…."

Sorry for the wait. I have recently moved and am still getting everything settled. My apologies. Thanks to everyone still following along.

xmag- Well Tess and Max shut the door on the alien possessing Amy. Hopefully for good.

There is a reason why the dreams affect Isabel, and why the child looks like Maria.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Shadows of the Past chapter 7

Kyle-

Kyle walked into the nursing home his grandfather lived in. It had been a while since he had seen him, his life had been so complicated lately. But the old man shouldn't feel so alone.

It wasn't like his father would visit often.

James Senior and his father had always had had a rocky relationship. The fact that his grandfather had been partly right about the aliens, which should have healed at least some of the rift between them, still his father was not a frequent guest here.

Still Kyle would try to cheer up his grandfather. He'd never been a big believer in Christmas, not even before his conversion to Buddhism.

Christmas made him think of mom. And even now that made him want to cry.

Enough. It was done. He was done with her.

She certainly was done with him.

Kyle adjusted the care package he had made for his grandfather. A blanket, some magazines, a few western novels. It should brighten up the old man's day.

He was almost to his grandfather's room when he heard a sound he had not heard in years.

His grandfather's laughter.

Kyle walked into the room, the door already ajar. His grandfather's usually dull but intense eyes seemed lightened, almost cheery as he laughed at the young woman who sat on a chair near his bed. She was darkly blonde with a bit of a long face. She reminded him of someone, he wasn't sure of whom.

"Uh, hello?" Kyle said.

The girl stood and looked at Kyle. "Hi. I was just visiting." She looked around. "God, I hate these places. All these institutions inconvenient people get shuffled off to." She turned to Valenti Senior, "I'll be back later."

"Bye Megan."

The girl just smiled, "Sorry sir, Megan was my mother, I'm Laurie."

Valenti Senior absently patted her hand, "Sorry, my mind… wanders sometimes." He saw Kyle and for a miracle smiled. "Kyle, meet Megan, she's Charlie's little girl."

Laurie looked up at Kyle, her gaze a little searching and somewhat enigmatic. "Actually it is Laurie, Laurie Dupree. My grandfather was friends with your grandfather."

Alert! Alert! Another stranger blunders into town. Next she'll mention some alien related thing. Why, why, why me? Why is my grandfather getting dragged into this. Is this how it happened with Mrs. Evans and Mr. Parker? A mysterious meeting and bam they go psycho? "Uh, yeah, I am Kyle Valenti. Nice to meet you I guess. So, uh, how did your grandfather get to know mine?"

Laurie flashed him a grin. "Aliens of course."

"Let me guess, you were abducted."

"No, not me. I sometimes wonder though…. No, not here. I think I might be able to trust you. Grandpa always did say I could trust certain families. That certain people were safe. Maybe later. I will be in touch." She hurried out of the room. At the door she turned around and gave James Valenti Senior a kiss on the cheek and waved goodbye.

Kyle stared after her.

"I thought you preferred brunettes."

Kyle turned slowly to look at his grandfather, "Oh, blondes have been growing on me lately. I'll have to bring you Tess."

"It is always so cold in here." His grandfather looked off into the distance. "They're still out there Kyle. They've come more than once, some may still be here. I thought, I thought we might have caught one that time…. But Hub was too broken to let him talk, and, and….."

Kyle draped the extra blanket he had brought across his grandfather. "Hey old man, no need to talk about it. Unless you want to. I mean, I just thought I would spend a little time with you, it being Christmas and all."

"Jimmy?"

"You know what it's like being Sheriff. If I can drag dad down here, I will."

Kyle would certainly bring Tess, even if he couldn't persuade his dad to visit his own father. Maybe Tess could see if there was anything wrong.

And Laurie. There was something about her. Something strange. A wariness, a sense of hidden secrets.

She acted like his little green friends.

Maybe she was one too.

Much as he didn't want to, he should call Max. The LGM's should know.

------

Liz-

Liz smiled as Max carried up the bag of Christmas gifts she had bought today. Her poor boyfriend had ended up acting as their porter for the whole trip.

Max smiled back. "So can we talk now? Alone?"

"Is that all you want to do? Talk?"

"Well, I might have a few more ideas…. But we do need to talk. About yesterday."

Liz shivered. "About what happened to Amy? That was a nasty surprise. Did you get any flashes? Was it Ana?"

Max shook his head, "I don't know. She didn't meet anyone, not like my mom and your dad. It was more like it had been with Brody."

"This is bad. I mean if they can just possess everyone…."

Max shook his head, "I doubt they can. Or we would already be sunk. You said Maria could be possessed at times in the last timeline. Could it be genetic?"

"I don't know. I wrote a lot of my memories of the future down, but they've been fading. When you helped me, I don't know, stabilize myself? The others, the other personalities began to fade. And with them their memories."

"Emily had memories?"

"Yes, not many and they were faint. But some were… pleasant. I don't know, there were some things I liked about her. And others…." Liz shook her head. "The thing is, I think she was me. Just a me with a completely different world view. I don't know, some of it, some of it I think I would like to keep. Like not worrying so much about what your people wanted when they made you. Emily didn't care one bit about Destiny. And I think she was right. I love you. You love me. We will make it work."

Max sighed and sat heavily in one of her chairs. "I wish it were that easy. It just all seems to be so complicated. And now with the attacks…. I didn't want to tell Maria, but the presence in Amy wanted Maria to attack her. It wanted for Maria to lose control and kill her own mother. What kind of demented monster does that sort of stuff? It was going to try to manipulate and isolate her."

"Why her? Why aren't they trying to manipulate, say Michael or Isabel. Or you for that matter. Of course, my dad nearly killed me. And your mom…."

"That would have isolated us, I guess. Maybe they don't want us to form attachments to the humans. Nasedo certainly didn't."

Silence lay in the room for a few moments before Max spoke again. "Liz who is Dorian? Michael was ranting about this other shifter yesterday. You mentioned a little when I got home…."

"He's helped us. He was there in New York. He has even tried to cover up a lot of the problems we have faced. Did you know Nasedo killed Hank?"

"Those noises that night…."

"Nasedo tortured him to death. And left the body to rot. Oh it was hidden, probably would have been found along some highway. Dorian talked to the Sheriff, covered it up and buried Hank. He just got back from Houston, where he set up a trail for anyone searching for Courtney."

"You trust him."

"Yes. I, well it is hard to say. I feel he is on our side. Not just yours, but mine as well. He doesn't hate humans. I could see that, could tell. He, he loves you. All of you. Me, Maria, and Alex as well. Tess not so much, but…. I can see things now Max. You know that. Some of what I see from him, I, I don't fully understand. But I trust him, yes."

"And he doesn't want to meet us?"

Liz smiled and grabbed Max's hand. "He has met you. He knows you. But for some reason he is afraid of you knowing who he is. He's skittish with Michael and Isabel, but you. For some reason he fears you."

"But why?"

"I don't know." Liz sat on the side of the chair. Max was so close now, so close. She could feel their bond intensify….

Max looked up at her, "You always do this. You distract me, pull me from despair. Let him know I do want to meet up with him. But I can wait. But if he knows something, something I need to know, please…."

"Of course, Max." She bit her lip. Should she tell him about the whole alien baby issue?

"What is it Liz? What aren't you telling me."

"I, uh, I can't tell you yet. I want to know more before I tell you."

"Liz!"

"Please, it's not my secret. And we'll know more Saturday. I doubt we could hide it forever."

"Liz, you are killing me. Please can't you give me a hint?" His mouth formed a bit of a pout.

She leaned in towards him, and with smoky eyes, said, "Saturday. I will tell you Saturday." And she kissed him. He did say she was good at distracting him after all.

This was a distraction both of them would enjoy.

And so they did.

------

Maria-

Maria had enjoyed the day immensely. Unfortunately for her, she had the closing shift. So did Michael.

It was fairly busy, more hungry shoppers than the usual crowd. The time storm had damaged so many businesses further down Main that this part was busier than usual for Christmas.

It was becoming apparent that the Alien Chaos was beginning to affect a wider and wider area. If their enemies kept attacking….

Hopefully Tess was able to block whatever access that thing that had possessed her mother had used. It was good that she was starting to like Tess, or owing her would have really hurt her pride.

It was bad enough that he world kept spinning. This whole Dream baby was just another complication in an already complicated life.

Oh, God. If she really was pregnant, what would she do? Could she trust Spaceboy? She was fairly sure he wouldn't just bail, but would he actually be a help?

Michael just gave her an enigmatic look. He was quiet this evening. Maybe a little less surly than normal.

She heard the bell ring behind her. Another customer. This one for her section. "Welcome to the Crashdown, how can I help you?"

There were two of them. An impeccably dressed woman with dark hair and green eyes. If Isabel did become a lawyer, she'd look like this. Everything just so. The little girl was a little more normal.

The woman said, "I'm just here to pick up some sandwiches. Do you have a menu I can look at?"

"Sure if you will follow me up to the counter. My name is Maria, can I get you anything to drink while you make your decisions."

"Some milk for you, Sydney. Do you have bottled water? Yes, I will take two." She looked at the menu. "Any suggestions?" She looked up and paled. Her carefully sculptured face smothered in shock.

Maria thought she heard a faint, "David?" come from the woman.

Michael was standing at the serving window.

The little girl had gotten up on one of the stools and was twirling herself around.

The woman seemed to snap out of it, "Stop it Sydney."

The little girl nodded and stopped, oblivious to the tension that existed.

The woman looked up again and shook her head. "Sorry, I just thought he reminded me of someone. I'll have a Solenoid Salad with Thousand Island. A Galaxy Club with extra Pepperjack, hold the mayo. Um, do you have chicken nuggets for Sydney," pointing at the little girl."

Maria nodded and wrote them on the ticket. She then handed them to the now scowling Michael. For a brief moment they looked at each other, and she could feel the worry and apprehension flowing from him. She tried to send calming moods.

Didn't know if it worked that way, but hey she had to try.

Michael worked on the order and Maria had to check up on some of her other guests. But her eyes kept straying to the woman. There was something about her, more than just her fashion sense.

Something not normal.

She was starting to see aliens everywhere. And they weren't right?

They weren't everywhere?

Right?

She gave them their food and they left, crossing the street to the closed UFO Center.

Closed, but not to them apparently. Strange.

She took a quick break to chat with Michael. "Hey, so what did you think of that woman."

He didn't look up. "Suspicious."

"So are we, like, going to investigate her now? Like with Courtney? Only this time we work together?"

He flipped the burger he was staring at. "I want you to stay away from her, Maria. It's not safe."

"Like my normal life is?"

Michael immediately tensed. "Do you want me to say I wish we had never gotten involved? That you could have your happy go lucky life you used to have. That we never, never had…."

"Made love?"

Michael just looked at her. But she could feel the passion flow from him. What Michael couldn't say in words she could feel.

Too bad she couldn't just close the store right now.

The moment was broken by Ashlyn placing an order. She rolled her eyes, "Later you two. Do I need to get a fire extinguisher?"

Maria sighed, "I need to get back." She turned to go.

Michael moved quickly and kissed her in a brief but passionate manner. "The lady did say we could have later."

Maria smiled up at Michael.

There were a lot of problems on their plate just at the moment. The suspicious woman who had just left the Crashdown among them.

But later sounded good to her. She went back to the floor.

-----

Isabel-

Isabel wasn't quite sure how long she had been asleep. Or even how long she had been here, at this strange playground in the shadow of the Pod Chamber.

But she could feel a change, like something had moved in….

She looked around and saw Alex.

The little girl that seemed to live here rattled the chains on the swing, demanding to be pushed. Funny how that while she couldn't talk, Isabel could still understand her. Isabel began to push the girl.

Alex walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, watching as she swung the little girl. "So do you think she is ours?"

"I don't know. But I am drawn to her. Speaking of which, how did you get here?"

"I don't know. I just could feel you out there. Just like the other night. I, I wanted to spend time with you. I miss you Isabel. To think I will be home late tomorrow. Will you be there to meet me?"

"I plan to. I think Liz and Maria will be there, too. They were talking about the Destiny book today. That it needs to be translated."

"I wish I were further along with that. I'm so torn Isabel. I want to stay here and finish it. I feel compelled to finish.. And yet, being away from you….."

"Surely we can tell the others though, right. What you, what we have been doing?"

"We will need to ask Tess."

There was a part that found it wrong that Tess should have so much control over something that affected them all. But, while it rankled, it also seemed important. Keeping it secret was important. "Okay."

And for hours they stayed there, playing with a potentially imaginary child on an imaginary playground.

Thanks to all who are following along this story.

xmag- The whole baby mystery and how it has affected Michael and Isabel, well, it is complicated. There is a reason why it looks like Michael and Maria. And Isabel and Michael haven't even ever kissed let alone done anything more, so there is zero possiblility of that.

Laurie's motives will be covered in future posts. But for now she is staying in Roswell.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Shadows of the Past chapter 8

Kyle-

Kyle walked into the UFO Museum. He still had not talked to Max and was determined to talk to him about Laurie.

He hated it but this needed a LGM's experience. There was something strange about Miss Laurie Dupree, something that might be alien related.

Well, seeing as it involved his grandfather in his hey day of alien hunting, it almost certainly did. But Granddad was old, and there was no way he could deal with the chaos that the Alien Abyss brought.

If Laurie was a danger, it was better that a helpful alien be involved.

Kyle shuddered. Had things changed so much that he actively sought out the LGMs now?

Yes. If it would save his grandfather trouble.

So Kyle walked down the stairs and wandered through the exhibits looking for Max. The place still bore a few of the wounds from the battle that had happened last month, but was mostly repaired. But the blast marks from Courtney and an unnamed Skin still remained. Covered in paint and faint to see.

But Kyle could feel where they were. Could feel where the substance of the wall had been changed….

Kyle shuddered again.

Max looked up and quietly said, "You know I don't fix colds."

"Funny. Very funny. I, uh, have a situation to talk to you about. Can we talk for a moment?"

"Um, is it important. I really need to get these displays fixed."

"Yeah, cause UFO's are a big draw right before Christmas. Face it Evans, this place is dead and likely will be all day. I thought Brody was keeping the hours light, it being so slow."

"Um, Brody has family in town and well, he's going to be spending more time with them while their here. So sure we're going to be slow, but I'm going to be running the whole show until four after Brody leaves."

"Trust me, I just need a few moments of your time."

"Hmm, I guess I could take a break. If you don't mind breakfast."

"Crashdown I presume? I do want you to listen to me you know. So don't just wander off in a fog as you and Liz lock gazes."

"Hmmph. Uh, why don't you go grab us a booth or table. I'll just let Brody know I will be gone a bit."

"Right."

Kyle took one look at the Crashdown. Where the UFO Museum was mostly dead, the Crashdown was busy. Early morning shoppers.

Kyle shuddered again. Hopefully they could get a booth. There was no way he would be able to discuss this if they were stuck at the counter.

He crossed the street. He could suddenly feel the exhilaration and giddiness that signaled his senses were about to be magnified.

Not now. Not in a crowded restaurant. Kyle groaned.

But he had to talk to Max, he had to somehow get his grandfather out of this. So he grit his teeth and walked into the Crashdown.

It was bad. He felt the presences of the people in the Crashdown. But it was different this time. Clearer. Less vague. More refined.

Should he be happy that they were developing?

Why couldn't he get something cool like Maria? She gets to throw lightning and I get to sense people?

Unfair!

He could sense Maria sharply, and itchy staticy feeling. Michael glowed nearly radioactive. And Liz…. He couldn't describe it. But it was deep and subtle. And dangerous.

He'd never been afraid of the small brunette before. Okay, when she'd been Emily she'd been a little scary. But now, now she felt… frightening.

Most of the other people felt, well normal. But there was another at the bar. She was older, maybe in her thirties, but still hot. Short, maybe looking a bit like Maria, with large green eyes. But her hair was dark and her bearing was regal.

And she was far from normal.

A chill brushed through him. She must be an alien. Yet another damn alien. How would Laurie have felt if his senses had been working then? Would she also feel like this?

It was happening again. They were under siege again. Only this time they were trying to be sneaky.

Of course they screamed out their presence to him like a bonfire in the night, so Kyle wasn't sure what their plan was.

"Hey Kyle," Maria said warmly. "Here for breakfast or do you need to see anyone? We're kind of busy, so…."

"Uh, I was going to meet Max here. Um, do you know the brunette at the counter?"

Maria weighed it in her head. "Okay, I can get you a booth, but you have to promise you won't linger. And that you will tip. You will tip well."

"Right, sure. Whatever. The woman?"

"Oh, her. Yeah we need to talk about her to Max. We were going to last night when we closed, but well, one thing lead to another." A small smile graced her lips and she gazed to the serving window.

Just at that moment, Michael popped out and smiled back at Maria. In an instant the smile was gone and a glare was sent at Kyle. He slammed a plate and rang the bell.

"I don't care to know more, thank you. But the woman?"

"She's interested in Michael. That is all we know."

Kyle muttered, "She's another alien. That much is obvious."

"Alien? Come on Kyle, I thought Michael was supposed to be the paranoid one." Maria looked thoughtful for a moment, "Of course she could be another Michael worshipper. Maybe she could be useful." Maria shook her head. "Just let Max know, Michael wants to speak with him before he goes."

Maria placed him at the booth Max usually tried to sit in. "Remember, don't linger. I don't want to lose too many tips!"

Kyle sat down and watched as Maria stalked off. She hadn't even taken his drink order.

Liz talked briefly with Maria, who shrugged and grabbed a couple of plates for a different table. Liz walked over with a couple of drinks and set them down. "The usual right? For both of you?"

Kyle nodded and studied his former girlfriend. She had changed. Become more than she had been. Scarily so in a lot of ways. And yet, and yet looking in her eyes he could still see the Liz he had fallen for last year. Sharp, sweet, and gorgeous.

Still he did prefer blondes these days. Or rather a specific blonde.

Too bad there were two identical copies.

"I need to talk with Max, Liz. Please don't shoot too many lovey-dovey glances or he won't hear a word I say."

Liz just smiled and walked away.

Kyle shook his head and waited for Max.

------

Max-

Max walked into the Office, surprised at hearing laughter ringing though the room. Brody was an intense man, not given to laughter. But the source of his bosses' mirth was a little girl twirling about like a top.

The little girl stopped as she saw Max.

Brody turned, a smile still on his face. "Come in Max, this is my daughter, Sydney. Sydney say 'Hi' to Max."

The little girl smiled shyly and quietly said, "Hi."

"Sorry Brody, I did not mean to interrupt. I wondered if I could break for breakfast?"

Brody smiled, "I'll still be here until noon. Go right ahead. Take as long as you like."

"I still need to work on that exhibit, so I won't be too long. Nice meeting you Sydney."

"Bye."

"Bye, Max."

Max walked out of the office and to the outer door. He was stopped by a pretty dark haired woman.

When she saw him, her eyes were as large as platters. She dropped the Crashdown bag, and would have dropped the drinks too, had not Max caught them.

He fumbled for a moment trying to make sure nothing spilled.

He could barely hear her whisper, "Carlos?"

"Excuse me?"

"God, you look so much like him."

"I am sorry, can I help you?"

He heard a girl's voice behind him, "Mommy, you're back." Sydney hugged her mother.

"Sydney! Oh, Alicia, you are back."

"With breakfast. Slightly rumpled breakfast maybe, but breakfast. Sydney, why don't you take the bag I dropped into the office. Me and your father will be along in just a minute.

Sydney fidgeted a minute before Alicia sent her a stern look and Sydney picked up the bag and skipped back into the office.

Max cleared his voice, "She seems like a happy child."

"Yes. Despite it all. Yes she is."

Brody had crossed the distance between them, "Ah, good. Max, this is my ex-wife Alicia Ibanez. Alicia, this is the Max Evans I have talked to you about."

"You so look like him, like Carlos. I had seen your picture, but seeing….."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Max was dying to know who this Carlos was. He resisted a moment before he couldn't help but asking, "I am sorry, but who is this Carlos you are speaking of?"

"My cousin. My favorite cousin. You could be twins."

Max's mind was a whirl of activity, did he have another copy out there? Or had she met Zan?

Alicia continued, "He died. Recently. I'm sorry if I'm keeping you. But, but you look so much like him."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Alicia nodded and walked after her daughter, her face thoughtful.

Both he and Brody stood there for a time. Brody broke the silence first. "Remember, I will be here until noon. If you have anything to do, do it now. Tim won't be in until four."

Max nodded and left. He walked across the street feeling his sense of Liz increase as he did so.

Sometimes it was hard just leaving her presence.

He entered the Crashdown, his eyes meeting hers. And smiled.

As long as he had her everything would be okay.

------

Brody-

Brody watched as his ex-wife organized breakfast in his office. Everything precise.

She looked up. "So is that him?"

Brody nodded.

"Have you talked to him? When you had shown me the pictures….. I just couldn't believe it. It could be him….."

"But it is not. I have checked. Max Evans was recovered with his sister from the desert in 1983. They've been with the Evans for most of it. There is no way he is Carlos. Sorry."

Alicia sighed and cut up the sausage for Sydney.

"Do you think he can help us? Like Carlos helped Lucia?"

"I don't know. I have spent the last few weeks trying to think of a way of approaching him…. But this is so crazy, I mean how do I start?"

Alicia nodded. "Let me know how I can help."

Brody looked at his daughter. His bright cheery, but deathly sick daughter. He was almost out of time.

But how did one as the impossible without seeming crazy?

------

Isabel-

Isabel stood impatiently waiting for the tests to finish. Dorian had gotten a ton of them, and she had taken four separate tests.

So had Maria.

Now to wait.

She never liked waiting one bit.

"There has to be a better way. Surely they had a faster more reliable method on Antar."

Dorian shrugged. "Maybe if some more of the equipment had survived the Crash…. Besides, that would have been optimized for Antarans, not humans. And as I have told you, you are basically human."

"Yeah, Michael told me Nasedo told him the same thing. But if we are so similar, why do are cells look so different."

"Your cells look different?" Dorian sat up abruptly from his comfortable perch on the couch. He was currently in the form of Kyle.

"You don't know? You have supposedly protected us our whole lives and you didn't know our cells look different? What a wonderful Protector you are!"

Liz got up and put her hand on Isabel's shoulder trying to calm her down.

Maria was hovering nervously over her tests.

Isabel snapped at her next, "Maria I don't see what you are so worried about, you're not even late…."

Maria looked up, "But that girl…."

"What girl?"

"Isabel has a little girl who is in her dreams. She looks like me and Michael. And. And I want his babies. Someday. Not now. I mean, I am just not ready. I am just a teen and I don't want to be a teenage mother. God, mom would kill me."

Isabel walked over to her tests and picked on up. She knew what Maria was saying. There was a part of her, and not only the Isabel part, but the Vilandra part that desperately wanted a family. Wanted a child.

But she was too young. Not ready.

A vision of a child, a mix of her and Alex filled her mind, and she smiled. She looked down and saw the plus.

Oh. My. God.

This couldn't be happening! Not to her. Her mother was going to kill her. Her dad would kill Alex. She wasn't ready!

She took the test and stiffly walked over to Liz and handed it to her.

"Okay, well, this is good news."

"Good news! My life is over! Pregnant at eighteen! I haven't even graduated from high school! How can you say this is good news?"

Liz looked at the test in her hand a second time. And calmly, very calmly she said, "Isabel minus means you are not pregnant."

She ripped the test from Liz's hand, "But I swore I…" A minus was staring up at her. "This said plus a second ago, Did you do something to it?" She glared around the room.

Maria just stood there looking jittery and staring at her tests. "Do they have to take so long?"

Dorian got up and looked at Isabel's other tests. "All negative Isabel."

Isabel could not help a small sense of disappointment. It was good news after all.

And someday.

Maria was beginning to hyperventilate. Sparks were running up and down her arms. "Oh, that means me. I'm not ready. You'll both help me right? After mom throws me out? I love Spaceboy, but I'm not sure how good of a…."

Liz hugged her friend, "Calm down, Maria. We will be there. Your mother would never throw you out. And all of this is assuming you actually are pregnant Maria."

Isabel calmed herself. It was hard. She walked over to Maria and joined the group hug. "We will be there. All of us."

Dorian walked over to Maria's tests. "Negative as well, it seems."

Maria opened her eyes and looked at the various sticks laying on the table. "But how? I mean, you saw her Isabel."

Isabel nodded, "She was there again last night. She still hasn't said anything. I'm not sure she can."

"This is that dream girl both of you thought as your daughter?"

Isabel and Maria looked at each other and nodded.

Maria said, "She looks just like me. Just like me mixed with Michael. She's cute."

Isabel nodded, "I hadn't noticed it at first, I mean I was just going along with the dream. I, well you know about how Michael and I have been having…. feelings for each other."

Dorian just watched.

Liz nodded, "Maria did mention something about that in between rants, yes."

"I do not rant."

"When it comes to Michael you do."

"Do not."

Liz just threw up her hands

Isabel continued, "Well, last time they were around these dreams. Similar to this one really, only the feelings were more intense. They, uh, have faded. It was strange, but when Alex had walked in on Michael and I…."

"Let me get this straight, Alex Dreamwalked you?"

"Sort of. You know how we've talked how we can feel our significant others?"

Liz nodded.

"Alex can too, well, I guess they probably all can. But I have been visiting Alex's dreams so much lately…. He felt me and came to me instead."

"And the feelings stopped?"

"Yeah. Kind of weird now that you point it out. They just went poof! Like they have never been, I mean Michael is like my brother and…."

Maria chimed in, "Hey, I feel the same about Alex, so you better not hurt him."

Isabel smiled at Maria.

Dorian sighed, "Your programming. Your stupid programming. That's what is happening. Vilandra tried to stop most of it, but they insisted."

"Programming?"

"Your programming to accomplish what they wanted you to do. Pick up in your new lives where you had left off the last ones. And return."

"So Tess was right?"

"No, well, yes, she was right about some of it. But I never wanted you to get involved. I wanted you to have a normal life. To enjoy the things you were never able to on Antar. To have a family. To belong."

Isabel stared at the being disguised as Kyle, "You did this for me. You're not our Protector…. You're mine…."

Dorian just looked back at her. "I will talk with you all later. Oh, Maria, tell Michael I will meet with him at some point." His brows knitted worriedly, "And if you could show me what you mean by the fact your cells look different?"

Liz looked at Maria, "Does Michael have a microscope."

Maria just looked Liz.

Liz said, "I suppose not."

Isabel said, "We have one at home. Let's go."

Dorian shook his head. "Sorry Princess, you have your Prince to meet."

"Oh, God Alex! I forgot all about him!"

"Until later," Dorian left.

"What time is it, do I look okay?" Isabel looked at herself in Michael's bathroom mirror.

Maria looked at Liz, "She's hopeless."

"And we should know."

Maria just nodded. "Isabel, you look great. You always look great. Even if you didn't, Alex would think you do. So lets go!"

Isabel scanned her countenance, looking for any flaw. Maybe her lipstick should be a slightly different shade?

Isabel was dragged from Michael's none too clean bathroom so that she could meet Alex at the airport.

Isabel knew he'd be tired. Unbeknownst to Maria or Liz, he had taken an early flight to New York so he could return from New York.

Why it was so important that he hide the fact he hadn't been to Sweden didn't make much sense to her. And a tiny part of her screamed that something was wrong about the whole thing.

But more was eager to see him again. Two weeks was too long.

If only they knew what those dreams meant.

Shadows of the Past chapter 9

Michael-

Max moved past Michael towards the basket and made a quick shot. Success.

Michael sighed sourly. He took the ball and just stared at it.

"Michael, what is going on with you? You seem distracted. More than usual."

"Yeah, well, a lot has been happening lately. At least the tests were negative. There is that."

"Tests?"

"Pregnancy tests for Maria and Iz."

"So you and Maria?…."

Michael just shot him a look.

"Wait, you said Maria and Isabel? As in our Isabel?"

"Do you know another? Wait, she didn't tell you? Oh, damn, she's going to kill me."

"Wait, stop. What is going on? What has my horrible sister not told me?"

"Well it started when Iz and I started feeling things for each other. You know, like last year?"

Max nodded. There was a glint in his eyes that Michael did not like. He'd seen it when Max had thought Liz had slept with Kyle.

Only now it was directed at him.

"Well I dropped by a couple days ago to discuss it with her and well…."

Michael saw the fist coming, but was still in shock that Max would actually hit him….

Cadet Targan stood up from what seemed to be his fiftieth time on the mat this morning. He walked over to where a few other cadets waited for their next bout.

"I don't see why we need to know all this," Cadet Targan muttered.

Unfortunately Magister Iras had very good hearing. "Excuse me, Cadet Targan. Did you have a question to address to your peers."

Cadet Targan sighed inside, keeping his face as impassive as he could. Allowing others to detect your emotions could let them gain advantage. Better to be a stone wall. But lying or not fully complying with the Magisters would be a serious mistake.

Discipline could be harsh.

The question was a trap, but it was better to face it head on than wait for certain judgment later.

"Sir, I was merely commenting as to the usefulness of hand to hand training. At close range I don't even need a gauntlet to attack, none of us do. You have taught us to use our powers, but then you make us not use them when they would be useful."

"Do any of you other Cadets share Targan's question?" The Magister looked around at a bunch of impassive faces.

No one was going to back him up. Typical.

In the end, you could only trust yourself.

Cadet Targan waited patiently for his punishment.

"Quite a pity really. It actually is a good question. You see Cadets, there will be times when it is inadvisable to use your powers. First there is the chance of detection. There are devices and trained individuals who can sense the active use of a power. Also, there is the residue of power usage. I don't know how far ahead some of you have skimmed in your studies, but active powers leave not only a visible residue, but also a passive residue. It leaves a personal imprint. One of the uses of gauntlets is not just their ability to amplify your attack power, but also to mask your personal imprint.

"There may be times when your powers may be blocked or nullified. Having personal resources beyond your powers is something you must come to understand as a necessity. War is anything but predictable..

"Lastly there may be situations in which killing force is not required, but some physical threat still exists. You may need to capture a prisoner, for instance. There are few individuals who can fine tune their abilities to the point of certain non-lethality. "

So in reality that was not a bad question at all. Too bad it was presented not as sincere question but rather as a grumble. Control is key, my dear Cadet Targan. So off you go, a nice run around the compound may give you time to think on the needs of self control.

Cadet Targan left the room and began his run.

It was one of the first things all the Cadets learned.

Every action and word was watched and weighed.

"I will be a Guardsman….."

"Michael stop! Stop please!" came Max's pained voice from underneath him.

Michael blinked and moved off of Max. The past few minutes had blurred. He had felt his body react to Max's punch…. And then he could remember no more.

Max sat up and looked at Michael. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Michael, you were tossing me about like some rag doll." He rubbed a few spots on his body. "I don't think you broke anything."

"I… I don't know. I just had a memory. Of, of Antar."

"What were you doing? Martial Arts practice?"

"Yes." Michael sat down next to Max. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I should never have thrown that first punch." Max licked his bruised lip. "Did you sleep with Isabel?"

"No."

"Then how…. Oh. Alex."

"Yep."

"I can't believe he would do that. I thought I could trust him."

"News flash, you can trust him. You had to know he wanted in her pants, I mean give me a break. And he's got a connection to her like you and I do to Liz and Maria. Lastly, do you honestly think there is a man on Earth who could force your sister to do anything she didn't want."

"I know but…."

"Bad news Max, fight Isabel on this and you'll probably have a battle you can't win. Even if you win you'll lose."

Both of them sat there for a while.

"So they were negative?"

"Thank God."

"Are they okay? I mean they seemed a little tense this morning."

"Yeah, what with the attack on Maria's mom and well lets just say things were tense."

"Okay. Um, let's go back to before I tried to hit you. And I'm sorry. Just a little wound up."

Michael shrugged.

"You were saying?"

"Isabel and I have been having dreams. Of each other, and no not quite like that. But there was a child. Just like last time. You know when Tess was screwing with our heads?"

"Do we actually know she did that?"

"She has all but admitted it to me. Of course she said all she did was activate our 'programming.'"

Max nodded, "Okay, and then what happened."

"Apparently Isabel has been dream-walking Alex every night for close to a month now. And when she didn't come he came to her."

"He can do that?"

"Max, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't been there. But I was. And it was Alex too. He noticed things we missed. That baby, it looks like me. Me and Maria."

"Okay. Well if it's negative there's nothing to worry about."

"Max, can you, can you check?"

"Sure. Just, Michael, we need to be careful. All of us. I'll talk with Isabel about that too. Our lives are already complicated enough."

"Good luck with that." Michael rubbed across his eyebrow nervously, "Hey there was this woman…"

"Yeah, Liz told me. And I have met her. Michael it's bad. She knew Carlos Ibanez."

"Okay…. Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

"Before he went into hiding that was Zan's name. Michael, she knew him. Knew him well. They were cousins."

"Shit. We are so dead."

------

Alex-

Alex had had a long day, but the good part was almost here.

He would see his parents and his friends.

He would see Isabel again.

Not that the flight from New York had been bad. Sometimes meeting the right person could change a long boring flight into something worthwhile.

"So you never did tell me what you are going to be doing back in Roswell, Serena?"

"It is a research project. There was an incident a little more than a month back, maybe you heard of it? The Roswell Incident?"

"Hmm, I know the Air Force had people looking into it. But people say the Roswell incident, well usually they are talking about the Crash. My best friends work at some touristy places celebrating the Crash."

"Bah, I seriously doubt there was any crash there. But the phenomena from this incident, well it is not normal. Some of the radiation is quite exotic. Someday you will have to drop by my lab. Your ideas on time travel were actually quite interesting, if improbable."

"I have a friend who would probably like to meet you. Liz's more into bio than physics, but well, she likes science."

"Sure. Here is my card."

They chatted about the weather and other inconsequential things as the airplane began its landing. Serena had her eyes closed the whole time.

As the plane began to near the gate he began to feel Isabel's presence grow. She was waiting for him.

The rest was a blur. He exited the plane and saw her. She didn't wave, just stood there. But their eyes caught, and he felt it. Two weeks had been too long.

Much too long.

He went to her.

------

Liz-

Liz stared at her friend as she ordered a pretzel . "Maria, the plane is almost here. If we don't hurry, we will miss Alex."

"Liz, I drove you all here. And it is not like he'd see us anyway. His eyes are going to be all for Isabel. Trust me. Alex is nearly as bad as Max, worse in some ways."

"Yeah, well maybe I want to see him. Did you think of that?" There was something wrong in his correspondence with her, something she couldn't quite pin down. "He's the last of us that hasn't, hasn't…."

"Hasn't died you mean?"

"Maria!?! We are in public."

"Like anyone is paying any attention to us in this madhouse. Just because he's the only one who hasn't immigrated to Czechoslovakia?"

"Something like that. And well we aren't sure Kyle has been affected."

Maria took a bite of her pretzel, "Hmm, not bad. No Kyle, well we'll talk about him in the car. But something is definitely up with him. He spotted someone talking with his grandfather. Someone not normal."

"Oh. Someone should check him out. Their attacking us through our families, so it would surprise me…."

"Kyle is going to take Tess there to see him."

"We need to find Ana."

Maria nodded firmly. She took another bite of her pretzel and walked back towards where they were waiting for Alex.

Liz followed but stopped, stunned. For there was someone with Alex that should not, no could not be there.

She was a lot younger than Liz remembered, those scattered and fading memories of a life once lived. Serena Goodwin should be working on the ground work that would lead her to Harvard High Energy Lab.

Had the changes they had wrought reached so far? Would Serena ever be up for a Nobel Prize this time?

Maria turned back to see what was keeping Liz.

Liz watched as Alex introduced Serena to Isabel. Despite her shock at seeing Serena, there was still a tiny heart swell as she saw Alex and Isabel holding hands like they would never let go.

They were so cute together.

Serena left.

Maria stormed up, "What is wrong? You look like you saw a ghost."

"I think I did."

------

Sheriff Valenti-

Jim Valenti sighed as he sat at his desk, a pile of paperwork in front of him.

He had always been proud of his job, but lately he had felt torn in two. He had his duty to the people of Chavez County who he was sworn to protect. And he had his duty to the children who had saved his son.

People who if the wrong person found would have a horrific fate.

As might his son.

And then there was Amy. He'd always been attracted to her. Even that day when he'd arrested her, part of him had picked her because she was cute.

She still was. Only she was caught in this web of complications a surely as he. Would that make a relationship with her easier or harder.

He didn't know. But he was going to try.

Somehow he needed to bridge all the gaps and live a full life. Not an easy task.

He looked up as he heard a rap at the door. "Come in."

A bemused looking Deputy Owen walked in. "I said I needed to talk with you."

"Any time Deputy. What is up? Is Karen okay?"

"No, she's fine. She's, ah, she's why I am here. Partly to invite you to our wedding…."

"Congratulations! When is the big day?"

"No firm day, but soon. Yesterday was too close, much too close. Which brings me to my second reason. I need to warn you. Something is in the wind, sir. Something aimed at you."

"What are you talking about?"

"A lot of the guys are nervous, sir. Lately you've been acting different. Almost like you're torn. And those friends of Kyle's, well you've been spending an awful lot of time with them."

"Why should the fact that I'm spending more time with my son…"

Owen was shaking his head, "Sir, it's not just that. You're different. We're police officers, sudden personality changes can mean bad things. You know that. A lot of us are worried. You need to watch your back."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I did something today Jim I swore I would never do again. I went home, home to the Reservation. There is a man there, a strange and dangerous man. But a man of rare knowledge. When I told him what had happened. How I had known to go home then, why I had done something so out of routine…. All he could do was smile and say that 'She has found her path,' whatever that is supposed to mean." Owen shook his head, "It is those kids Jim. Their special. Something must have happened last year, last year when you were all but breaking the law to get at that Evan's kid. And now you are good friends?"

"Owen, I…."

"No, Jim, let me finish. Last year you found out something. Something that changed your mind about him. Made you want to protect that Evan's kid. And now you are protecting all of them." Owen raised his hands at Jim's protests, "I don't want to know. The less I know the less I can tell. But if ever you need help, if ever they need help…. Well I am there. She saved my Karen. But the others, well I will vouch for you. But…."

"Thanks. And congratulations again."

Owen smiled and left.

Could his life get any more complicated. Now he had to watch his own troopers. Would the FBI infiltrate them again? Another group?

So much for Christmas.

------

Special Agent Byrnes

Samuel Byrnes was having a long day. Topolsky was a wealth of knowledge. The question was how much was fact and how much was fiction.

Her grip on reality was tenuous at best these days. But if she was even partly right…..

His phone rang and he picked it up. "Special Agent Byrnes."

"Sam, it's me Roger. We've gotten some of the facility ready, but well, a lot of it is going to have to be rebuilt. But Topolsky was right, there is a lot of the facility that is quite up to date."

"You sound irritated."

"Hey, I was part of the Special Unit and they didn't tell me about Eagle Rock? Just because I worked with Stevens? Pierce was a bastard, and Summers not much better. Do you have any further orders?"

"DNA samples of all the people on that list."

"Is that all? Sure you don't need samples from the whole state?"

"Hold on. Hmm. Maybe. I need to make a few phone calls. Try to get as many as you can."

"Right sir. Any chance of more men? Me and Jacob are rattling around this base by ourselves."

"Shortly, I'll be in touch. Let me know if there are any significant developments."

Roger Hart acknowledged and hung up the phone.

Special Agent Byrnes thought intently for a few moments. That might just work. He'd have to call in a few chips with the CDC, but if he remembered correctly there was a new waterborne parasite they had just found near Roswell….

Maybe this would be easier than he thought.