Part III "I'll Find You"

Maria stared at her CD player, waiting for the familiar tap at her window. She paced for a while, sat back down and fidgeted, then paced some more. She would probably wear a mark into the carpet where she'd paced all night. She hoped it was going okay for Max and Isabel. They were two of her best friends.

She hit the play button on her remote, letting a random song play off of whatever she'd shoved into the tray earlier.

"My lover's gone
No earthly ships will ever bring him home again..."

It was true. No earthly ship would be able to. Her alien was going to a galaxy far, far away. Nope, had to change it to a new song...this was getting to be too much... She hit the fast-forward button, jumping to the next random song.

A heavy drumbeat introduced it. She sat down on her bed, momentarily entranced.

"I didn't hear you leave
I wonder why am I still here
I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory

Oh, I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me..."

It was her. This song could be the theme song for her life. It was her entire existence, and had been, ever since that first kiss from Michael. Not their first real kiss, in high school, but their first dare kiss, back in fifth grade. Back when "Cheesehead Guerin" suddenly changed in her eyes.

She would wait for him, no matter how long it took, no matter what the cost, so that she could live and breathe with him again.

His parents turned around as they got inside the door, surprised looks on their faces.

"What is it, honey?" His mom's voice was concerned.

"Can we sit down? All of us?" His mom and dad exchanged looks, but complied, sitting on the couch in the living room. Isabel took her favorite chair, Michael sitting on the arm of it. Max decided he needed their support, and took the other side, next to his sister. Isabel looked at him, took one of his hands and hers, and Michael's in the other. He looked at the man and woman who had fought with their lives to keep two children they found naked in the desert, and suddenly wished there was another way.

"Mom, Dad...umm...we finally found out where we came from."

Again, the exchange of looks between the senior Evanses. His mom and Dad mastered the art of speaking without words after so many years of marriage. He could only wish he and Liz would get to that point--if they were just allowed a little more time...

"Where's that, son?" From the look on his mom's face, he could tell she was remembering that day they'd watched the old home movies, and talked about how much he'd wanted to go home at first. He always thought she knew something was different about her children. It was Mother Radar or something. Something all real mothers had for their children.

But how could he tell them they were aliens?

Michael solved the problem for him.

He gave them the most serious look they'd ever seen on his face.

"Remember the crash of '47?" They nodded, perplexed looks on their face.

And then, Michael pointed straight up. "Well, it seems like we've still got some family around."

"There were these incubation pods...we...hatched right before you found Izzy and me." Max couldn't tell if his parents believed him or not. "That's why Valenti and the FBI and everyone else was after us for so long. Because I healed Liz that day that there was a shooting at the Crashdown."

"And Liz and Maria and Alex all found out?" His mother's voice was surprisingly calm. There was a look of wonder on her face, as if suddenly she had discovered light.

"Son, are you sure?" His dad looked lost. He liked to have concrete, unarguable proof. That's why he'd gone into law--with the right pieces of knowlege, you could solve any case and answer any question. That, and he and his wife both believed that everyone had certain rights--and that it was their job to make sure those rights were protected.

In answer, Isabel held out her hand. She touched her mom's black shoe, and then the bottle of 7-up that sat on the coffee table, left over from lunch. Slowly, the soda darkened to black.

Michael walked over to where he knew the wall safe was, placed his palm on the painting that hung in front of it, and with a soft click, both the painting and door popped open on their hinges.

And Max took the glass sitting next to the soda, and broke it. Under his hands, the pieces melded back together, to form a perfect whole again.

Neither of his parents spoke for a long time.

"So you didn't tell us because you thought we'd be in danger?" His mother's voice was soft, and he could see tears in the corners of her eyes. His heart froze in his chest. Would she hate them? Would she regret ever picking them up that night

Max nodded slowly. Isabel tightened her grip on his hand.

="Son..." His dad's voice was choked. "Max...Isabel...Michael..." He looked at each of them. "I'm guessing you're telling us this now because something's urging you to?"

Closing his eyes, Max nodded.

"How soon?"

And then it hit all three of them, a flash stronger than any of them had ever felt.

"No!" Michael cried. "It's not fair! It's too early!"

Strong disapproval, and the sense that this wasn't an intergalatic taxi.

"One more day," Max heard Isabel whisper. "Just a little bit more time. We've waited this long."

The sense of thinking about it. A stream of pure joy that they'd finally been found. The ability to wait one more day, and a vision of a hill by the crash site, the stars aligned for three hours before sunrise.

Max exhaled, the feeling of tears building up in his chest. He looked at his parents, surprised to find his vision of them blurred, until the first tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Momma, Daddy..." Isabel got out of the chair, and threw herself into their mom's arms.

"Baby..." His mom whispered, hugging her close. He saw her look over Isabel's shoulder at their father. "Philip, I can't do it...I can't let my babies go."

Surprise filled his quivering insides. His dad gave him one of his old grins. "Did you think we'd love you any less, Max? You're our son, no matter what anyone says. We were meant to drive down that highway that night." And Max found familiar arms wound around both him and Michael, the family's unspoken third child.

He buried his face in his father's shoulder, letting all the hard emotions that had built up finally spill out. From the way Michael's shoulders shook, he could tell his best friend was doing the same thing.

When the flood of tears was dried, his mom only looked at the three of them, and smiled that special smile of hers. "Did you really think it was that much of a surprise?" She gave a little laugh. "I always knew my babies were special."

"Hi, Maria, yeah, the Evanses didn't have heart attacks, how was your night, and by the way, did I tell you how beautiful you look today?" She glared at him, the same Michael glare that she'd used since they were eight years old.

"Not to mention the fact that we're too young, my mother would kill us both, and isn't it slightly illegal since you aren't exactly from around here?"

He just stood there, arms crossed, giving her that rakish half-smile that belonged to her alone.

"I love you," he said, walking toward her.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my cheesebreath?"

And then he was kissing her, his lips running from her neck to her ear, leaving a trail of fire behind. And wasn't the room getting awfully warm? At least her mom was still on a date with Jim...

"So, marry me." His voice was drowsy as he rested his head on her breasts, one of his hands running through her curls, the other held tightly in one of her hands.

He was serious. But if he was serious...

Her free hand moved to stroke his hair. "So, is it tomorrow or the next day?" She tried to keep her tone light, but knew she failed miserably.

He looked up at her, startled.

She gave him a small smile. "I've known you for too long, spaceboy. We've fought since you first hatched out of your pod."

His hand fell from her hair to caress her cheek. His touch was gentle, the way it was after they'd had a big break-up, and he was trying to apologize for not understanding his own emotions enough. They'd broken it off at least twelve times since the first intense one at the rave, two and a half years before.

"When we were telling Mr. and Mrs. Evans...we all saw them. They wanted to take us now, but they let us have one more day." His fingers traced her lips, the contours of her cheeks, the place where her dimples would be if she smiled. "I meant to ask you to marry me eventually, after school I guess, but I thought we'd have more time..."

So he was going. But could she blame him? His old dream of his family driving up in a spaceship was finally coming true.

They were finally talking about feelings and dreams, something they'd never done seriously before, and of course it had to happen right before he went away. She knew they'd get there eventually...it would just take time and a lot of fights. But why did it have to cost her her life? She really would be all alone on Earth. Without the last alien.

"So, Max is with Liz tonight?" She didn't have to ask though. Max probably reached the Crashdown at the same time Michael popped through her window.

He laughed, kissing her shoulder. "I think tonight's the night Max's been dreaming about since we discovered what sex was. I'm surprised he managed to hold out this long."

Liz sat on the roof, candles lit. Soft music played on the CD player in her window, a CD that Alex had burned for her of all her favorite songs. She wrapped herself in an old jacket of Max's, pretending that it was his arms inside the sleeves, holding her close. She could feel time running out on them.

Then she heard the sound of feet on the ladder. And her heart jumped to her throat.

And his arms were around her, and for a moment, everything was okay.

"They took it well." His mouth brushed against her ear. "Mom said she wasn't surprised." There was a catch in his voice.

"But?" She raised her face to his, looking him in the eye. This was Max. She knew how to read the silent signals he sent. Alien or not, he was hers, and nothing could change that.

He rested his forehead against hers. "We have twenty-four hours...they're coming tomorrow."

And you're leaving me all alone. I knew you would, but I wanted to pretend that it wasn't true. You're leaving me all alone.

But she couldn't say it. She didn't have to. He knew how she felt. He could read her as easily as she read him. Sometimes there was no need for words.

She leaned back, brushed the dark hair out of his beautiful eyes. "Then we'd better make the most of what we have."

And he kissed her, just as he'd kissed her that first time, when the barriers broke and the bridge of no return was burned. Time to set one more bridge aflame.

"Alex, phone!"

He clicked the receiver he'd been clutching for the past hour. "Isabel!"

Her voice was choked up. He could hear her breaths hiccuping across the phonelines. Had her parents not believed her? No, the Evanses loved them more than anything. Unless it meant...

He closed his eyes, almost dropped the cordless. "Tomorrow?"

Her sobs got louder.

He was on his feet and out the door before he knew it. "I'll be back later, Mom! Don't wait up, call me at Max's if you need me!"

He never remembered how he made it to his car, started it, and drove it all the way to Isabel's without crashing or hurting anyone. But Isabel was at the door waiting for him, and in his arms the minute he stepped out of the car.

It wasn't fair. Just when things were finally working out between him and Isabel. He'd waited way longer than Michael and Max. He'd finally gotten to see the beautiful person he'd always known Isabel was on the inside, and they were finally making that connection between the two of them work, in spite of everything. And now it had to get taken away.

He stroked her back, holding her close, wishing he could do anything in the world to make her feel better. How would he feel if he had to leave the only life he'd ever known to go to a completely alien place? But she was going to be with people like her. How could she ever love him with other alien guys to get her attention?

But the way Isabel wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer, made him have second thoughts about that. He didn't want things rushed, because it might be their last day together. He wanted to savor every memory naturally. Not everyone was lucky enough to know Isabel Evans inside and out. That was worth a lot more than casual sex the night before he might never see her again--tempting as it was.

But he didn't think he could afford the emotional trauma. He knew Maria and Liz would hurt more than anything in the morning, and for a long time afterwards. They were both in so deep that they'd probably live alone for the rest of their lives with poodles named Michael and Max.

It was better to forsake the heartache for the sexual pleasure. If Isabel came back, and nothing changed, then he would pursue. But for now, he'd hold the girl he loved, and try to make her feel better.

He picked her up in his arms, cradling her gently. He carried her into the house and down the hall to her room, laying her on her bed. But she clung to him, and wouldn't let go, tears still streaming down her face.

"Stay?" The look on her face almost broke his heart. She was all alone here. He knew where Max and Michael were. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.

He smiled at her. "Yeah. Anything for you."

He helped her unzip her dress, staring in open wonder at her beautiful body. He'd never imagined that he would see it so close. But for once, his desire to protect her overcame his desire to throw her down on the bed and have wild, freaky circus sex.

He found her red satin pajamas underneath her teddy bear and helped her into them. He laid her down on her bed and pulled the leopard-print comforter up. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna borrow some clothes from Max."

She nodded, clutching the battered teddy bear close.

Walking from Isabel's room to Max's, he passed Mrs. Evans in the hallway. She automatically handed him a pair of sweats and an old shirt.

"Max is out tonight, so I thought you might need these." She gave him a soft smile. His opinion of Mrs. Evans rose. She was an amazing woman. He wondered if his own mother could be that strong.

Out of an odd instinct, he leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. "I'll take care of her tonight. And I'll take care of Maria and Liz tomorrow."

Mrs. Evans smiled at him. "Good boy. The girls will need it."

He looked at her closely. "And you?" Again, the same gentle smile. "We'll be strong for each other."

He walked back into Isabel's room. It felt odd, putting on her brother's clothes, turning down the covers to one of his best friend's sister's bed. As soon as he slid into bed, Isabel wrapped herself around him, cuddling close. He put his arm around her shoulders, and kissed the top of her head.

"Thanks, Alex." Her body relaxed against his.

And as the girl of Alex Whitman's dreams fell asleep on his shoulder, he laid awake and wondered what tomorrow would bring.

When the moon finally made its way to Liz's window, Max still lay awake, Liz's head resting in the hollow between his chest and his chin. He stroked the long hair that blanketed them both, memorizing its weight and color in the moonlight.

"It's time, isn't it?" Her head moved slightly, brushing her lips against his neck. "It's too soon."

"Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day. It was the nightingale, not the lark...believe me love, it was the nightingale." He kissed her temple.

She raised herself up on her forearms, looking him in the eyes. "It was the lark, the herald of morn. I must be gone and live, or stay and die." Her eyes were wet.

"I'd rather die than leave you, Liz..." He kissed her tears away.

She shook her head, her silky hair feeling as soft as rain on his face. "No, you need to go. You don't belong here. You need to go home." And he knew that she knew that she didn't believe that. But they had to pretend, if only to make it easier.

She smiled at him. "Day always comes too soon."

The six met at the hill in the desert the next morning, sleeping bags and camping supplies in hand. The parents hadn't made too much of a fuss, after Mr. and Mrs. Evans called the Amy DeLuca, the Whitmans, and the Parkers, to explain how their two would be studying abroad for the first year of college and had to leave tomorrow, could the kids spend one last night together on a camp-out?

They spent the day scattered across the hills. Liz and Max found a sheltered pool. Isabel sat on a rock with Alex, talking. And Michael and Maria laid down on a blanket in each other's arms in the shade of two ancient incubation pods deep in a cave, sorting out all the emotions they'd ever felt.

They met again at sunset, eating half-baked pancakes and charred steaks. Maria tried not to cry when she saw the bottles of maple syrup and tabasco sauce come out, both dumped liberally on the meat and the pancakes.

The silence was broken when Max put his tin plate down at his feet. "Liz and I did something today that we'd like to show you..."

Michael groaned. "We really don't need to know that much about your sex life, Maxwell..." He gave Max his old grin.

"Like we'd want to watch, much less get involved," Maria added. "Orgies with my best friends are so last year." Her mouth twitched, the beginning of a smile appearing.

=Michael looked at her, touching her face gently. "Stupid broccoli breath."

She kissed him gently. "Hotdog face."

Isabel groaned. "I thought you guys were going to grow out of that."

"Umm, remember what I was saying?" Max waved at them. "Earth to all space cadets..." The joke didn't fly as high as it was supposed to.

"You have our undivided attention, Max." Alex walked over until he was six inches from Max, kneeled down, and stared him straight in the eye. "Let's have it, spaceboy."

Max pushed Alex back playfully, a slight smile on his face. "Liz and I tried to form a connection today, like I did when I healed her. I think...I think I can connect all of us." So we don't have to be alone.

No jokes, no remarks, no snickers or laughs. Just five people looking at him, hopeful faces for the first time in almost two weeks.

"I can't guarantee anything..." He didn't know if it would work between all of them. Michael and Maria could probably pull it off on their own, and definitely Maria and Liz, close as they were. But all together...

One last time.

They joined hands, gathering closer to the fire. "Michael, Izzy...concentrate like when we're trying to make the connection to heal someone...but concentrate on all of us. It shouldn't be too hard."

And then *flash* Class with Mr. Raddish in fifth grade

*flash* Michael and Maria's first kiss, on a dare

*flash* Milkshakes at the Crashdown

*flash* The pillowfight at Liz's eleventh birthday slumber party

*flash* First day of high school, seeing each other in the halls

*flash* Liz shot, blood streaming down her uniform

*flash* Michael waking up from his cocoon, them crowded around him

*flash* Hands held, exactly like they were doing now, but shining with a soft light.

Michael looked around at the faces of his friends. His family. The only ones who knew him completely. The three he was going to leave behind. He felt them inside of him, the way he'd only felt Max and Isabel before. And he could even pick out the largest bundle of warmth, a distinctive feeling that had a smell of cedar, and a lightening flash of dimples and blond hair.

"I don't know about you guys, but Maria and I are gonna sleep now." Sleep. They'd alternated talk with sex all night--not something completely unusual for them, except it was usually a lot less talk, and a lot more sex. But now, he just wanted to hold her close after emptying his soul all day. With sleep, he'd dream. And his dreams would be full of her.

By unspoken agreement, sleeping places had been found far out of eye- and ear-shot of each other. It was enough that it was the last night together. It didn't need to be public. Michael knew that enough tears would be shed.

He took Maria by the hand, back to their blanket from earlier. They unrolled the sleeping backs, zipping them together to form a double. They curled up, Maria snuggled against Michael's chest.

"Cheesebreath," he whispered to her, kissing her ear. I love you

"Pissbreath," she whispered back. I love you too. Come back to me.

Maybe he wouldn't be the last virgin on earth after all.

Isabel led him to where their sleeping bags were already spread, and pushed him bag onto his. "Lay down, and hold my hand. Don't say anything. Just trust me."

Trust her? To the ends of the galaxy and back.

He laid back, and closed his eyes. Isabel began massaging his hand as she laid down next to him. He tried not to laugh, concentrating instead on the backs of his eyelids. He was beginning to count backward from 100 when it hit.

He was standing inside a half-lit room, still hand-in-hand with Isabel. Two familiar people stood at the altar, flowers strewn everywhere. The couple kissed, and everyone clapped. Then, the room faded, turning into the front room of a house, sunlight streaming in every window. The two from the altar sat on the floor, the man laying his spiky light brown head against the blond woman's bulging belly, and smiling. Then, the picture changed again, same room, but with the woman and man swinging around a small child. The child had soft golden curls, round cherub cheeks, and hazel eyes. He laughed and chattered a mile a minute.

"Mommy, Daddy, fly me higher!"

And the dream faded. Alex found himself back on the sleeping bag, still holding Isabel's hand. He looked at her, wondering what that all meant. It was someone's dream, he knew, probably Maria's. Maybe Michael's. Dreams that would never be. The thought made his heart hurt.

"Max and Michael don't do it very well, but I can dreamwalk sometimes. I can see what other people are dreaming, like Michael's..." She flushed slightly. "It takes a lot of power, and sometimes you won't always see me..."

He closed his eyes, feeling them fill up with tears. "But you can see me," he finished. Something that would connect them across time and space. Max and Liz, Maria and Michael all had that brief meeting of flesh to keep them warm. But Isabel was offering to come visit in his very dreams.

And somehow, that seemed like the greater gift, the one that would make him strong enough to hold his best friends, when they were left all alone.

He took Isabel in his arms, hugging her tight. She pushed back slightly, a vulnerable look on her beautiful face. She closed her eyes, and leaned closer to him, brushing her lips against his. All the fires of heaven couldn't match what raced through his veins.

"No." He pushed back. "I don't want it this way. I want it natural, like it's supposed to be."

She opened her eyes, gave him a startled look. "But I thought you loved me..."

"I do," he cut in. "I do love you. But..." He touched her cheek. "I don't want sex because it's our last night together. That's fine for the others. They're at that point."

Tears slipped down her pale cheeks as her gift was refused.

"Honey..." His heart broke as he took her in his arms, cradling her in his lap. "I'll wait for you... I'll wait til the end of time, until you're resting here with me..." He buried his face in her soft blond hair, hiding the tears he felt coursing down his cheeks. "I don't want to lose myself to you until I know I can keep you forever..."

And her arms came around him, and they cried together, for what might have been, and what might not be.

They stood on the hill, hand in hand, all six. They knew this goodbye would be the hardest of all, but none were prepared for how cold and far-away the stars looked, even that close to dawn. The desert night had never seemed so big. How would they find each other across such a vast expanse of time and space?

And a silver star shot across the sky at incredible speed, finally settling over the six like a glittering egg.

"Flight of the Navigator," Alex whispered, his favorite movie from when he was a kid. "Just like Max the spaceship..."

And a door opened on the lower half, two shining beings coalescing there. One, a female, had Max's dark hair and Isabel's face. The other, a blond, looked like a softened version of Michael.

Each held up a hand. And each of them heard the silent outpouring of grief, of loss. Of love.

Come.

Isabel hugged Maria and Liz together. "I'll send them back as soon as I can," she whispered, a soft quick kiss to both their cheeks. "I always wanted sisters." She smiled at them. "Look after my mom, please?"

Silent promises.

Her hug for Alex was stronger than any he'd ever felt before, as if she were trying to meld her body with his so that she could remember the feeling forever. One last gentle kiss, another promise. I'll find you, if I can.

I'll be waiting.

And she disappeared.

Max's rough hug shook Alex. "Thanks for saving my life, bro."

Brother. Blood brother.

Max smiled gently at Maria, pulling one of her curls. "Don't drown yourself in cedar."

She took his hand, kissing it gently. "Don't stay away too long. She might start dating Kyle again."

Grins of best friends. A gentle kiss brushed against Maria's mouth--an innocent kiss.

Take care of her for me.

With my life, I love her too.

And Liz stood in front of him. No tears, no fierce kisses. Just one last soulful look, Czechoslovakian eyes to human ones, and a similiar promise.

Three words to set their fate adrift in space. Three words that could beat time, if time let them.

I love you.

And Max disappeared.

Michael hugged Alex without a word, went to Liz, and kissed her as gently as Max had kissed Maria.

He quirked a smile at her. "A good friend, huh?"

She smiled back. "Always."

He hugged her tight. "I don't envy Max Evans anymore."

They both looked at Maria, and then at each other. And it was understood.

He walked to her, stopped a few steps in front, and got down on one knee.

When I come back, his eyes said. I will come back.

Cheesehead.

Dogshit breath.

"You're the last alien on earth," she said softly. "You know what that means."

"Marry me," he said. "You owe me a wedding." And from his pocket, he took a simple silver ring. Slipped it on her finger.

And she was crushed against his chest, holding on for dear life, not willing to let him go. Not willing to breathe without him, because she didn't think she could. The last alien on earth.

His mouth met hers, with the same innocence and hesitation as their first kiss.

The tears in his eyes spoke more than words ever could.

And he broke away, running towards the ship.

He turned back. Mouthed three words.

She gave him a smile, and nodded once.

His face crumpled, and he let loose a sob.

And he disappeared.

Back to Area 51 (Section II)