Rating: probably R
Category: Mostly M&M but everyone, Conventional Couples
Spoilers: For Wipeout but I change some of it, okay a lot of it
Summary: Starts with the scene when Max and Michael are on the roof talking about Courtney and Maria, and the girls are in the bathroom with Courtney but it's still a little different. The story follows along the same lines though, at least for a little while.

"You think she's going to be all right?" Michael asked with concern in his voice. Despite all his differences and arguments with Max, he was still the one that Michael turned to. The answers that Michael didn't have were the ones he expected Max to know.

Max looked up at his friend and considered lying to him. He wanted to say, 'Yeah, she'll be fine. Your act of bravery or whatever you want to call it won't go down as useless.'. Instead, "I don't know."

Michael nodded briefly, knowing that Max was right. There was no way to tell if the Husk had been developed enough to survive in the harsh and hostile Earth atmosphere. Max looked up from the telescope and studied Michael's nervous and concerned pacing. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Michael so outward in his emotions. His worry was clearly etched on his face and he couldn't stop his nervous habit of constantly fidgeting.

"You guys have gotten close? You and Courtney?" Max raised an eyebrow, expecting Michael to deny it, to scoff at Max's worry.

"Yeah I guess." The soft answer was not what Max had expected.

"How does Maria feel about that?" The question was one that had been on Max's mind for a while. In fact, he understood how Maria must feel. To see the person you love with someone else...Max couldn't even finish the thought in his own head.

"Since when have you been concerned about my social circle?"

"I don't know Michael." Max uncharacteristically snapped back sarcastically. "Maybe since we *are* your social circle. And maybe because I'm Maria's friend and I don't want to see her hurt. Enough people have been hurt, and enough people have hurt her, and I just don't want it to happen again."

"Yeah, well, Maxwell, as much as you hate to be reminded...we're not people." Michael sneered back defensively, not liking the turn of the conversation.

"Maybe you're not, but some us have feelings. Human feelings. And I'm not going to sit around and let you hurt her. I know how it feels and she deserves better." With that Max turned and crawled through the window to check on how things were going with Courtney.

"What the Hell does that mean?" Michael asked to the empty air around him. But he knew the answer to it because once again Max was good, where Michael was bad. Max didn't hurt Liz the way that Michael hurt Maria. And now Max was even a better friend to Maria than...well, it's not like Michael was ever really 'friends' with her to begin with.

"Hey." Max knocked on the door and asked through it loud enough to be heard on the other side. "How's it going in there?"

"The bitch is insane!" Courtney screamed back at the voice through the door as Tess smiled at her and twirled the plug to the drain in her hand.

"Now, now, I don't think that resorting to name calling is going to help you any. You want me to put the plug back in? Then tell me what you know." Tess maintained her stance as Courtney watched in horror and desperation as the water dwindled to nothing around her.

"Know about what? What do you want to know?" Her voice had a high panicked tone and she tried to sink lower into the tub as Isabel held her shoulders down tightly, using a bit of alien force in it.

"Where did our parents go?" Liz asked, hating the shaking in her voice. The warbled words giving away her fear. Maria clutched her hand in comfort.

"What happened to them?" Tess pressed further. "Better hurry. Ooh look at all that water just running down the drain. Drip. Drip. Drip."

"I don't know all right! Nicholas, he must have some sort of way to change the time dimension here."

"Time dimension?" Isabel tightened her grip.

"Time is different on our world. It exists in different planes. Humans can't withstand it."

"Where did they go?" Liz shook her head in confusion.

"I don't know." Courtney looked at Tess pleadingly. "Now please."

"Fine." She pushed the stopper down firmly in the remainder of the water and crossed the room. As she left she heard Liz asking further questions about the time shift and what has happened to everyone else in Roswell. On statement made her pause as she left the room.

"It probably bought you guys some time."

'Probably bought you guys some time.' The words echoed in her ears. Max would need to know this. If Maria and Liz only had a limited time then they would have to act quickly because who knows what would happen to them once the time shift or whatever the hell had happened would catch up with them. *It already caught up with Kyle and Sheriff Valenti. I guess they're the closest things I had to a family. That's the second father I lost this year.*

"Max." Tess nodded to the living room. Max furrowed his brow but followed her. She lowered her eyes and sighed. "Liz...Liz and Maria probably don't have a whole lot of time. Courtney said that humans can't exist in whatever this time dimension thing or whatever hell this is and that maybe since Maria and Liz were gone that it bought them some time. Max, Max it's going to catch up to them. We need to hurry. I don't know how but we have to do something." Max caught her eye and Tess sighed again at the unsaid question in them. "I'm not a monster you know."

"I know." Max answered quickly and with conviction.

"I just sometimes get the impression that you are afraid to have me around them. Like I'll do something. Max, I know you...care about her. You care about both of them. And about Alex. Isabel and Michael care as well. And I wouldn't want anything to happen to not only you guys but to them as well. But listen there's something else I want to talk to you about. It's important." Tess glanced over and saw Michael still standing out on the balcony. She grabbed his arm and pulled him further out into the living room. "It's Courtney. I still don't trust her and I'm worried about Michael. Who knows what kind of lies she has planted into his head? We need to be cautious. I don't think any of should trust her all the way."

"Do you believe what she said about the time and Liz and Maria?"

"Yeah. Yeah I do believe that." Tess paused, thinking of Sheriff Valenti and Kyle again. *I have to believe that there is a way to stop this, and to reverse it. I can't believe I am even thinking this. But I need them. We all need all of them*

Max nodded while looking back towards the door where Liz stood behind it. So close to him and entirely out of his reach. "Okay then. We need a plan."

"Look Maria, panicking is not going to help us." Liz lectured Maria as her friend hyperventilated down the stairs behind her.

"No Liz. No! I think this is the perfect time to panic because pretty soon we are gong to be poof! Gone! As in vanished. Is any of this ringing a bell with you?" Maria waved her hands around energetically and started fumbling around in her apron pockets again for her Cyprus oil. "I really wish I had some grief relief now."

"Or maybe saved some of that Pamprin." Liz muttered under her breath but took a hold of Maria's hand as they pushed through the Crashdown door.

"Oh my God Liz!" Maria screamed and pointed at the badly peeling Skin in the Crashdown. She grabbed Liz's hand and they tried to run back through the swinging door but the Skin used his power to block the door as an exit for them. Maria pulled Liz behind the counter and Liz helped to push her through the kitchen window. Maria turned quickly as she heard Liz's surprised cry. The Skin took a hold of her ankle but Liz kicked her leg out, knocking him back. Maria pulled Liz into the kitchen with her and the two girls clutched each other in fear.

"Aaah!" They simultaneously screamed as a loud shot rang out and the Skin dropped down.

"Sheriff!" Liz had never been so glad and relieved to see him in her life.

The Skin growled and struggled back up to his feet. Charging Sheriff Valenti, he lowered his head and tried to ram him but Sheriff Valenti was ready and grabbed onto his shirt and flipped him over the counter.

"Dad!" Kyle ran over to his dad as the Skin ran away out the door. "You all right?"

Still looking slightly shaken, he gripped onto Kyle's shoulder. "Yeah son. Yeah, I'm fine."

Tess, Michael and Max ran down the stairs. They had heard the shot from upstairs and bolted down gripped by fear. Max felt his chest sink in relief as he saw Liz and Maria were safe.

"Are you okay?" He asked breathlessly and it was then that he saw the sheriff and Kyle. He couldn't help his relief at seeing them safe, nor his hurt at seeing Kyle at all. All Max could see when he looked at the other boy was him in bed with Liz and it made Max's heart ache to see. It was the sense of betrayal that hurt the most.

"Sheriff?" Tess's mouth dropped open in surprise and she instinctively reached out and hugged him fiercely. He smiled down at her caringly.

"It's okay. Kyle and I are all right. But what happened here?" He soothed her hair back as Tess buried her face in his chest, trying to control her emotions. She was embarrassed at her little display. Composing herself, Tess stepped back but still reached out and squeezed Kyle's hand in reassurance and support.

Tess explained the 'time' theory to the two of them as Isabel helped a still weak Courtney down the stairs.

"Hey," Michael leaned down to Maria; "you okay?"

Maria smiled at his concern. It may not seem like much to others but she knew from Michael it spoke volumes. "Yeah, I'm..." Maria trailed off defeatedly as Michael saw Courtney and rushed over to help her into a booth. "I'm now talking to myself."

Max saw this and put his arm around Maria. She sighed and leaned into him as they heard Tess lay into Courtney again.

"How do we kill them?" Tess planted her hands on her hips and stood defiantly, looking down at Courtney. "Guns obviously don't kill them, so start talking."

She shook her head and looked to Michael for support but he only sat in silence waiting for her answer.

"There's more than one way we can find out. I'm personally voting for the trial and error method, using you as a test dummy." Tess raised her eyebrow, internally daring Courtney to refuse to answer again.

With resignation, Courtney turned her back to the group and lifted a small flap of the husk from her back, revealing a small silver button. "Take the heaviest thing you can find and smash this. It permanently compromises the seal of the husk."

"Okay good. We need to get somewhere safe." Sheriff Valenti looked to Max.

Nodding to himself, Max thought out loud. "The UFO Center. It used to be a bomb shelter and has fewer ways in. Plus it's close. Courtney can't make it too far. After we get everyone in safely then Michael, Isabel, Tess, the Sheriff, and I will patrol. With what Courtney has told us we can kill the Skins."

Kyle listened as Max rattled off the list and the strong and noticed how he was conspicuously absent from it. "What about me?"

Max paused as he was passing him and stared dead into Kyle's eyes. "You're not someone I trust."

Maria noticed that Max's eye line drifted to Liz then. *Mental note to self: Interrogate Liz. *

"Let's go." Isabel and Michael helped Courtney up and the nine of them slowly and cautiously left the Crashdown for what they hoped would be the safety of the UFO Center.

~*~

"Isabel's gone." Max stormed down the stairs.

"Gone as in David Copperfield/Statue of Liberty gone? Or gone as in left?" Kyle asked which only earned him the evil eye of both Tess and Max. He shrugged to himself and backed away.

"She left. I think she went to go search for Nicholas herself. Damn it!" Max clenched his fist and hit the wall in frustration.

"Isabel can take care of herself. She'll be all right." Michael spoke up in a surprisingly comforting manner. He flipped the bottle of water in his hand and turned to go sit with Courtney again.

"Brody has a lot of technical equipment in the back office, it's almost all focused on Roswell, maybe there is something there that can tell us about what is happening." Max looked around at the blank faces and sighed. "Where's Alex when you need him?"

"Isn't that the million dollar question?" Maria joked half-heartedly.

"I'll go look." Liz stood up from where she and Maria sat on the steps and walked back without another word.

Kyle shifted around self-consciously. His dad and Max stood in conference off to the side discussing some alien issue or another, Maria sat on the steps hugging her knees to her chest, *Hey, I can see her underwear. Focus Kyle! Not the time for this. What would Buddha do? *, while Tess eyed at Michael and Courtney in suspicion. Wordlessly Kyle turned to follow Liz.

As Tess went and stood at Sheriff Valenti's side, Maria watched as he almost unknowingly gave her a fatherly hug and squeezed her shoulder in support. It saddened Maria to see, not because she begrudged Tess any familial support, just the opposite in fact. Her hope was that if Tess felt more supported and accepted in general that she may back off of the entire Max Destiny Bride crap. What saddened Maria was how alone it made her feel and how separated she felt from everyone she loved. Standing quietly, Maria approached Michael and Courtney cautiously.

Hearing someone's soft approach, Michael abruptly stopped mid-sentence. "What?" He asked, looking up only afterwards, cringing at Maria's uncertain face.

"I, uh...Michael can I talk to you?"

"Not now." He looked back at Courtney who coughed as she struggled to breathe.

"Right." Maria nodded tersely and turned quickly, determined not to show her hurt in front of Courtney. *Because I just have so much time left as well. It's not like I could disappear at any minute of anything.*

Michael felt the familiar pangs of guilt as Maria turned her back on him. "Wait." She paused but didn't turn around. "Just give me a minute okay?"

"Okay." Maria saw Tess was now pacing and waiting by herself. She left Michael and stood quietly by her.

"Sheriff Valenti wanted to talk to Kyle and Liz is talking to Max." Tess volunteered the information to Maria. "And of course Michael is cohorting with the enemy."

"I don't trust her." Both girls muttered in unison and looking at the other with a slight respect.

"So...Max and Liz huh?" Maria raised her eyebrow.

"They need to talk", was Tess's only cryptic clue.

~*~

"Max don't blame Kyle. Or take any of this out on him."

"What? Don't blame him for sleeping with you? Oh wait. How did you put it? That's right. Making love. Well you know what Liz? I still don't buy it. I know you and I know that you wouldn't do that." His eyes burned into her. "Tell me the truth."

"I can't tell you what you want to hear Max. I've told you and you won't listen. I can't keep this up. Just accept it and move on." Liz turned her eyes away from Max but before he could question her any more they heard Maria's frightened shout.

"Maria are you all right?" Liz sank to her knees next to her friend as Tess helped Maria up.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks to Tess." Maria coughed out the last of the Skin dust and brushed off her clothing.

"You guys lock yourselves in Brody's office. We're going to go get them. We'll go to school, our turf. No one attacks my friends." Max ordered as they looked around nervously for any other Skins.

"What happened?" Michael jogged up to the group and watched them in curiosity.

"Maria was attacked." Tess spat out. "Interesting how this Skins find us wherever Courtney is."

Glancing over, Max turned to Michael. "Where *is* Courtney?"

Michael's eyes darted around before he turned to his friends and lied, "I don't know."

"Kyle where's your dad? We need to go." Max asked Kyle as he came out of the back office.

"He's gone." He seemed in a daze, almost in shock over what had happened. "He just disappeared right in front of me."

Tess backed away from them all, her chin quivered and her eyes watered. "I'm sorry Kyle."

"We should hurry. We're running out of time. And I'm sorry Kyle." Max and Michael started up the stairs but were stopped at Kyle's voice.

"I know where the electricity field is coming from." He grabbed a postcard from the rack and held it up excitedly. "My dad and I saw the same rod out on the billboard. But he just thought it was some sort of prank. Who knew that the giant alien penis would destroy us all?"

"I could have told you that." Maria muttered.

"We'll deal with that after the Skins. You guys stay here."

"No." Kyle stood up to Max as Maria and Liz moved in behind him. "I just watched my dad go poof and if there is anything I can do to bring him back or stop that from happening to me or Liz or Maria then I will do whatever I can."

"Me too." Liz spoke up and looked to Maria who nodded in agreement.

"So there you have it. Because while your planet may bow down to King Max, here in the US we vote. And our vote, Emperor Max, is that we're going." Kyle pushed past Max and Michael on the stairs as Liz followed him.

"Kyle."

"What?"

"Take care of them." Max's voice softened.

"I will." Kyle and Liz went outside as Maria said good bye to Michael.

"Listen I know how you hate for things to get all goopy so....bye." Maria started up the stairs but paused as she felt a warm hand on her elbow.

"Wait a minute." Michael's eyes pleaded with her. Maria nodded and allowed him to lead her aside, just out of earshot of the others. "I just...I need to tell you, I want you to know..."

"I know." Maria smiled gently at him. "I know Michael."

He nodded at her, his face was calm but his eyes told of his fear for her. "I'll see you when you get back."

"Okay." Maria's voice quivered because she didn't know whether she would see him or not. She turned to leave again but Michael slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Maria felt the tears prick her eyes as the familiar scent of Tabasco sauce and Ivory soap filled her ole factory sense. Hiding his head in the crook of her neck Michael held her tighter wanting to remember every detail about her, the way she felt in his arms, how her head rested on his chest as she listened to the strong beat of his heart, her soft hair that glistened in the light, her bright eyes, how her small hands hugged him more closely than he ever had in his entire life and the previous one as well.

Pulling back slightly, he placed his palms on the back of her neck, still delighted that he could produce the shivers down her spine. "I'll see you when you get back."

There was no doubt for Michael. That much he knew. Because he finally realized that Maria was right, he couldn't do this without her. Michael needed her.

~*~

Courtney stood outside of the UFO Center and stretched her neck. It was cramping from having to pretend to be sick for so long.

"Hated to lie to you Mikey G but I need to know where the granolith is." Courtney smiled as she remembered the directions he had given to her. Courtney was dying, that much was true, just not to the extent that Michael was led to believe by her acting skills. The husk had been premature yes, but would survive for probably around five years. She took advantage of the opportunity of the other Skins here to learn of the whereabouts of the granolith for her own protection. She walked over to one of the abandoned cars and started the engine.

~*~

"Let go of him!" Isabel screamed at Nicholas as she struggled hopelessly against her bonds. Michael growled at the miniature terror as he placed his hand on Max's head, forcing the images out of his mind, a warped mind rape that was second to only Max's torture by Pierce.

"Now, now Vilandra, you know I can't do that." I need to know where the granolith is located."

"Vilandra?" Michael threw a questioning glance to his right.

"What?" Nicholas released Max's head now. "I'm shocked my dear. Oh wait, no I'm not. You never did share much with your dear brother did you? Now let's get that last little bit of information out of Maxie here shall I?"

"Nooooooo!" Tess shrieked as she felt a great strength and power coursing through her veins. She threw this image of a great raging inferno at the Skins as her body quivered from the power. Suddenly in a blinding rage of pure energy flowing from her, the Skins burst and disintegrated into a million dusty snowflakes. The bonds disappeared and they all stared in shock at Tess and the dust that was the Skins.

"They're gone."

~*~

Courtney entered the chamber in awe. The huge, slick cone of power in the granolith chamber loomed over head. Courtney worked quickly and slid aside a control panel underneath the cone. The black light inside the Granolith appeared as its power source was activated. Stepping close to the light, Courtney allowed herself to be pulled into the gravitational field of the cone and energy. Her body filling with the immense power from the field.

~*~

"Oh my God oh my god." Maria started to cry as she and Kyle looked at the glowing rod in confusion. "Okay how do we do this? God why did Liz have to disappear? Why couldn't you or I have gone? We need her. Kyle I can't do this without Liz."

"Maria!" He shook her shoulders. "We can do this."

"Okay Liz said something about an electric field. How does electricity work again?"

Kyle shot her a dubious look. "Maria I was in your remedial science class for three years remember?"

"Yeah well, you passed!"

"So did you!"

"Argh! Fine. Throw that back in my face." Maria bit her nails as she thought back to the times in class when all she concentrated on was the cute guy next to her. "Okay, Liz said something bout disrupting the field."

"Jumper cables." Kyle snapped his fingers and ran to the trunk of the Jetta.

"Oh my God Kyle! Look out!" Maria warned him.

"Buddha forgive me but I'm gonna kick your ass!" Kyle attacked the Skin and flipped him over his shoulder, exposing the guy's vulnerable back. He slammed his foot solidly into his back and watched in triumph as the Skin disappeared. Suddenly he felt a little strange as if all the cells in his body were tingling at once. "Maria-"

Maria whimpered as Kyle disappeared, leaving her all alone. "Okay I can do this. I can. Come on DeLuca. Don't let everyone down."

Holding the jumper cable, Maria climbed onto the billboard and clamped the two ends together. "Well, here it goes."

Slipping the cable onto the rod Maria felt an odd shock wave of power that rippled through her veins. "What the-"

And then she was gone.

~*~

"Kyle!"

"Liz!"

They hugged each other excitedly and jumped up and down. They had done it! They had saved themselves and their families and all of Roswell. There was only one thing.

"Where's Maria?"

Purgatory part 2

"Alex!" Sheriff Valenti sat by the lanky young man and placed his arm around him. "How are you son?"

"Um, good. But don't try the pancakes. Geez these are bad even for Michael." Alex made a face and pushed the plate away.

"It's good to see you son. Really good." Sheriff Valenti grinned at Alex who looked around in fear.

"Are you okay? Because I didn't think that you were supposed to be drinking on duty."

The Sheriff smiled, an honest to goodness smile that scared Alex because he had no clue about what was going on here. "Alex, Alex. Man, we missed you!"

"Yeah okay..." Alex trailed off helplessly.

"Alex!" He spun his head around at the sound of Isabel's delighted cry. She pulled him into a tight hug and buried her head in his shoulder. "Oh my God Alex. I thought I would never see you again."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here." He comforted her and looked up at the others in complete confusion. Max and Tess just smiled at him with the same grin on his face that the Sheriff and Isabel held. "Okay, what the Hell is happening here?"

"We should go in the back. Alex, this may be hard to believe." Max led the way through the swinging door to the back.

"How weird is it that even an alien finds it hard to believe?" Alex muttered and shook his head.

As Max and Isabel explained to a very perplexed Alex about the entire day and the fact that he was missing for hours this morning, Tess sat down next to Sheriff Valenti at the counter. He smiled at her softly and placed one hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. It was just...scary. I'm glad it's over."

"Me too." Just then the door to the front swung open and Kyle helped a hysterical Liz in. She was crying and clung to Kyle desperately.

"What happened?" Tess and the Sheriff ran over to them and walked them quickly to the back room.

"Oh my God Liz." Isabel stared in shock at her normally composed friend. Alex shook himself out of his daze at learning of his earlier disappearance and grabbed Liz, leading her to sit down on the couch.

"Kyle are you all right?" Sheriff Valenti hugged his son and smoothed his hands over his shoulders and arms, trying to convince himself that he was really there and safe.

"Dad, Dad I'm fine."

"What happened?" Tess asked in concern looking back and forth to Kyle and Liz. It was then that they seemed to notice.

"Where's Maria?" At Max's question, Liz's tears started up again and she tried to speak but her words were only an incoherent babbling.

"She's gone." Kyle answered for her. "We don't know where. Liz and I both vanished but Maria....she must have blown it up because when we came back it was gone, and so was she."

"We shouldn't talk about this here." Tess spoke up to take charge. She saw how devastated Max, Liz, Isabel, and Alex were, and they couldn't possibly be expected to be able to think clearly, especially here in the Crashdown. "We can go to Michael's. He went to go find Courtney, and we can just meet him there."

"Oh God, Max how is Michel going to take this?" Isabel faced paled even further and she and Alex sat clutching each other tightly.

Hearing Tess and Isabel, Max shook himself out of his mental stupor. "Tess is right. We can go to Michael's. He'll meet us there. We will figure out a way to get her back. Maybe Courtney knows something." He turned to Liz. "We *will* get her back." "I trust you." Liz whispered from behind her tears the words that broke Max's heart.

~*~

Michael threw open the door to his apartment and jumped in shock at the full house. Courtney entered behind him and eyed the somber crowd. 'What's going on Maxwell?"

"It's Maria." Max knew that he couldn't beat around the bush on this with Michael because no matter how he was told, the news would be equally as devastating. "She's missing."

"What do you mean missing?" He choked on the words.

"Michael", Liz stood and crossed the room. Her lower lip quivered and her eyes were red and puffy from the hours of crying, "I'm sorry."

Liz burst into a fresh round of tears and Michael watched in shock as the words sunk in. He dropped down into the chair by the door as Liz sunk to her knees in front of him. He stuck out a shaky hand to try and comfort her but couldn't as he felt unwanted tears pricking at his eyes. His head dropped into his hands and he pressed his palms tightly to his face. After a long period of silence other than Liz's harsh breaths, he spoke. "We're going to get her back."

"There has to be something we can do." Tess looked to Max now.

"I don't know what we can do. Is there a way to reverse the electrical field again? But won't that make everyone else disappear again?" His head was swimming from all the questions. " I just don't know what we can do."

"The electric field was broken but Maria must have gotten caught in it when the time expansion caught up with her. I'm sorry guys." Courtney shrugged but her mind was racing. She knew that the only way Maria would be missing still was if the Granolith's power mixed with that of the electricity at precisely the right moment.

"I knew it!" Isabel shouted and stormed over to Courtney pulling at her shoulders and growling fiercely in her face. "It was you! It was your fault that this all happened."

"What?" She looked around in shocked. Her face landed on Michael as he sat in the chair still stunned by the news of Maria's disappearance. "The bitch in insane Mikey G. There is no way that I could have done this."

"While Nicholas may have been a thousand times more powerful than us, we still have a few powers. He may rape your head, but I can get in it all the same. I just use a little more finesse." Isabel cocked her head and stared Courtney down. "It was you. You used the granolith and that is what caused Maria to disappear."

"Look I'm sorry! I am but there is nothing that we can do now." Courtney raised her hands in defeat. "She's gone and you can't get her back. It's not like I can go back in time and change it."

"Yes there is." Liz looked up. She pulled herself to her feet and spoke. "That's exactly what we can do."

"What do you mean?" Max inched closer to her. Liz turned to him with renewed tears in her eyes.

"Oh God Max. I am so sorry. I had to. I had to do it. But I did it because I love you. Please believe that." She bit her lip and closed her eyes, gathering strength to be able to share the truth with Max and the others. "I never slept with Kyle."

Sheriff Valenti raised an eyebrow but kept his comments to himself. Tess felt a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth at this news. She wasn't sure why but her insides felt all warm now. Max kept his face completely placid as he listened to her.

"You came to me. It was you, but not. Okay, I'm not making any sense here. Max, the granolith, you used it to travel back in time to see me."

Courtney snorted. "Please. What crack have you been smoking?"

"Shut up." Max ordered her, not even bothering to glance in her direction. Tess and Isabel both stepped menacingly towards her.

"You came to me and said that because of our relationship that Tess left Roswell. And fourteen years from now Earth would fall to the Skins because of that. You four are a unit and without her you couldn't do it. I had to make you fall out of love with me. Max, you, the other you, told me that Michael died in your arms. Isabel died two weeks before that. I had to do it. I'm so sorry but I had to make you not want me. And Maria...Maria, she said that Michael cheating on her was the one thing that she couldn't forgive so I knew that is what I had to do. I am so sorry." She wiped her nose and looked down at her feet.

"No, no I'm sorry." Tess was crying and Kyle put an arm around her to comfort her. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. It's my fault you all died."

"Tess no." Isabel faced her. "I am so sorry. We haven't always treated you nicely. But you are a part of our family. We won't let you leave."

"I won't leave you. I won't." Tess promised and Isabel smiled at her, pulling her into a hug. "This is very touching but Maria is still missing." Michael barked, his frustration wearing thin on his patience.

"I can travel back in time." Max nodded at Liz, who smiled through the tears. He never took his eyes off of her. His heart was pounding so loudly that he wouldn't doubt if the entire room heard as it leapt up into his throat. "I can travel back and warn you not to tell Courtney where the granolith is located."

"No."

They all turned to Michael in surprise.

"What? Michael we have to do this to get Maria back. And you can't do it yourself because you can't run into the past you or something bad will happen." Liz warned him.

"Fine. I won't go. But Max can't either."

"Why not? Michael now is not the time-"

Michael interrupted Tess. "Because I won't trust him! Okay? You happy now? I can tell you that if Max came to me and told me not to tell her I would probably do it sooner."

Max swallowed dejectedly but in his heart he knew that Michael was right. The trust between the two of them was wearing thin due to recent events and there was no way that Max nor Michael was willing to sacrifice Maria's life because of any petty arguments and petty jealousies. "Okay. Then who would you trust?"

"I could go. Or Tess." Isabel spoke up but Michael scratched the back of his head and disagreed.

"No. No, but I know who can go. I know who I'll listen to." As his eyes turned they all followed his path in surprise.

"Me?" Alex gulped. "This is your way at getting back at me for hitting you isn't it?"

"I'll trust Alex."

"Okay then." Max agreed. "We send Alex."

Part 3

"You nervous?" Alex looked up at Michael's gruff question.

"Yeah." The normal quips and jokes failing in his head now. Alex admitted his fear to the one person that he feared. Alec was completely willing to admit now that he feared Michael. And not just in the 'he could blow him up' sort of way because Alex knew that Michael would never intentionally hurt him. But it seemed that this badly coifed alien held so much power over Maria, over her happiness and her heart. And Alex wanted nothing more than for her happiness. That day that he hit Michael was empowering and frightening all at the same time for the wiry teenager.

Michael nodded and sat down on the ground next to him. The other's were working on the granolith now and Michael just felt in the way. He couldn't concentrate on helping now anyway. "Me too."

The confession was quiet and almost missed by his companion. Alex stared at Michael, studying his features. He seemed tired now, more so than Alex had ever seem him before. His eyes dropped and dark circles were evident under them. His shoulder's slumped as if the weight of the world sat on his conscience. And in a way, Alex knew it did, because so much of Michael's world was wrapped up into one Maria DeLuca. And now it was up to these two unlikely heroes to save her.

Alex glanced back at Michael again, unsure if he should continue or share his thoughts. The two had never been close and Alex always felt more like a gnat buzzing around bothering Michael than a part of the group.

"What?" Michael spoke a little more harshly than he meant to. "I can see you staring at me. What?"

"Why me?" The question came out a little squeakier and scared than Alex had hoped but none the less he had gotten it out.

"Because you want to save Maria."

He spoke as if the answer was so obvious and that Alex should have smacked himself on the forehead and said "Yes! Of course! It's all so clear now!". Instead he scrunched his eyebrows in further confusion. "Yeah but that's what we all want. So why *me *? Why not Max or Isabel or Liz or even Sheriff Valenti? I mean why me?"

"You want to save Maria. Not save Maria and hide the granolith. Not save Maria and make sure I don't f*ck up again. Just to save Maria. I know you…love her." Michael stumbled over the words a little.

"Yeah, yeah I do." Alex murmured a soft agreement. "I have never been so afraid in my life."

"Me neither." Another quiet admission from Michael Guerin and now when Alex looked over at him he saw a little bit of, not the intimidating alien, but he saw through Maria's eyes. This deeply wounded vulnerable guy.

"God." Michael leaned his head back onto the cave wall in defeat. His eyes faced the ceiling. "This is all my fault. Another classic screw-up that we can attribute to Michael Guerin."

"How were you supposed to know that at that exact one split second that Maria would disappear?"

"I should have kissed her."

"Umm, okay." Alex blushed now.

"Commander Carver was right. I should have kissed her when I had the chance."

"Who's Commander Carver?"

"Huh?" Michael looked back at Alex now. "Oh, no one. Don't worry about it."

"Okay, well maybe you should tell me about what was happening just before Maria, Liz, and Kyle left. For when I, you know."

~*~

"I don't know that much about it. I only know what you, well other Max, told me." Liz bit her lip and looked back at Max. His frustration was evidenced on his face.

"Courtney obviously knows how to use it." Tess growled lowly and watched as the newly rejuvenated Skin paced the room of the granolith.

"Yeah but does she know how to use it for time travel? Max told me that we had to make some adjustments on it first." Liz looked back and forth between the two of them. It felt so good to be able to talk openly and freely about it all.

"There's only one way to find out." Tess turned her eyes to Isabel. She stood off away from all the others. Her thoughts broadcast across her face as the worries marred her beautiful features. She played with her necklace and sucked on it nervously.

"I'll go talk to her." Max smiled at the two girls and crossed the room to his sister quietly.

Tess and Liz stood back awkwardly, unsure of what their relationship was now. Each avoided eye contact with the other.

"I'm sorry." The mutual exclamation broke the ice and each smiled at the other. Two opposites in looks and personality, but they were quickly gaining common ground. Tess tentatively reached out her hand and interlocked her fingers with Liz's. She smiled at her softly and closed her eyes. Liz the tingle of Tess's powers as they reached out to her mind.

"Oh." Liz cried out happily as an image of Maria appeared before her. Her face was shining and she smiled brightly, one that reached her eyes. Her nose crinkled up in the way that only Maria could. She was adjusting her alien antenna. Liz reached her other hand out, wanting to be able to touch Maria, to hug her and cry with her, to laugh with her. As the image faded, Liz noticed the tears on her own cheeks were matched by those on Tess's. "Thank you."

"Thank you." Tess squeezed her hand. "For everything."

"Isabel?" Max placed a hand on her shoulder. He took it as a good sign when she didn't brush him off. Moving closer, Max leaned his chin down to rest on her shoulder and hugged her. He felt the first sob rack her body before he heard her cry. Turning quickly, he enveloped her in hug and whispered quietly in her ear. "Shh, it's okay Izzy. You can tell me anything you know. I love you. It'll be all right."

"No it won't Max. It will never be all right." Isabel reluctantly pushed herself out of his arms and covered her quivering chin with he hand.

Max's heart broke at his broken sister. Holding onto her shoulders, he stared at her a moment. "I trust you Isabel."

"Why?" Her cry was agonizing and heart wrenching.

"Because you're my sister and I know you."

"No you don't. You don't know me! It was my fault Max! It was my fault that we died. I'm Vilandra and I betrayed you! Vilandra betrayed our people, our mother, Michael, and you! She betrayed you and that's why you died!" Pushing him away, Isabel turned her hands shaking from the admission.

"No, you're not Vilandra." Max refused to let her run away from him and from this. "You are not Vilandra and whatever she did was in the past. You are Isabel Evans and I will *not * let you forget that. I trust you Isabel. I trust you with my life. Nothing has changed that and nothing ever will."

"I will never betray you I promise. I promise." Throwing herself into her brother's arms, Isabel let him comfort her and hold her.

"I know you won't. I know." Max smoothed her hair back and let her cry into his shirt, ignoring the wet spots growing from her damp tears. "But Izzy, Maria needs to you now."

"Okay." Isabel nodded and sniffled into her brother's shirt. "Anything."

Max glanced over at Courtney as she self-protectively eyed the chamber and the people and aliens in it. He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "We need to know ho to use the Granolith. Can you…?"

"She won't even know I'm in there." Isabel clutched Max's hand and focused on Courtney's mind and her thoughts. Images of the granolith sprung out, they flashed around her furiously but Isabel smiled in triumph. She saw enough; she had what they wanted now. Her eyes popped open and genuine smile flashed across her face. "Got it Max. Let's go get Maria back."

~*~

"So…" Sheriff Valenti looked at his son as they stood outside the pod chamber. His eyes squinted in the bright desert sun. "You didn't sleep with Liz."

"Oh my God." Kyle groaned. "I am not having this conversation with you."

"I'm just trying to get this straight in my head. Max thought you slept with Liz but you didn't."

"Yes Dad." Kyle's answer was clipped and tense.

"Why would Max think that?"

Kyle rolled his head around in frustration but his dad continued to look at him with a question in his eyes. "Fine. You wanna know why? Because he saw us in bed together okay? Happy now?"

Sheriff Valenti watched as Kyle's anger subsided and her chanted to himself quietly, his breathing evening out. He really did not understand his son at all any more. "So you didn't sleep with her?"

"No."

"Are you gay?"

"Argh!" Kyle let out a frustrated yell. "No I am not gay!"

"I ju- hold that thought." Sheriff Valenti said as his cell phone rang. "Sheriff Valenti."

"Hello Amy. How are you?" 'Maria's mom.' He mouthed into the phone. Forgetting all about their fight, Kyle ran halfway into the cave. He saw Michael and Alex sitting in silence against the wall.

"Mrs. DeLuca's on the phone with my dad." Michael and Alex both hopped up quickly and ran out to hear the rest of the conversation.

"Well, I'm sure that she isn't actually missing. Maybe she and Liz just went somewhere, shopping maybe. You know how those girls are."

"No, Amy I-"

"I didn't mean to imply that-"

"Of course, I und-"

"No, you're right, that was very chav-"

"Yes wrong, I know."

"Amy."

"Amy."

"Amy! I'll be right over to help you look for her." With that Sheriff Valenti hung up the phone.

Alex had a little smile on his face. "Never question where Maria gets it from. The source is even worse."

"I'll be back as soon as I can. I am going to help Amy 'look' for Maria. I'll keep her away from here." Sheriff Valenti paused and put his hand on Kyle's shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just that you are so different these days. I just didn't know what to think."

"I know. Now go 'help' Mrs. DeLuca." Kyle shooed his dad away.

"We should go check on how they are doing with the granolith." Michael thumbed towards the chamber and the two other boys followed.

"We have it figured out." Max called out as the other three crawled into the chamber.

"We think." Tess added under her breath.

Alex gulped. "What do you mean you think?"

"Well, we can't really be sure Alex." Liz placed a calming hand on his elbow but it didn't help the butterflies in his stomach any.

"Michael please don't do this!" Courtney pleaded to him. Her eyes filling with tears. "There is so much that I need to tell you still. I can tell you about who you were and where you come from. I can give you answers. But I won't be able to if you let me die!"

"And what about Maria?" Liz asked with a quiet calm that frightened Courtney more than any threatening and yelling did earlier. "So Maria should die, be punished because she saved us all? I don't think so. Because if that's they way it works then I'll go her in her place. But I won't let anyone take Maria."

"Neither will I." Alex stepped up, more confident in what he had to do now. "So I just stick this in the granolith?"

"Yeah. We're not sure where you may end up but we think we have the time down correctly." Isabel bit her lip, afraid for Alex despite his new eagerness to save Maria. Her reluctance was evident across her face.

"So we won't exist like this? I mean I don't come back here? Our lives right now are like poof?"

"Eloquent Whitman." Kyle snorted and Tess placed a hand on his back to quiet him.

"Shh, let him talk."

"Sorry." Kyle mumbled, his eyes burning down at Tess's mouth as she shushed him softly.

"So I am kind of killing us all?" Alex ventured on.

"You're killing me for sure." Courtney bitched.

"Shut up!" Isabel and Max spoke in unison.

"Alex, you're not killing us. You're making things right." Liz brushed her fingers through his hair and sighed. "You know that the two of us can't go on without Maria. We need her."

Alex raised his pinky and Liz interlocked pinkies with him. Her eyes refilling with tears.

"Not even God can part us."

"Friendship that lasts longer than a lifetime."

And in their heads they both heard Maria's soft voice.

*Where friends are family. *

"Bring her back."

"I will." Alex stepped towards the cone hesitantly. He stopped suddenly and swung around. Stalking towards Isabel he grabbed her and melted his lips into hers. Their tongues meeting and his hands wound their way into her hair. Parting reluctantly, Alex rested his forehead against hers. "I didn't want to look back and say I should have kissed her when I had the chance."

Stepping away with one last glance to the group Alex stepped up to the Granolith. Michael slowly raised his hand and shook hands with Alex, so reminiscent of the balance ceremony.

"I trust you."

And with those words Alex, too, was gone.

Part 4

Alex dropped to his knees, shaky from his 'trip'. He blinked rapidly trying to adjust his eyes to the dark room. It had a dank and musty smell. He crinkled his nose and tried to pinpoint exactly where he was located since the others hadn't been exactly sure where he would end up. Stumbling around Alex came up on some boxes. He squinted at them in the dark and opened the lid carefully. A bright smile broke out across his face as he saw the bright green glowing alien head T-shirts that Maria's mom sold to the UFO Center. He had dropped down into the storage room of the back of the museum, exactly where he needed to be. Groping around blindly, Alex found the door handle and breathed a sigh of relief as it opened and he popped his head out. Breathing deeply he sneaked out into the room, careful not to run into anyone yet. His eye caught the clock on the wall.

"Damn." Alex cursed quietly to himself. They had gotten to location right but not the time. He had less than an hour to convince Michael not to tell Courtney where the Granolith was located before Maria would disappear forever. He stood there a minute trying to gather his thoughts and remember all the instructions that everyone had given him just as he was preparing to leave but now he could only remember the feel of Isabel's lips under his own. "Focus Alex. You can do this. You have to save Maria."

Alex heard voices approaching him and he ducked behind one of the displays quietly, hiding himself from view. He saw as Max, Tess, and Sheriff Valenti walked by him talking in quiet conference about the Skins. Breathing a sigh of relief as they pasted him Alex slipped out and crossed the room as quietly as possible. Cringing at the slight squeaking his sneakers made on the dirty linoleum.

"Okay Alex. Think. Think. What did they tell you?" He clenched his fists and scrunched his eyes concentrating on his mission ahead of him. * Okay Michael should be in the back room with Courtney right about now. I have to get to him without letting anyone else see me. * It had been unanimously decided that Alex was to only have contact with Michael. Any more than that and they couldn't know what the effect would be. The only information that any of them had to go on was future Max and the little bits that Isabel had been able to pull out of Courtney's head. Saving Maria was the most important goal and Max and Liz agreed that the truth about future Max and Liz with Kyle would come out in it's own time. For now that had to be sidelined for Maria's sake. Surprisingly it had been Tess to most adamantly disagree with this plan. It had scared her hearing of the future if she left and wanted to avoid that at nearly any cost. Maria was not worth sacrificing for that however. It was because of this that she agreed for Alex to only worry about convincing Michael.

Alex caught a quick burst of movement in the corner of his eye. * Michael. * Michael was carrying a bottle of water of to where Courtney lay huddled in a blanket against the wall. Alex slipped behind the curtain along the wall and slunk as stealthily as possible to behind where Courtney lay now talking to Michael quietly. He closed his eyes briefly and prayed that he wasn't too late and wouldn't fail Maria now. He took a deep breath and was about to reveal himself to Michael when he heard Michael abruptly stop talking.

"What?"

"I, uh…Michael can I talk to you?" Alex felt like crying when he heard Maria's voice. He had to ball his hands into tight fists to stop him from running out behind the curtain and pulling her into a hug. He peeked out from a tear in the black and silver curtain to see her.

"Not now." Alex cringed at Michael's harsh tone, knowing from the future that it was fear that spoke for Michael and not his true feelings. Maria just spoke quietly and turned away from the two.

"Come on Michael. Don't let her go." Alex coaxed him softly from the sidelines.

"Wait." Alex watched as Maria slowed her steps but didn't turn to face him or maybe it was so she wouldn't have to face Courtney. "Just give me a minute okay?"

Exhaling a sigh of relief that Alex hadn't even realized he had been holding he walked to the edge of the curtain preparing himself for what he hoped would be a bloodless confrontation with Michael. Michael was stooped low and talking to Courtney in hushed tones again. Alex looked around desperately for something to grab his attention with. As he was looking around, he stumbled backwards into a box and in accident stepped on a discarded strip of bubble wrap. He cringed as the bubbles popped loudly under the pressure of his foot. * Well, I think I caught his attention now. * Alex peered nervously at the curtain, expecting to be blown to bits any minute by Michael's alien powers.

He closed his eyes and said a final prayer to God.

"I'm sorry Maria." Alex whispered. He had failed at his job.

When the end didn't come, Alex peeked out of one eye. He shuffled over to the curtain slowly and peered out into the room. Courtney lay in front of him still but Michael was no where to be seen.

"Oof!" Alex fell to his knees as a sharp blow to his lower back hit him unexpectedly. He bit his lip, drawing blood, to stop a scream from escaping.

"A…Alex?" Michael whispered in disbelief.

"I think you broke my back." Alex moaned and shook his head trying to clear it from the fogginess that accompanies pain.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" Michael stooped beside him and helped the suffering boy up. "Sorry about that. But at least I know you're not a Skin now."

"Yeah thanks." Alex grunted and rubbed his back with his hands. He looked up at Michael who now glared at him suspiciously. Alex almost wanted to smirk at him because the future Michael had warned him that he would be untrusting of Alex and suspicious of his motives at first. Gaining his trust and belief would be the main battle. After that Michael wold do anything to save Maria.

"What are you doing? And why were you sneaking around back here?"

"Well, I'm trying to save Maria. And the reason I'm back here is because you told me to." Alex watched as Michael's eyes narrowed at him.

"What do you mean save Maria? And I haven't told you anything." Michael's voice still held his accusatory tone.

"Well, it wasn't exactly you. It was future you cause I'm not really me but future me." Alex paused letting Michael try and catch up with the conversation.

"Future you?" He sounded as if he was trying not to laugh at the lanky teenager.

"Yeah future me. Look I know how bizarre this is all sounding to you but you have to listen to me. If you tell Courtney about the Granolith then Maria is going to die. She is going to be saving us at the exact same time and the burst of energy from the alien glowing rod thing that you don't actually know about yet but will in about twenty minutes combined with the blast from the Granolith when Courtney uses because you told her is going to make Maria disappear permanently." Alex took a deep breath now and let everything sink in. He tried to study and gage Michael's reaction carefully.

"This is ridiculous." Michael shook his head and backed away from Alex. "What the hell are you and what are you trying to pull?"

Alex groaned and closed his eyes. "Okay fine. You don't believe me. I can change that."

"Prove it." Michael challenged him and crossed his arms defensively.

"I hit you." Alex raised an eyebrow at Michael who still looked at him cautiously. "After you kissed Courtney I hit you because you made Maria cry."

"Alex could have told someone that."

"But I didn't tell anyone and neither did you. And you…you called me a good friend. Now let me be a good friend now because I swear to God that if you kill Maria this time around then I will kill you." Alex stood his ground, not backing down against the much bigger and stronger alien.

"Okay if you are really Alex then how the Hell did you get here?" Michael questioned him again but dropped his arms. Alex could see that he was slowly starting to come to grips with what he was telling him.

"The Granolith. With some modifications it has the capability of time travel." Alex hoped that Michael wouldn't ask any other questions about the Granolith.

"Why you? Why not any of the others? Like Max or Isabel?"

He laughed nervously now. "Well, you kind of made me do this. I'm the only one you trusted to convince you for Maria's sake." Alex glanced at the clock again. "Look in about one minute Maria is going to scream because a Skin attacks her. Tess is going to kill the Skin and save Maria. Courtney will also cry out that she is dying. You told Courtney about the Granolith and gave her the location."

Michael watched silently as the seconds tick by on the clock. He jumped as Maria screamed out Tess's name.

"One more thing Michael. Commander Carver told you that he should have kissed her then, maybe you should remember that this time."

Michael turned back to Alex silently before running out into the room.

"Michael!" Courtney called out to him. Michael paused as Alex watched him from the tear in the curtain. His face looked torn as his eyes darted back and forth from Maria, Courtney, and to where Alex watched in silently. "Michael I'm dying. I can feel it. There is so much that I need to tell you though and so much that you need to know. Help me Michael. The Granolith, it's the only way. Please. I can tell you so much about your past and where you come from."

Alex clinched his fists as he heard Courtney's desperate pleading. "Michael no. Maria. You have to choose Maria."

He had never felt so nervous in his entire life as Alex did when he watched Michael's internal debate. He saw the confusion laid out in his eyes as Michael eyes Courtney and her connection to his past, Maria and her place in the present, and Alex as the voice from the future. Kyle came out of the back room then and walked past the others silently. Alex couldn't hear the entire conversation but he knew from what Michael told him that Sheriff Valenti had disappeared in the back and Kyle would come out and recognize the alien billboard. Alex held his breath as he saw Maria and Liz preparing to join Kyle. This was it, Maria would leave and if Michael's tells Courtney then she would never be coming back.

"Come on Michael. Go to Maria. Don't give up on her." Alex whispered in encouragement.

"Maria wait." Michael called out and Alex wanted to crow in joy as his hands started to fade. That meant that is was working and the future was changing. "I uh, wait one minute. I have to talk to Courtney first and…please just give me a minute."

"Damn it." Alex cursed again as his hands the curtains fully. He closed his eyes and cursed Michael with every word that Maria had taught him in Spanish. Alex had a clear view and could hear Michael as he approached Courtney again.

"I'm sorry." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Please Michael. I need to know." She cried out in pain again.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you." He closed his eyes, trying to block out the hurt look in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Michael stood quickly before he might cave in and tell Courtney where the Granolith was located. He opened the curtains and slipped back to where Alex hid.

"Thank you."

"I couldn't sacrifice Maria. She's…I just couldn't." Michael closed his eyes and Alex reached out a tentative hand to his shoulder but stumbled when he couldn't hold onto Michael.

"It's okay. You saved her. I…I have to go now." Michael's eyes whipped open and his mouth hung as he saw the flickering body in front of him. * I have to tell him. I have to. * "Michael I have to tell you this and I hope that you will do the right thing with it but Liz didn't sleep with Kyle. And Tess can't leave because-"

"Alex!" Michael cried out as the boy faded into oblivion in front of him. Michael reached out one hand to the empty space in front of him and whispered. "Thank you. You are a good friend."

Michael walked back to where Maria was waiting for him. She shuffled her feet and her eyes were downcast. Michael grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. Her face was surprised and he cursed himself as he saw that tears in her eyes that were no doubt caused because of him. He opened his mouth to speak but instead of telling her that everything wold be all right he heard different words coming out of his mouth.

"I should have kissed you then." And with that he melted his lips against hers. His body responded eagerly as it had been too long since he had felt her pressed up against him intimately as her small hands played with the hair at the back of his neck. He placed one hand on the small of her back and pulled her in tighter to him as his other hand cradled her neck gently. As the need to breathe caught up with them, Maria looked back up at him breathlessly with her red lips. Michael smiled at her gently in a way that most had never seen before.

"Michael?"

"I'll see you when you get back. I promise."

~*~

Courtney stood up angrily, trying to work out the crick in her neck. She growled and kicked at one of the stupid plastic aliens in the UFO Center.

"I can't believe him!" She screamed in frustration into the darkness. Her acting had been perfect and she needed to know where the Granolith was located. Michael was supposed to be her leader and this is the thanks she gets for travelling across the universe to find him? She grew more and more furious as she thought about the fact that he supposed leader was willing to let her die. "It's like he knows that I was lying!"

"Tsk, tsk."

Courtney whirled around and peered into the darkness around her. "Who's there?"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to lie?" Nicholas wagged his finger at her disapprovingly and pursed his lips. "So Courtney, where's the Granolith?"

"I'll never tell you." She sneered, momentarily forgetting that she didn't know.

"Well now, you don't have to tell me. I can just find out." He snapped his fingers and two larger Skins appeared behind her, binding her arms behind her back. Courtney struggled needlessly as they held her tight. Nicholas smiled at her as he placed his small hand on top of her head. The images rushed at him and he pulled away disgusted. "You don't even know! He wouldn't tell you! What happened to the great rebel leader now?"

He wiped his hand on his pants and turned around. Waving dismissingly over his shoulder, "Kill her."

The Skins held her and one of them lifted the back of her shirt, exposing the delicate flap of skin. With a small touch, Courtney disappeared into nothingness. All that was left was dust. Nicholas coughed slightly and wiped his hands on a nearby alien tee shirt for sale. "Well, one down. Let's go check on those Royals shall we?"

~*~

"Gee so sorry about losing the faithful sheep Michael. But she just had to go." Nicholas smirked and shook his head in mock sadness. "By the way, love the hair. I'm thinking of growing mine out to match. Don't you think that'll be…just precious."

"Bite me." Michael spit at him and struggled to break the hold on his wrists. But Nicholas ignored him as he held onto Max's head and probed deep within his mind. All movement stopped as Tess let out a piercing scream as her power built within her.

All that remained was dust.

~*~

"Okay so what do we do?" Kyle looked at Maria who was waving her arms around in mid-panic.

"I don't know! Liz said something about electricity. What did she say about it?"

"How am I supposed to know? Maria I was in your remedial science class three years in a row!" He waved his own arms around now. Both feeling the pressure of having to, well having to save Roswell.

"Oh God. I need some Cyprus Oil." Maria's face scrunched up. "I need Liz. Kyle, I can't do this without her. I can't."

He grabbed her shoulder and forced her to look at him. He leaned down and picked up the car cables, placing them in her hand. "Maria listen to me. You can do this. Oh shit!"

Maria spun around quickly to see what Kyle cursed at. A Skin ran towards them at full speed, his mouth foaming from the violent thoughts. Kyle grabbed a wrench from the ground and pointed menacingly at the Skin. "Buddha forgive me but I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Kyle!" Maria screamed and ducked as he flipped the Skin over and slammed the tool down into the center of his back.

"Mar-" And Maria stood alone.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. Okay Maria, you can do this." She trembled as she bent to pick up the cables again and connected them to the car. She shook and her heart beat so loudly that the pounding filled her ears. Climbing to the top of the board, Maria closed her eyes and threw the cables on the over sized phallic symbol, just as her body began to waiver and disappear.

~*~

"Alex!" Sheriff Valenti grinned brightly at the lanky young man sitting at the counter in the Crashdown. He looped a casual arm around him. Alex stared back in confusion and shock at the Sheriff.

"Um, Sheriff Valenti are you all right?" His brows furrowed together. Sheriff Valenti laughed. He actually laughed and Alex's jaw dropped open at the sight and sound. "Maybe you should go lie down or something."

Before the Sheriff could answer, Alex felt himself spun around in his stool and enveloped in a tight hug. "Isabel?"

"Alex I am so glad to see you!" She gripped him tighter and bit her lip to stop the thousand watt smile on her face form running away.

"Okay, can I ask a question?" He raised his hand tentatively.

"Well Alex, it's going to be a little hard to believe." Tess even grinned at him now as the others led him back towards the break room.

"Aliens find it hard to believe?" Alex shook his head and mumbled. "Great. This should really be interesting then."

"Wait!" Michael called out and looked around nervously as they all stared at him in confusion. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of the bells above the Crashdown door jingling. He whipped around to see Liz and Kyle enter the Crashdown. His stomach jackknifed until a blond head peaked out from behind Kyle. *Maria. * His body breathed her in and his heart beat rapidly at the sight of her. He knew of Courtney's death from Nicholas but seeing Maria alive and standing in front of him and Michael knew that he had made the right decision. Maria could never be sacrificed for Courtney, no matter the knowledge about his past that she held. He looked around and realized that everyone still stood looking at him expectantly. All Michael wanted to do then was take Maria in his arms and run back to his apartment, locking the door forever behind him.

"Michael?" Max still looked at his friend, refusing to take in the sight of Liz standing so closely to Kyle. Michael seemed in a daze as he stared intently at Maria before Max's voice pulled him back into reality.

"We need to talk." Michael nodded tensely to them all. "We all need to talk."

"Michael?" Isabel watched him in concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I think we all be okay."

~*~

Michael sat on the counter of his apartment, staring at the beautiful girl that lay sleeping on his couch. After he had explained part of what had happened to everyone, Michael had pulled Maria away from the group. He had revealed that Liz and Kyle didn't sleep together and that Tess could never leave them because of her jealousies from Max and Liz's relationship. He hadn't told them how he knew or even why but it was the right thing to do. Alex had sat quietly through his explanation, listening intently. Michael felt regret that the boy would never know how much he had saved them all. Because Michael knew that without Maria in his life that he couldn't go on. Nothing would be right without her. Maybe one day Michael would find the words to explain to Alex just how good a friend he truly is, and not just to Maria but to Michael as well.

"Hey." Maria stirred slightly as her eyes opened, still sleepy from her nap.

"Hey." Michael's husky voice excited Maria and she sat up on the couch. The blanket fell down around her waist. She tucked her legs up under her as she wore one of Michael's oversized Metallica tee-shirts. He smiled at her softly and Maria felt her heart flutter at the rarely seen sight.

She didn't know why he had changed his mind about being with her or what had happened but Maria was too grateful to question it. The look in Michael's eyes as he told her that he loved her and this time it wasn't followed with a good-bye was something that Maria would remember forever. But even better this time was the fact that Maria got to tell him. She finally had her chance to tell him that she loved him too.

"I'm sorry." His voice whispered so softly that she barely heard him from across the room.

"Why?" Her eyes burned back into his.

For a reason that Maria would never know, and would never ask, Michael simply jumped down from the counter and sat beside Maria on the brown lumpy couch. Softly draping an arm around her, he pulled her in close to his warm body and kissed her head as he had done less than a year before. Before so much had changed, some for the better and much for the worse. Maria closed her eyes and leaned her head back against his shoulder. He laid them down carefully together on the couch. His strong body holding her delicate frame within his.

As Maria drifted off to sleep she felt his lips linger along her forehead lovingly and a soft voice whisper in her ear.

"I should have kissed you then."

Back to Area 51 (Section I)