Sequel to "Belong to me"

Author: becky rttavi@aol.com
Rating: R
Distribution: please ask first. always.
Pairing: M/M primary
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Roswell or the characters of Roswell. Original story is solely mine.
Feedback: send it to rttavi@aol.com
Notes: Uhh…Sequel. Damn! I can't stop.
"Belong to Me" can be found here: beckyrocks.com
** lalala thanks to BobbyC for agreeing there was more of a story. Thanks to all who wanted a sequel :) Special thanks to Susan & Shavona *hugs*.

*first chapter, just a little bit. More? I'm still writing it, but I won't post it here if it's not wanted. Y'all know I hate to flood!


Chapter One


For five months we've been living in paradise. And it really has been wonderful. I never knew that such happiness really existed. I never imagined I'd ever experience anything like this. Hell, I should probably be dead by now. Here I was still Maria, a bunch of ex's: convict, addict and slut living in this heaven on earth with the man I never wanted to be without. The man I would never be without. Okay, all man, but part alien. That's how I deal. >
We spend our days in the sun playing and our nights are as steamy as steaminess gets. I still have a few more fantasies to work out on him; I'm just waiting for a carnival to come to town with cotton candy. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever picture myself here. But here I was and I was fucking ecstatic!

Isabel and Kyle were our frequent guests and I savored every second they were here. We haven't seen Alex since his and Isabel's honeymoon, but he sent cheery emails almost weekly. Max and Liz hadn't been down either, but planning that huge wedding and everything was time consuming. At least that was what Isabel said. Hmm, I wonder if she was being sarcastic? Kyle's been down more than Isabel and I love it when he's here! We have entirely too much fun together. We play. But he won't be coming down as much now though, he went back to work. Bummer. There are some very sad points to being so far away from my friends. I miss them.

Haven't heard much from Tess, but that's okay. It's not like I didn't like her, I did. But she was just kind of there; hanging out with Max and Liz all the time. I know Michael misses her, though. Or maybe he just feels sorry for her. I think she emails him from time to time; he hasn't said anything about it, but I think I've proved by now I'm not stupid.

I did get an email from Liz one day and I about fell over with shock. It was to me and me alone, no less. She sent me pictures that  she had taken all around Roswell. I think I actually had tears in my eyes when I saw them. She was thorough; she hit everything from my old flat to the park with the really big fucking dip. She must have enlisted Kyle's help for that one. I even smiled when I saw the outside of the Crashdown, that stupid theme restaurant. I missed Roswell and I missed my friends.
I knew it was in everyone's best interest that we stay away, but damn! It was hard. Thank God for email. That kept me smiling. Well, that and a few other things...

Michael and Max were still communicating everyday and I think Michael was beginning to appreciate his alien side a little more. He used those freaky abilities around our little bungalow and I have to say some of the things he came up with…Wow! Sometimes I see him looking sad and I know why. He didn't want to leave his new 'family' so soon. There was so much to learn and try to understand and we were so far away. He looked to Max as a teacher, but the miles made it difficult. When he tried to tell me things he learned from Max I know I had that blank stare thing going on. I couldn't help it. Some of this was very cool and some of it freaked me out. I still can't quite accept the whole pod chamber idea. He needed to be around the others someday. Soon.

I hoped we'd be able to go back sooner or later.

Today didn't seem different than any other at all. We woke up late, played a little, had breakfast and then ventured out the front door to the beach. Our chairs were where we had left them for months. A few hours baking in the sun and then we took a little dip in the water. I didn't venture in too far; water scared the shit out of me. I guess it was kind of like the not dealing with part of Michael's alieny things. The unknown and not completely understood scared me.

When Michael got the email after dinner, I was floored. We had been gone from Roswell for over five months and never expected anything like this. It wasn't right, there was nothing fucking right about this. I read it over his shoulder and put my hand on him. I felt his body quiver and knew he was feeling the guilt, probably, okay definitely, more than I was. Damn!

Michael and Maria. I don't want to use the phone and I'm sending this from the library's computer. Something's happened, and I don't know what to do. We thought we were safe, but we were wrong. I can't ask you to come here and help because of your own safety; but any suggestions would be appreciated. We've never had to deal with anything like this. I don't know who it is, I don't know if it's Section, but they have Tess. Tess is gone. I'll be using this email account to talk to you from now on and I'm destroying my hard drive at home. Max.

I knelt down next to my husband and tried to read his thoughts. I came back with 'fuck.' My sentiments exactly. Max didn't give us enough information, but I knew enough to realize that he was probably right in his assumption. It was Section and they had Tess and who knows what was happening to her. Fuck!

I watched as Michael typed a quick message back:

We're on our way. Michael.

Oh shit. Here we go.

*        *          *

Chapter Two

Everything was happening too fast for me. All these months of living in beach-mode and now I was getting ready to be thrown back into action. I guess it was only fair. Technically I had been doing nothing but resting for months. Michael was pacing the room and it was making me nervous. I don't think he wanted to leave the beach either. But this was what we had planned on someday. Well, not exactly like this, but we knew we wouldn't be safe here forever. We never said it out loud; but it was always implied. At least I thought it was implied.

I really, really didn't want to leave the beaches. I didn't want to leave almost naked Michael visions on the beaches. But I knew we had to. I was happy we were going back to Roswell, but I wish the circumstances could have been different. I had actually believed that we wouldn't go back until Max and Liz got married. But now, Tess was gone. Shit! Definitely not a good.

I read the email again as I know Michael was after he quit pacing. Tess was just gone. Maybe she met someone and ran off. I mean if Max could be any vaguer…I watched Michael on that laptop of his while he made our travel reservations. I assumed we'd be able to stay with Isabel and Alex. Okay, I hoped we'd be able to stay with them. There were some bright points to going back even under dire circumstances. I would get to see my friends again.

Our bags were packed in a couple of hours. I didn't know what we should take with us or if we'd be back. I stuck with clothing and that's about it. I hope we can come back here when we find out what happened to Tess. I hope we were still alive when we found out. I put Mr. Bear on top of my clothes and sighed. Michael looked at me across the bed and it was a worried look. I hated the worried looks. I liked the 'I love you' and the 'let's have sex' looks much better.

"Michael…"

"This is my fault," he said quietly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I led them…God, if anything happens to her."

"Nothing is going to happen to her, okay?" I tried to reassure him but it was hard when I wasn't sure myself. "Tess is going to be fine and we're all going to live happily ever after. Just like we've been doing here."

"I don't want to leave either," he smiled that sideways smile at me. "I don't think I ever want to see you in anything except that little black bikini you've been wearing."

I smirked. "You want to see me in it or you want to see it on the floor where it usually ends up?" He laughed but it wasn't a real one. I knew there was nothing to laugh about right now. Couldn't blame a girl for trying.

"I don't know what's going to happen."

I sat next to him and squeezed his hand. "It might not be Section." Yeah, riiiight.

"Damn it!" He ran his hands through his hair and it was still sexy even given the circumstances. "I didn't leave anything behind, Maria. I covered our tracks completely. I don't see how they could have found anything out. I don't know why Tess. Why would they take Tess?"

"Rena?" I asked and actually got goosebumps. Damn! Did she do or say something to Section before she was 'taken care of'? Did we really put all of their lives in danger? Shit!

"I don't know." He closed his eyes and I could feel the guilt rolling off of him. "I had everything planned and I thought it worked out pretty good, but now Tess…I have to find her."

"No," I shook my head and got the surprised look from him. "We have to find her, Michael. Don't forget, we're in this together."

"I love you," he kissed my nose and I smiled. "My Sweet Maria. What would I do without you?"

"Suffer and die," I shrugged and stood up. "Are you ready to get this show on the road or what? I feel like putting my badge back on and crossing out alien hunter and writing in Tess finder. What do you say? Ready to go back to Roswell?"

He stood and wrapped those arms around me. Those soft callousy hands rubbed my bare shoulders. "Yes Maria, I'm ready to go back to Roswell."

He carried our bags to the Jeep Cherokee we'd been driving. I still didn't know if we owned it or leased it or whatever. I left all that stuff up to him. The less I knew about our finances the better. All I know is that we always have plenty of cash and we're never in need of anything. He put our bags in the back and I got in the passenger side. As we drove away from my heaven on earth something caught my eye and I almost screamed. Instead I sighed.

"What's wrong?" He asked and slowed down.

I pointed to a poster plastered on the side of a brick building. "Now the carnival decides to come to town!" I folded my arms over my chest and I might have pouted. Some things in life were just not fair.

I undid my seatbelt and knelt on my seat looking out the back window. Brilliant streaks of lighting lit up the sky. A storm was moving in from the south. I hoped it wasn't a fucking omen.

*        *         *

We flew into Roswell Industrial Airport and I remembered the last time when I was new and scared. Now as I flew in, again with Michael, I was wiser. I was hip to what was going on. I wasn't scared. I squeezed my husband's hand as we landed. I will never like landings.

As we got off the plane the first face I saw was Kyle's. I dropped my carry-on and ran to him throwing my arms around him. He picked me up and spun me around setting me back down as Michael walked up to us.

"Are you happy to see me?" He asked and kissed the corner of my mouth.

"Kyle," I sank into him. "You have no idea." I looked around. "Are you here alone? Hey, how did you know when we'd be here?"

He nodded towards Michael. "Cryptic email from him and yes I'm alone." He took a bag from Michael as we walked downstairs to get our luggage. "So, how was your flight?"

"Tell me what's going on," Michael stepped in-between Kyle and me. It was incredibly rude, but I had to let it slide this time.

'I don't know much," Kyle sighed and I walked around to his other side and looped my arm through his. "Today's what, Monday? Max hasn't heard from Tess since Thursday. Which is actually kinda strange for her." He took a deep breath. "He went to her apartment on Friday and it had been ransacked. I saw it, the place was completely torn up."

"What were they looking for?" I asked but didn't get an answer. I don't think I really expected one, but some type of acknowledgement would have nice. I was walking right fucking here next to them. "Excuse me. Does anyone have any idea what the fuck is going on?"

"It's Section, Maria." Michael glared in my direction. Is he actually glaring at me? "You know it as well as I do. They have Tess and I have to get her out."

"Michael…" I trailed off. I didn't have anything else to add.

"How can you be sure?" That was Kyle. Hopefully Michael would answer him with a little more civility than he did me.

"I'm sure. Who else would it be?" He ran his free hand through his hair. "I screwed up somehow and they found out. They know about the others."

Neither Kyle nor I said anything. I guess we didn't know what to say. What was there to say? Michael was right, in some convoluted way.

"Will you take me straight to Tess's?" Michael asked.

"No." Kyle shook his head. "We're going to Isabel's house. Max wants you there-"

"I have to see-"

"Later." Kyle looked at Michael and I wondered if we were in for a war of the interruptedsentences.

I guess it really didn't matter to me; I was going to see Isabel. Yeah me! We walked the rest of the way to baggage claim in silence. Great. Testosterone at it's finest. We claimed our bags and Kyle walked us to the parking lot. I started scanning the lot for his foreign car and oh my God! My Mustang was in front of us. My pony! I started grinning.

"I found it at a used car lot last week," Kyle smirked. "So I traded in my piece of shit and now I'm cool." He cocked his head to the side and I laughed. I wish Michael would have at least cracked a smile; but he was being Mr. Stoic. Kyle popped the trunk and we put our bags in. I climbed in the backseat and hung over to the front, just like a little kid. "I've been taking good care of it, don't worry."

I had wondered what had happened to my pony; I just never got around to asking. There were a lot of things I never got around to asking about.

"When was the last time anyone heard from Tess?" Michael asked and I knew this car ride was going to be from hell.

"Thursday," Kyle snapped. "I told you Max hasn't heard from her since Thursday. My dad dusted-"

"Your dad?" Michael interrupted. I sat back and looked out the window as things became more familiar. "Your dad…Knows?"

Uh-oh. I knew Kyle's dad knew, but I guess I forgot to mention that to Michael. Oops.

Kyle nodded. "Oh yeah, he knows and he has for longer than me. It's cool so, get over it."

I thought I might gag on the tension.

"It's not cool." Michael snapped.

"Listen, you're new to this whole alien game. I don't care that you are one of them. I've been playing a lot longer, so has my dad. He won't make mistakes. Which is more than I can say about some people I know, huh?"

Damn! "Kyle." I put my hand on his shoulder and I could feel the tension. This was not working out the way I planned it. The two most important men in my life sounded like they were going to kill each other.

"It's fine Maria," he looked over his shoulder and smiled at me. "I'm sorry, but I'm a little stressed right now. I just don't want anything to happen to Tess."

Was I detecting something a little bit more than friendshippy feelings here? "Neither do we." I squeezed his shoulder. "We'll find her and we'll get her back." Or we'll die trying. Damn! I hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

"We'll get her back, Kyle." Michael seemed to relent in his pursuit to be the world's biggest asshole.

"I know," he looked at Michael and I got the goosebumps. "If it's not already too late."
*     *       *

Chapter Three

When we pulled up in front of Isabel's, I saw her on the porch waving; Alex was standing beside her. I couldn't get out of the car fast enough. I pushed Michael's seat up slamming him into the dash as he opened the door. I ran to the house and almost tackled Isabel. Who would have ever thought I'd be this happy to see a friend? Amazing.

"How are you?" I gushed. God, I was beginning to miss the old me. The old me never gushed. I hugged Alex quickly and went back to Isabel. Oh God, her expression was happy on the outside but she radiated with fear. "We're here to help."

She nodded and I think I knew she was thinking. Probably the same thing the others were thinking. This was our fault and it was only a matter of time before they came for the rest of them. Shit! They were so right.

"Isabel, we'll get Tess back and make sure you're all safe." I tried to reassure her. "We'll do it."

She nodded again. "Is it this Section?"

"Michael thinks so."

"So, he didn't cover your tracks as well as he thought and now they have Tess?" Isabel's eyes narrowed and I knew she wanted to go off on me. Hell, I couldn't blame her. I'd go off on me too. Not only that, but I'd probably kick my ass while I was at it.

I nodded. "We'll fix this Iz, I promise."

"Maria, I'm happy to see you. I really am, but I'm scared to death right now. My brother is walking around like a psycho zombie. Liz is being Liz-like and I want to backhand her. Alex is scared and Kyle…Kyle's not acting right." She shook her head. "What now?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Max walked up in back of her.

I stepped back when his eyes went to my tits. If I ever thought I'd regret pitching all my bras, now would be the time. I was wearing a button down black shirt of Michael's and jeans. But sure as hell, Mr. Perv was back in action. I swear if he talks to them and not me…

"How do we get her back from Section?" Max asked and looked at my face. Good thing. "Where is it? How do we get to her?"

I wasn't prepared to answer those questions, that seemed like a Michael duty. He was busy with Kyle taking luggage out of the car. Okay they had been doing that for entirely too long now. I waved to them and they came obediently, Michael was smiling. Nice to see they were playing nice together again. They carried the bags in the house past the stares from the remaining two aliens and then came back outside. Now Kyle was smiling too. Me thinks I didn't like the smiley bonding. First I'm not happy with the arguing and now I'm not happy with the camaraderie.

"Michael," Max shook his hand. "Where is Section, when can we go and how do we get her back?"

"I'll go." Michael met the eyes of brother and sister. "I'll get her back."

"We'll go," Max stood up straighter probably trying to compensate for his height. "Tess is my responsibility."

Okay. I saw some recognition of fact flash through Michael's eyes. Someone's keeping secrets, I thought it in a sing-sing voice.

"If they catch you they'll kill you." Michael didn't look anywhere near me for that one. Gee, I wonder why.

"What the fuck are you saying?" I stepped in front of him and forced his attention on me.

"Maria-"

"Don't Maria me. I want to know what the fuck is going on around here. Is this a suicide mission? Are you going to tell me later that you love me and then run off and die?" I felt the heat surge through me. "Is that it?"

He closed his eyes. Damn! "I don't know."

"Well, that's not good enough!" I fought back the tears. Damn it! I would beat them this time. "I won't let you go that easy Michael. You go to Section, I go to Section. We die? We do it together!"

"I won't let you get hurt." He met my eyes and the love might as well have been written on his irises.

"I know and you'd die to protect me and all that other crap," I waved my hand in the air. "Well, let's just say it's a two way street. If you try to go without me, then…" Shit! I was on a roll there for a minute and now it was gone. "I'll divorce you." There. Ha!

"Divorce me?" He almost smiled.

"Yeah, I'll divorce you." Instead of tears now I fought with a smile. "I got your back, Michael." I winked. "If anyone can find Tess, it's me. Remember, I am the only official alien hunter in the bunch."

He nodded with a grin and I knew I had won. What I had won, a possible one way trip back to Section. Okay, not the vacation of my dreams; but if it gave us some more time together, Section could have my left lung.

"I go too." Max folded his arms over his chest.

"Me too." Isabel stepped up next to her brother. I don't think she noticed the look of surprise on Alex's face. I wonder where Liz was.

"Forget it." Michael shook his head.

"This isn't up for discussion," Max looked from Michael to Isabel. "Tess is one of us and we have to get her out. Isabel and I will be going. It's all of us on the line now."

"I'm going too." Kyle stood next to me and I wanted to kiss him. God love Kyle Valenti.

Michael pointed at him. "You? No way."

Kyle hung his head. "Fine, but I am going to whatever city you are. I can be the human lookout."

Alex took a deep breath and joined Kyle. "Yeah, me too. When do we leave?"

Michael suppressed a smile, he knew he was losing this battle. "Soon. Tomorrow. Tomorrow night? I have to get into Section Intel and see what I can find out." Michael looked to the crowd of people around him. "We'll bring Tess home. All of us will come home."

I sure as shit hoped he meant that. I couldn't lose any of these people anymore than I could lose Michael.

"What about Liz?" I asked. I asked?

"She won't be going." Max stated and I took it as gospel. I guessed she wasn't here tonight. Maybe there was trouble in paradise.

"Isabel," Michael looked at her and I saw something pass through them. "I need some outlets."

She smiled and led him inside leaving me out here on the porch with the boys. "So, I guess we're going on a little trip, huh?" I asked and raised my eyebrows. Alex smiled and Kyle laughed but Max just stared at me. I don't think Max particularly cared for me all that much. However that didn't seem to stop him from leering at my tits though.

"What's it like?" Kyle asked causing the mood to become incredibly serious. "At Section. What's it like?"

"It's big, scary, sterile and I hated it." I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. "I don't know everything, Michael's the one to ask about Section. I know they're supposed to be doing good things, but at the same time I can't tell the difference between good and bad. Tess isn't a threat. None of you guys are."

"Regardless, she's gone." Max stated and cocked his head to the side.

I nodded and tightening my hands into fists. Max Evans was starting to piss me off. I thought for sure we were going to throw down and I was going to have to kick his alien ass. I held my ground and I hoped he felt the anger rolling off of me. I wasn't taking the blame for this and I sure as shit wasn't going to let Michael take the brunt of it either. I know in my heart that Michael did everything he could to make sure they were all safe. He just found them; he wouldn't risk any of them getting hurt or worse. There was more going on that we knew about and I bet Michael didn't know about it either.

"I'll say it again, we'll get Tess back." I said it between clenched teeth and Kyle touched my tensed arm. "I'll say it every ten seconds until we do if it will make you feel better."

"Maria," Kyle said softly, I think that it was a warning.

"Kyle," I smiled at him and hopefully let him know I knew what I was doing.

"You're not strong enough-"

"Stop right fucking there!" I interrupted Max and stepped towards him. "You don't know how fucking strong I am. I'm probably one of the strongest people you're ever going to meet in your entire life. Why else would I be here? Don't treat me like a stupid human Max. I'm not stupid, I found you guys, didn't I?" He only stared at me so I thought what the hell and went on. "I'm just one little person and I found you within days. You're not as slick as you think Max. Think about a giant government run facility with a boatload of resources; if you thought you'd always be safe then I'm sorry but you were wrong. Deep down I bet you knew it was only a matter of time. Don't look for a scapegoat and don't fuck with me again!"

I turned my back on him and walked down the porch steps, my blood boiling. I heard someone behind me and knew it was Kyle. I walked to the Mustang before I looked at him. He was clapping.

"Nice work, Maria." He smiled. "I love it when people put Max in his place; especially when it's done so eloquently."

"He's pissing me off Kyle."

"He pisses everyone off."

"It wasn't Michael's fault…" I looked to the ground.

"I don't think so either. I mean, sure, he may have brought attention to Roswell by coming here with you, but shit, this is the alien capital of the world. You were right, it was only a matter of time." He shrugged. "Can this be done? Can we get Tess back?"

I picked up on those more than friendshippy vibes again and nodded. "We'll get her back. I don't care if I have to tear apart Section one brick at a time. I'm not scared of them anymore. I've already gotten more out of life than I ever thought possible."

"Don't talk like that."

"I mean it. I'm not throwing in the towel, but I think I might see a little of the old me peeking through and she's pissed." I held out my hand to him and he took it in his. His soft warm hands. "We're not going to let these aliens have all the fun are we?" He shook his head and smiled. "No, we're all in this together and Section better watch out because they're going to have one pissed off ex-operative to contend with now."

He pulled me into him and hugged me and it felt good. I smiled into his shoulder and prayed like hell I really was as strong as I let on. Shit! Of course I was. No one was going to get the best of me ever again.

I looked at Kyle and winked. "Section? Fuck'em." I smiled and he laughed.

*        *        *

Chapter Four


When Isabel came back outside I could tell she was more relaxed. Michael must have said something to her to calm her down. He had that effect on people. Okay, he had that effect on me. Kyle and I rejoined the others on the porch but I averted my gaze from Max.

We moved our little party inside and I smiled as I saw my very own computer nerd hovered over two laptops with drives and wires and such scattered across the dining room table. He looked up as we entered and I caught him smiling at me. Here we were getting ready to go battle some big bad government agency and he was smiling at me. God, I really did love him.

"Michael." That was Max. Even his voice was getting on my nerves.

"Max." Michael swept his hand through his hair. He hadn't had a haircut since we hit the beaches and he looked hot. I guess I wasn't so bad myself. I did darken my hair a little but I was still the same Maria on the inside.

"What did you find out?"

"That using a modem takes awhile when I have to rig it through about six different scrambled lines," Michael cocked his head to one side. "I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything else."

Max, who looked most defeated, walked into the kitchen with a cell phone in his hand. I smiled knowing he had to be calling Liz to get some support. God knows he wasn't getting any here.

"You and Michael," Isabel stood next to me. "You'll stay here tonight, right?"

I smiled and nodded towards Michael. "I think he's already set up the mobile command unit here." I met her eyes. "You all right?"

She shook her head. Dumbass, of course she wasn't all right. No one was all right. "Can we talk?"

Okay. Those were probably the worst three words in the English language when they were strung together. Alone, they were fine. Together, sudden death. I followed her into the bedroom she shared with Alex and sat cross-legged on the bed. She sat next to me.

"I don't pretend to know exactly what's going on," she sighed. "I don't know if I want to know for sure, but this is really bad. I don't want to be on the run for the rest of my life nor do I want to end up on a dissection table. Is this doable? I mean to get Tess back from Section?"

I nodded slowly. "It's not only doable, it will be done. I'm sorry Isabel." I pulled a rubberband from my wrist and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. "I'm sorry that we brought this on, and I know we partly did but it wasn't intentional."

"I know that," she smiled sweetly and the mood seemed to be shifting.

"Michael needs you guys, so do I. Michael did cover our tracks, but I think there's something else going on. That woman, Rena? Maybe she reported something back to Section before she…Died. There could be more to this than any of us realize."

"You're right," she looked at me and I think she was starting to see things from my side. "It could have been anything. Michael's not stupid and I believe he really did do everything to protect us."

"He did," I nodded. "And he'll keep doing it. He's the most dedicated man I've ever known."

"You really love him," she grinned and I felt the blush. Damn! "Thanks for coming back so soon; Max didn't think you would."

"Really?" I let my sarcasm hang. Max was her brother after all and she was probably biased.

"He's acting like…"

"A royal ass?" I asked and raised my eyebrows. I smiled when she did. "Why?"

Isabel shrugged. "He thinks he's in charge of everything; like we're all his wards. He's a little uppity because here's Michael, the new guy, and he's obviously more intelligent than my brother is. He's been in the real world and he's kept his true identity a secret forever. I think Max is threatened by Michael, actually." She wrung her hands and I felt sorry for her. "I know technically Max should be in charge because he was in our other lives."

Back up. Back the fuck up. Other lives? I stared at her and found myself speechless. She must have caught on that I didn't know what the fuck she was talking about because all of a sudden she got the look. The look that says she knows she said something wrong. "I'm sorry, did you say 'other lives'?"

"Oh…God." She put her hand to her mouth and closed her eyes.

"Isabel."

"I don't know how much Michael knows," she started out. "I only know what Max has told me."

"Go on." I felt my nerves go haywire. I swear if Michael is keeping shit from me, all hell's gonna break lose in Roswell.

"We don't know much about where we came from, are you sure you want to hear this from me?"

I nodded. "Oh yeah."

"We only know a little. We know that we were sent here in the--You know what, because something happened. I don't know what. Anyway, the little info we got was already with us and that was that Max was and had been in charge. Well," she put her hand to her chin. "Well, that a male was in charge. At the time, though, the only male was Max but now there's Michael…"

Okay, that wasn't too bad; I can deal with that. I can see why Michael didn't tell me. He knows I'll still freak if he tells me about where he was hatched from. I was better, but I still didn't want to know all the gory details about it.

"This is actually making some sense now." Isabel was smiling and nodding. "Now I know why Max is all bent out of shape! Maybe he wasn't the one, maybe it was supposed to be Michael but because he wasn't around, Max assumed the position!" She laughed and I stared wide-eyed at her. "Oh God!"

I was not seeing the humor in this entire situation but I had to smile along with her. I was just like that around Isabel.

"Max is threatened! That's why he's acting like an ass. He likes being in charge and he's scared Michael's going to take over!"

"What exactly would Michael take over?"

"Nothing really," Isabel shrugged. "Max just always feels so responsible for us, I guess it makes him feel important. I mean, Tess and I listen to him and he's usually right, but…Tess. Poor Tess. God, this is so bad."

Way to swing the conversation, Isabel. I was still trying to get through the Max/Michael controversy and now she was doing a 180 to the Tess factor.

"Where are we going?" She asked and I wondered if she was talking about location or conversation-wise.  "Where is Section?"

Okay, location. "D.C. Don't ask me where in D.C. because I have no freaking idea. I'm assuming Michael will take care of everything. Hey, where is Liz? Max said she wouldn't be coming."

"You're worried about Liz?" She asked with her eyebrows arched.

"I'm just curious, I thought her and Max were joined at the hip."

"They are. I'm sure she couldn't get away from school. Actually, it's too bad because as much as she gets on my nerves, she might be able to help. She's brought up some valid points since Tess disappeared."

"Like how it was our fault?"

"No, she defended you." Isabel shrugged. "I know, I didn't see that coming either. Her thoughts were the most probable. Even if you and Michael did come here to find us while working for this Section, there's no way to know what they already knew or planned. She said it was just a matter of time before there was any conflict. We thought we were untouchable."

Wow. So Liz and I were actually on the same wavelength? That was a scary thought. "She won't mind being left behind?"

"Hell yeah, she'll mind." Isabel said. "She'll be highly pissed and if I know Liz at all, she'll find a way and be there."

Great. "It's going to be okay, Isabel. It really is. Michael knows Section like the back of his hand. We'll find Tess and we'll get her out and then we'll worry about what to do next."

"You mean where we're going to go?" She looked around her room and I knew she didn't want to leave Roswell. Hell, I didn't want to leave Roswell either.

"I don't think anyone's going anywhere. We're going to take care of this, okay?" I stood up. "It's under control and we're going to deal. Michael's taking care of it as we speak, and I have his back. We won't go down without a fight."

"Do you know any other way?"

I shook my head. "Nope." I'd go down kicking, screaming, biting and fighting before I ever let anything happen to Michael.

*        *         *

Chapter Five

Isabel stood up and faced me. "You're a very strong person Maria and I trust you. I'll stand beside you. I'll be proud to stand with you."

Oh boy. More confidence boosters. "C'mon," I looped my arm through hers. "We've got husbands in the other room and I bet you miss yours as much as I miss mine." And I did miss mine. There was nothing on this planet that I wanted more than to feel naked Michael skin next to me. To run my hands through his hair and whisper 'I love yous' in his ear and tell him everything was going to be okay.

We walked into the dining room to find Michael and now Alex both hovered over the computers. They looked up and each smiled at their respective wife. Sweet. Isabel and I, we were very lucky women.

"We're set to go tomorrow night, late." Michael said and motioned to Alex. "He's good at this."

Alex blushed. "He's just saying that."

"No, I mean it." Michael looked at him and I thought I saw what could be the beginning of a new friendship. Life was good.

"Flying out of Roswell?" I asked and Michael nodded. "Then what?"

"Checking into a hotel in DC. We have three rooms," he added with a smile.

Isabel and I looked at each other and grinned. Max and Kyle were going to have to share a room. Poor Kyle!

"And then…?" I swear, sometimes getting a real answer out of a man was like pulling teeth.

"And then we plan what to do," Michael ran his hands through his hair and I knew he'd probably get a haircut tomorrow before we left.

I guess I could kiss the days of fun in the sun good-bye. No more restless nights on the beach getting sand where it had no business being. No more romps at noon when we got up. No more black swim trunks that rode low on his hips exposing that beautiful thin line of hair. Nope. Those days were over and I was going to have to accept it. My man in black was back.

"Isabel, Alex, thank you for letting us set up all this tonight and for letting us stay here." Michael smiled at our hostess.

"I offered too," Kyle stated walking up behind us. "But they didn't think it was a good idea you staying in the same building as before."

I smiled at him. "Thank you and you're probably right. Has anyone moved in yet?"

He nodded and then shook his head. "An intensely old woman who bakes me cookies. Every day. She keeps calling me Billy, too." He sighed. "I wish you guys were still there."

"I wish we were too," I smiled at him and I know he knew I really meant it.

"Okay," Kyle clapped his hands together in anticipation. "I'm gonna go home and pack and when do we leave?"

"Tomorrow night," I answered and tried to suppress a grin.

"What?" Kyle was on to me and Isabel and I laughed. "What's going on? What did I miss?"

"You're sharing a room with Max!" Isabel blurted out and laughed. Sometimes I found it hard to believe they were related at all let alone brother and sister.

Kyle shook his head and I felt incredibly sorry for him. "Man, what did I do…" He trailed off as Max entered the living room.

"Did I miss something?" Max looked from Kyle to Michael. Well, at least he wasn't staring at my tits…Never mind. Damn!

"No," Michael met the other male alien's eyes across the table and I felt a ripple of something. I heard Isabel gasp so I guess she did to.

Man, I hope we weren't in for an intergalactic power struggle. I wouldn't want to have to call Liz and tell her Michael kicked Max's ass. I hadn't planned on really taking what Isabel had told me about their 'other lives' to heart, but now I can see where there might be a problem.

Michael backed down and relayed the itinerary to Max and I guess the moment of authority passed.  Max accepted the travel plans and promised he'd return the following evening; he said something about wanting to spend time with Liz before we left. I managed to ignore him and his leering; but I did get that crazy urge to lift my shirt up and scream at him to take a picture, but I resisted. For now.

Kyle left right after Max and promised he'd be back in the morning. When I asked about the job he had just gotten back not all that long ago, his answer was simple: "Fuck'em". See, that's why I loved Kyle. Alex and Isabel said goodnight soon after that and promised their guestroom was always welcome to us. She also hinted about pancakes for breakfast and I wondered if these too would have antennas like last time.

I walked around the table towards Michael and leaned over his shoulder letting my hair brush against his cheek. "So, what are you doing now?"

"Trying to hack into Section. They changed a lot of the passwords and my backdoor in has been blocked." He tapped away on the keyboard. "I can get in part of the way, but it might take awhile to find out the rest."

"Like all night?" I sighed and let my breasts rub against the back of his neck. I noticed he wasn't typing as fast now.

"Maybe," he said quietly and I heard his voice catch. I could get him; I could always get him. "I want to see where they have Tess…"

"Do they have her?" I whispered in his ear and ended it with a slick tongue dart along the lobe.

He nodded. "There's an 'extraterrestrial' entry in a supplemental log, but that's as far as I can get."

"That's as far as you can get, huh?" I unbuttoned my shirt and let it slide off my shoulders to the ground. "I bet you can get a little further." I leaned back into him and saw his shoulders relax. "What do you think Michael," I unzipped my jeans and slid them off. "Do you think you can get a little further?" I stepped in front of him and watched him look at me. I loved it when he looked at me. Look wasn't exactly the right word; it was more like admire.

He smiled and slid his chair back from the table. I reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head and dropped it to the ground. I could look at that perfect chest until I was dizzy. The smoothness and lack of bullet holes always amazed me. I reached to that sun-kissed skin and my body ached. He stood and unzipped his pants, let them fall to the floor and stepped out of them after slipping off his black loafers. I went to him, as I always do and kissed him as our naked bodies mashed together. The perfection of our lines as the melted into each other, almost like we were made for each other.

I gently pushed him back and subtly ordered him to sit back down. He did with out question. One thing Michael has learned is not to question me, especially in this kind of situation. I straddled him and felt his warm callousy hands on my breasts, my waiting nipples saluted his arrived. I leaned into him and brought my lips to his neck, I ran my tongue down the slope to his shoulder blade and saw the goosebumps I was leaving. I smiled.

"Sweet Maria," he said somewhere between a whisper and a moan.

I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. Our eyes met and I felt more in that one second of intimate gazing. His lips parted and he looked like he was going to say something but inside I got that wicked little grin.

I lifted my body above him and guided him into me. The first sensation of having him inside of me was always the best. I rode him up and down while he ran his hands through my hair, then along my shoulders.

"I love you Maria." He whispered and brought his head to my chest.

"I know," I whispered and kissed the top of his head. I knew we shouldn't be having sex on Isabel's dining room chair but there were computers all over the table.

"Let's go…" He raised his head and motioned towards the hallway leading to the guestroom.

I nodded. I guess he was right. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around me and picked me up. I giggled, and I still hated that, as he walked carrying me, still inside of me, with my legs clamped around his waist.

We stifled our laughter as we passed the Whitman's bedroom but I bet they heard us anyway. When you try to be quiet is when you end up being the loudest. He stifled a yelp when he stubbed his toe on the doorway and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

We finally made in inside the guestroom and I shut the door behind us. He carried me to the bed and laid me down breaking our bodily bond. I scooted back on the bed and gave him my best come hither look and crooked my finger at him. He gave me the sideways smile and licked his lips before he pounced on me.

For the next hour we were nothing but a tangle of arms and legs and sweat. My hair was matted and his was slicked back. I curled up next to him and slung my leg over his while running my hand along his arm. I felt every muscle, every pore, and every hair. I knew his body as well I as knew my own. This was what life was all about. This was the good.

"Are you ready to go back to Section?" He asked and pushed sweaty hair off my forehead.

I gazed up at him and saw the nervousness he had been hiding. "Yeah, Michael, I'm ready to go back. Are you?"

He didn't answer me but the look I got made my overheated blood run cold. Fuck.

*        *          *

Chapter Six


I woke up with my head on naked Michael-chest. His strong arms were holding me tight against him. From how I was laying, it actually felt like my neck might snap in half, but after all, it was naked Michael-chest and I didn't want to move from it. I tilted my head towards him and noticed he was awake.

It was almost sunrise and I could see the purple/orange hue of a new day creeping underneath the blinds of the window. A new day all right, but it may be our last day in Roswell. Ever. I wonder if Michael had been thinking the same thing, I wonder if Michael had slept at all. He looked at me and our eyes locked. That was one of those moments where time stands still without the knowledge of the next step. Shit.

"Good morning," he whispered. He released the grip on me and smoothed down my bed head hair with one hand. Those two words sent a thrill through me, but it was a good one. Maybe I was reading entirely too much into this sense of foreboding.
Maybe everything was going to turn out real good and this whole Tess mission was going to be a snap. Riiiight.

"Hi," so I'm not the best conversationalist in the morning.

"I have a few things to do today…" he ran one hand through his hair.

I nodded and was fairly confident that getting a haircut was probably high on that list of things to do. Damn!

"Alex is good with computers," he sighed. "Not as good as Section, but still good. We might be able to break in and find out exactly where they have Tess. There's still a few routes we haven't tried yet."

"Do you think she's alive?"

He nodded with confidence. Okay, if Michael had confidence, then so help me God, I did too. "Good."

I saw him fight that smile. "Can you amuse yourself today? I want to stay with Alex and try to get as much information as we can before we go."

"Of course I can amuse myself," I smiled and wondered what Kyle was doing today. "What's going to happen?" I heard my voice catch and I know Michael heard it too. Damn!

"We're going to find Tess, get her out and then kill all information related to her and Roswell in general." He broke his gaze away from me and I felt sick. "It's going to be hard, I mean we've got some serious alien abilities on our side but you know how Section is…"

"No, see Michael, I don't know." I sat up and covered my nakedness with the sheet clasping it underneath my arms. "What little I saw of Section and what you've told me are the only things I have to go on. I don't know shit about Section."

"Sweet Maria," he placed his hand on the small of my back which he knows always drives me crazy. "I think Section may have been holding information back. I can no longer access any of my father's files. They're locked. I have to assume that they know we're alive because that's the only reason I can think of that they would lock them. No one else knew his security codes besides me."

Fuck. We were off playing house on the beach thinking we're in the clear and now to find out Section probably knew we were alive. I saw a movie once in the pokey, and I remember a line from it. Something like 'sometimes the shit comes down so hard I have to wear a hat.' I felt like putting on a hat. A big fucking hat.

"Would your father have kept anything you know," I waved my arms in the air and felt like an ass, "related there?"

He smiled and I giggled. "I don't know anything anymore Maria. Anything's possible. My father was a brilliant man, but he was also devoted to Section. It was his other child."

His other child. "So…I guess anything is possible is right." I lay back against him and felt his heartbeat. "Could it still be the Rena angle? I really want to blame all of this on her."

"It could be. Her Roswell files were locked but we got through. There are gaps in her information, like some things have been taken out. We were working on hacking into her personal files last night." He sighed and I shivered. "The last entry we recovered was only half there. She said there was more to our mission that originally believed. She said aliens were real."

I let that hang there. I knew I was right. It was Rena. The wicked bitch of the East was the reason Tess was gone and the others, myself included, were on Section's hit list. Damn, if she weren't already dead I'd kill her with my bare hands. How Michael could even be thinking there was any other reason was beyond me.

I got out of bed and stood in front of him with my hands on my hips. "You know what your problem is?"  I saw the corners of his mouth turn up towards a smile and I couldn't help reciprocating.

"No Maria, what is my problem?" He sat up and let the sheet fall of him completely. I stared and I forgot what his problem was. I knew my problem. I was entirely too far away from him.

I shrugged and pounced onto him. I went straight for his neck and wanted to leave the biggest freakin' hickey in the history of the world. I thought better of it knowing it wouldn't look too professional. Instead I lowered my head and hit the inside of his thigh. I smiled knowing he thought I was going somewhere else. When a girl has got to get a hickey out of her system, watch out. I suckled and then looked at my work of art smiling.

"Did you just give me a hickey?" Michael asked and I gave him the 'duh' look. "I can't believe you, I've never had a hickey before."

I wasn't at all shocked by that revelation. There have been a lot of things that Michael has never had or done until he met me. I was teaching him slowly with lots and lots of examples. I swear if that carnival would have come to the beach just a few days earlier…

"C'mere," he drew me into his arms and I felt safe. "We're going to figure this out and we're all going to go home happy. Okay?"

I nodded but it wasn't all that convincing. "Okay."

"Do you trust me Maria?" He looked in my eyes and I knew I did. I always trusted Michael. If there was someone at my back, I prayed it would be him.

"I trust you," I said and kissed his lips. "I trust you with my life, always." I sat up and sniffed. "Pancakes." I withdrew from him and slipped on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my suitcase. "Pancakes."

"I can smell them," he nodded and laughed. "I love you Maria. Don't ever forget that. My life began the minute I met you and you've kept me on my toes ever since."

I winked and walked out of the room. Not much can take me away from naked Michael; Isabel's pancakes were, however, one of them. I walked down the hall into the living room and was surprised to see Alex already at the computers.

"Michael coming out?" He asked without looking up.

"I think so, find something?"

He grinned and his eyes twinkled. "As a matter of fact I did. I restored some of Rena's files about a half hour ago."

My eyes widened as I heard Michael behind me. "Alex restored files."

Michael breezed past me and took the seat next to Alex while I meandered into the kitchen. Isabel stood at the counter with a plate of pancakes in front of her.

We said good mornings and I ate. Halfway through breakfast the back door flew open and Kyle came in with a duffel bag. He set it on the floor and helped himself to breakfast.

"Are you ready to go?" Isabel asked him and motioned towards the duffel.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am." Kyle smiled in-between bites of pancake. "I called my work and told them I was taking off for a few days and if they didn't like it, I didn't care."

"What did they say?" Isabel smiled.

"Oh, something about how I should feel lucky to have the job and yada, yada, yada."

"Did you get fired?" Isabel struck the matronly pose with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nah, I quit." Kyle looked at me. "I took a lesson from Maria and said fuck'em."

I laughed and eventually Isabel joined in. This was going to be a good day for me in Roswell. While Michael was hard at work with Alex being all computer dorked out, I was going to get to play with my friends.

*        *         *

Dusk rolled around and everyone's nerves were on edge. The fun day of playing I had with Isabel and Kyle seemed almost distant. The wrath of Section was upon us now and there was nowhere to run. We sat around the living room waiting for an answer to unasked question. I was happy that Michael hadn't left the house all day hence no haircut. He was running his hands through it constantly and I knew it was only a matter of time. Max and Liz showed up as the dying sun was all but gone. Liz clung to Max's hand when they walked in; but I could see there was something else there. I'd seen the look before on many other faces including my own. She was pissed.

She gave me what seemed to be an obligatory hug but I was surprised when she leaned in to me and whispered in my ear. "I want to help but Max is being over protective, okay? I don't want you to think I'm being a sissy."

We met eyes and I think we actually found an understanding. She was a lot stronger than I had given her credit for. Liz had come a long way from being 'that Liz'. I watched her walk over to Michael and Alex and pull up a chair next to Alex. I should have known she was a computer dork too.

"You ready to go Maria?" That was Max standing behind me. I got shivers from the closeness and almost turned around and whacked him.

Instead I just turned around. "Max, yeah, I'm ready to go. You?" I caught his gaze and held it. Something about Max really pushed my buttons. I held his eyes and almost dared him to look at my tits, which were standing at attention underneath my T-shirt. He didn't and he might have gained about an inch of respect back from me. No more though.

"I'm ready," he glanced towards Michael. "He going to be able to do this?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "If Michael says he an do it, then he can do it."

He nodded and walked away to stand by himself in the corner. Isabel joined me shaking her head. "He's getting depressed, I think. He feels left out; I told you he was always the one in charge and now he's even ranking under Alex and Liz."

I closed my eyes and sighed. I walked to Michael and whispered in his ear for a minute before I rejoined Isabel. She looked curiously at me but all I did was smile.

"Max," Michael called across the room. "Can you come over here and join us? I'd like your input on a few things."

We watched as Max scurried over to the others and pulled up a chair on the other side of Michael. The underlying smile behind the mask of authority made me all warm and fuzzy.

"That was very nice of you," Isabel whispered in my ear.

I shrugged. Sometimes, if you can and are willing, you have to make everyone feel included. I knew this and I needed to know that I could trust Max. Completely. If it was Max at our backs, I had to make damn sure he wasn't going to fuck up because his feelings got hurt.

I eventually fell asleep on the couch as did Isabel. Kyle was stretched out on the floor in front of us. I woke up first with the bustle of activity, the other two followed. Bags were being moved and computer equipment packed up. This was it. We were going back to Section. It was fucking showtime.
*         *           *

Chapter Seven


The bags were packed and Max was kissing Liz good-bye. I watched them and could see she was worried to see him go, but she was still pissed. I would be too if I were her. I remembered what Isabel said about her and wondered if we'd see Liz show up in DC. I shrugged and waved to her as she walked away from the rest of us.

We took two cars and somehow Michael and I ended up in different ones. I was in the backseat of my, I mean, Kyle's Mustang with Max beside me and Isabel and Kyle in the front seat. Michael ended up with Alex. I fought all urges to look over to Mr. Evans and see where his eyes were lingering. No doubt, they had at least glanced at my tits. I don't know if I even cared anymore. If all he was going to do was gape, fine, I could deal with that. We were on the same side after all. Right?

"Maria," Max said quietly and in my ear. I turned to him and waited for the words of wisdom. "Is Tess okay?"

Wow. I thought there was going to be something else instead of that. Maybe I read Max a little wrong, I mean I have been known to do that before a few times. He seemed genuinely concerned. I caught Kyle's eyes in the rearview mirror and wagered he was wondering the same thing. I knew there was something going on with Kyle. Even throughout our day of playing with Isabel he seemed distracted. What's that old saying, you don't know what you got until it's gone. Me thinks Kyle has much more affections for Tess than even he knew about it. Well, now there was another reason to make sure Tess came back home, for Kyle.

"I hope so," I said and met Kyle's eyes in the mirror. "I really hope so. If she is, we'll get her back. I promise." Now I was making promises I prayed I could keep.

Max accepted my answer and lounged back in the seat for the short little ride to the airport. No one else spoke the rest of the way, we were all nervous. I wasn't sure who topped the list, but I was a close second if I wasn't already in the lead.

Kyle parked in long-term parking and I thought that hopefully we'd be able to come back in a day or two and he would have wasted the money. We waited for Alex and Michael and when they arrived I almost ran to Michael. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. I felt his hand on my back.

"Maria," he lowered his head and whispered in my ear. I looked up at him and felt the first sting of a tear. Damn. "Why…?" He brushed my cheek with a finger.

"I'm scared Michael," I whispered and led him away from the others. "I'm scared. I'm trying to be all big and brave but in reality I'm about ready to pee in my pants. I'm scared for Tess, but I'm really scared for you."

"Don't be scared for me Maria," he leaned over and kissed the corner of my mouth. "I'll be fine. We'll all be fine. Section won't even know what hit them. Remember, we're the good guys and good guys always win, right?"

I actually thought of a million 'good guys' that didn't win at that moment but didn't say anything to ruin his momentum.

"Maria, we have brains and knowledge and alien gifts galore," he smiled and I had to smile back. "We have so much in our favor I don't see how we can lose. Besides, we've got something that should make even Section shiver in their boots. We have a secret weapon that Section couldn't control. We have an enigma who won't give up, who doesn't know how to give up.  A power not to be reckoned with."

I looked at him with complete puzzlement on my face.

"We have you, Maria."

I laughed through those stupid tears and made a horrible snorting noise. I laughed more at the noise and snorted again. I turned away from him and wiped my face. Enough of the snorting. When I faced him again he was smiling. He flashed the white gold wedding band on his finger and then kissed it. I stepped into him and took his hand and laid my own kiss on the band. "You're crazy my dearest husband."

"I didn't used to be," he grinned and kissed my tear wet lips. "You made me what I am today Sweet Maria. And have I thanked you recently for it?"

I shook my head and felt a new wave of confidence rush through me. My Michael was right. Section wouldn't know what hit them, they had no idea that a few aliens and one pissed off ex-Operative were on their way to kick some Section ass! Once again, Section? Fuck'em.

"Let's roll, baby," I looped my arm through Michael's and we strode back to the others. I hoped my face didn't show the confused tears but instead the resolve. There was no backing down now and I was all for it. Section could bring it on, I was ready. I was not going down without a fight and no one; not one of those fucking Section characters better lay a hand on Michael. Then I was going to have to kick ass and take names later. We walked back to the others and stood in front of them. "You guys ready to get Tess out and all go home happy?"

They nodded at me and I thought I might have to start cheering, too bad I left my pom-pons at home because I felt like the biggest cheerleader in the history of mankind. Or alienkind, whichever one came first. I smiled at each of them and I hope they all got some of my fighting vibes from me. I met Kyle's eyes last and it almost crushed me. I broke away from Michael and pulled Kyle aside.

"You okay?" I asked and put my arm around him. He nodded but I could tell he was full of shit. "Don't lie to me Valenti."

"Tess. Tess is gone." He looked at me and there was nothing friendshippy about the way he said Tess's name.

"We'll get her back. Have confidence young man," I kissed his cheek. "Have I ever let you down before?" I grinned knowing that was not exactly the type of conversation you had with someone you've known not all that long. But it was different for Kyle and me. We counted all the years we should have known each other.

"No Maria, you haven't." He finally smiled. Finally. "I didn't know that I…"

"I know," I looped my arm through his the same way I had Michael's a few minutes earlier. "Some people spend their whole lives looking for something that's right in front of them the whole time." I shrugged. "It's all good, Kyle. It'll be good. But you have to make me a promise."

He hesitated and eventually nodded. "Will I live to regret it?"

"Don't be such a smart ass." I thwacked him on the back of the head. "When we all go home, tell her. Okay?"

He smiled and nodded. See, all was going to be good. We rejoined the group and made our way to the gate. Isabel was uncharacteristically quiet, but at least she smiled at Alex's goofiness. Max was different. He wasn't acting like the reindeer who wasn't invited to play with the others anymore. He strode next to Michael and they actually seemed to be discussing tactical maneuvers. Okay, I don't know what they were talking about; it could have been a deep discussion about salt for all I knew. I just hoped it was the other. I hoped we were going to have a plan. I stayed with Kyle. His posture was straighter and all that sappy shit was gone. Kyle was going to fight for his woman. Okay, his soon to be woman. Woo-hoo!

We didn't wait long at the gate and boarded easily. The flight to Dulles was near empty and we scattered about the plane in little groups. Kyle and Isabel were flipping through magazines and Alex was a few rows behind them on his laptop plugged into the skyphone. Michael and I were with Max and I eventually fell asleep listening to them bandy about strategies. Ha! I had been right after all.

*        *         *

The flight was uneventful as well as the picking up of rental cars. No waiting, no nothing. These boys know how to get their shit done ahead of time. We broke off into two groups and met at the hotel. It was nice; but not too nice where you had a hotel employee trying to do everything for you. We would blend. That was a good. Our rooms were on the second floor and in a row. I hid my smile as I watched Kyle roll his eyes before walking into his room after Max.

"Did you and Max come up with something?" I asked as I plopped down on the king-sized bed. "Like, maybe, a plan?"

"Of sorts." Michael sighed and sat down next to me. "I don't think they're waiting for us, so that's a good." He stopped and grinned. "You know I'm even beginning to talk like you? I would have never said anything was 'a good' before you. That's bad English."

I rolled my eyes. "Just get on with it." >
"The element of surprise will always work in our favor. They don't know what they're up against." He smiled. "I never knew anything about surprises until you Maria, you know that, right?"

Of course I knew that. Michael barely had a life at all before me and there was still so much to teach him. I laid back and propped myself up on my elbows. "Michael."

"I think I can get to where they might have Tess, but I don't know for sure if she's there," he paused and I felt completely sick. "But I can't find a way in. You remember the security at Section."

I nodded and remembered the retinal scan to get into the gym. Definitely not a good. "I guess they would have taken your eyeballs out of their system by now, huh?"

He smiled and nodded. "Probably."

"So, how are we going to get in? Break in? Melt the doors with alien vision?"

"First, there is no 'we'. You're not going." He backed away from me when he said it and it was probably a damn good thing. I wasn't the violent type but right then I wanted to beat him.

"The fuck you say?" I yelled and stood up.

"Maria-"

"Oh, no. Fuck. This." I started pacing in front of him. "I'm going. There is no way in hell you're going and I'm not. I'm the only other person here who has even been there before and you're not shutting me out of this."

"I can't let you get hurt."

"I won't get hurt Michael," I snapped. All this talk about me being a secret weapon had apparently been lies. He nodded and smiled. Damn, it was that wicked little grin. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What?"

"Maria, do you honestly think I would do that? I just wanted to get a reaction out of you."

Oh. My. God. A reaction? He wanted a reaction? I shook my head and pounced on him. I pulled that black shirt out of those black pants and attached my mouth to his chest. He was laughing and trying to push me away but I would not give up. The hickey on his thigh would be nothing to the mark on his stomach.

I came up for air and we locked eyes. "Hi," I stammered and felt like a girl with a crush. I guess I still did have a crush on Michael. I'd always have a crush on Michael; it didn't matter that he was my husband. He was the love of my life.

"Hi," he smiled and licked his lips.

"Nothing's going to happen to us, right?" Sudden dread? Nah, just needed a little reassurance.

He shook his head. "Nothing at all. We're here for a job, think of it like that. Remember how nervous you were when you were sent to Roswell? It was just a job. This is the same."

"But the stakes are higher and I won't get another husband out of it…" I grinned and kissed him. The feel of those hot full lips on mine made me giggle. "Tonight? Do we go tonight?" I felt the fire in my eyes. I was so fucking ready.

He nodded. "Tonight, Sweet Maria, tonight."

I nodded as the phone rang. Michael answered and I could tell it was Max. When he hung up he had a strange look on his face. Fuck. "What?"

"They're all coming in here," he sat up. "Max said they need to talk to me for a few minutes. There's more he has to tell me about the alien side of things."

The alien side of things? What the hell?

"He said there's a few things I don't know about and he wants to tell me now in case…"

"Some of us don't come back." I finished the sentence for him. Shit.

*        *        *
Chapter Eight


I paced while Michael lounged on the bed waiting for the others. I looked at him and blurted out a laugh when I saw that stupid Atlanta Braves hat on his head. My Michael. Sweetest man in the world. They came in a group and I immediately I hooked up with Kyle, if things got too alienesque I wanted to be around a human. God, I swear if anyone else could hear my ramblings they'd lock me up for good.

Kyle and I pulled up chairs and sat across from Michael with Isabel and Alex on one bed and with Max alone on the other. Tension seemed a little heavy but I couldn't tell where it was coming from. I looked nervously at Kyle and he smiled and nodded. See, sometimes that's all it takes; just a smile and a nod.

"Maria, can you handle this?" Max asked me.

Okay, yeah, I married a freaking alien I think I can handle a little shoptalk. I nodded and smiled demurely. Okay, as demure as I could get without actually getting violently ill.

"She can handle it," Kyle shrugged. "It's Maria, she can handle anything."

God love Kyle Valenti; I knew I sure did. My life without Kyle just wouldn't be the same. I sent him an award-winning smile. I turned and faced Michael, Isabel and Alex; they each were smiling and I knew whatever Max had to dish out I could take.

"Okay," Max nodded at me and turned to Michael. "I've told you some things about us, but not everything."

Michael nodded and turned that baseball hat around backwards. Suddenly he looked younger and eager to learn and I was falling deeper and deeper.

"The phone and even through email isn't exactly where I wanted to have these conversations. I guess in a way it was a good thing you came back to Roswell, even under these circumstances. We didn't get a lot of practical time together before."

"Max," Isabel looked at her brother exasperatingly. "We don't have all day. We're going to Section tonight, right?"

"We're going tonight. Late." Michael answered and glanced in my direction. Why? I couldn't tell for sure.

"Okay, when we came out of the pods," Max looked at me and cringed. So my aversion of knowing anything about 'pods' was well known. "Sorry. When we came out we knew things, Isabel and me. Tess wasn't with us. But we knew we were brother and sister and we knew we weren't alone. After Tess there was an empty pod, yours. You told me before you didn't know anything, or don't remember."

"Still don't." Michael nodded. I watched the intensity on his face and tried to put myself in his situation. He was getting ready to learn about his alien past. Man, I would be heaving. Big time.

Max nodded and folded his hands on his lap. "I was in charge, I was supposed to be a leader," he glanced at Isabel who raised her eyebrow at him. "A male was the leader. At the time I was the only one, but now I know it could have been you. Probably it was you."

I think I admired Max Evans at that moment. Knowing what I did about him and knowing that what he just said must have killed him; he jumped up a little in my book. He was now just directly over a slug.

"I don't know…" Michael shook his head. "It could have been either of us."

Max nodded but I don't think it was in agreement. "Tess knew things about our home planet, wherever the fuck it is." Max got a cigarette out and lit up. I inhaled the smoke and almost asked for one myself. "She was-"

"She is," Kyle stressed the 'is'.

"I'm sorry, Tess is very intuitive. She's quiet, but she knows a lot of what's going on past and present. There was a  male leader and a female second. A back up."

A female second. Like second in command? Cool.

"I thought it was Tess for a long time," Max shrugged. "I always saw Isabel as just my sister."

Michael looked at Isabel and nodded. I could feel the electricity ripple in the air. It was Isabel who stood behind Michael without a doubt. Even me, as a mere human, could tell that.  

"Then as we grew up I knew it was Isabel. She's so strong and her abilities are phenomenal." Max inhaled deeply and shook his head. "It's you and Isabel."

"Don't make it sound like that, no one's pulling rank on anyone here Max." Michael said and I found myself nodding. "I don't want to be a leader of anything. I can't be. I haven't mastered these alien powers at all. I can do parlor tricks, not much else."

"You'll learn." Max tapped ashes into a glass.

"I need someone to teach me," Michael looked to Isabel then at Max.

Max nodded and sat up straighter. "There's more." He glanced at me and I sat up straighter too.

I knew I was so not going to like this. If it was more fucking pod-speak…

"If you are, which I now believe so, the man in charge, the reason Tess came here with us was to be with you. We always thought it was me, but…"

Tess? To 'be' with Michael? Alrighty then, that was a big fat wrong. I tried to catch Michael's eye but he was looking at Max. I turned to Kyle to see if he knew this or anything. He was waiting for me to look at him. He smiled slyly and shook his head. Okay, all was good. I think.

"Then why you?" Michael asked and I think I actually saw the hair on Max's neck stand on end. It was an honest question, but still…

"Max is my brother," Isabel jumped right in there to save this conversation from going into the crapper super fast. "I'm your right hand man, so to speak, and Max is mine."

I thought Isabel might be doing some fancy reworking on this one but I let her slide. What else could I do? This was completely out of my league.

Michael nodded. "Okay. So why tell me this now? I mean, this happened on another planet, right? It doesn't mean anything here, does it?"

Max and Isabel exchanged a glance I didn't exactly like all that much. I saw Alex shake his head and even Kyle seemed to pick up on some of the awkwardness.

"It might, Michael." Isabel said quietly. She didn't look at me and I wanted to know why. Right fucking now! "We think that we'd be able to be stronger and more protected if…" Now she looked at me and I really didn't want her too.

"If what?" I shouted before I could stop myself.

"If Michael had some type of bond with Tess," Isabel said to me and only me. "Not exactly like what you're thinking, really, Maria."

"And what am I thinking?" I stood up and only sat back down only because Kyle grabbed my wrist.

"Maria," that was Michael. I looked at him and waited for him to say something pertinent. "Isabel's right. I can feel the power now when the three of us are together, I think we're stronger together."

"Okay, so, what are you going to do about it now?" I snapped. "You can't bond when she's in Section prison, can you?"

"We have to stick together Maria," Max said and I wanted to hurt him. "There's four of us here on Earth. If the situation was now as it was before on our other-"

"I don't want to fucking hear it, okay? You're talking about my husband and some fucking life he doesn't remember. I don't give a shit if he was supposed to be with Tess or not. He's not. Period. End of discussion."

"You don't have a right to say-" Max started to stand.

"Yes, she does." Michael came to my defense. Finally. "She's my wife. She has just as much at stake here as anyone else. There is no discussion about that."

Max nodded and I could sense the power struggle again. Damn! I looked at Isabel and I if I was any good at reading people I'd say she agreed with Michael.

"Michael's right." That was Alex. He was in the same position as I was, kind of, and he was standing up for me. I knew I liked that lanky man for a reason.

"Fine," Max stubbed his cigarette out. "You had to know this and act on it accordingly."

"I'll act on nothing like you're suggesting." Michael crossed his legs resting his ankle on his opposite knee. "I don't care what happened on another planet in another life. That wasn't me as far as I'm concerned. I know there's a lot I don't know or understand, but if it even remotely plays a factor in my life now it's not going to work. Maria is my wife, my life. I can bond with Tess and we can be stronger together, that's it. If you think I'm going to give up my life because of some ill-fated fairytale that you don't even know all the facts too. Forget it."

"Okay." Max looked pissed. "Fine. You had to know especially now since you're in charge-"

"I don't want to be in charge Max." Michael shook his head and laughed. "Are you not listening? I don't care about any of that. Right now all I want to do is get Tess out of Section and go home with my wife and live happily ever after."

"That's what we all want," Isabel said and sent the warning look from hell to her brother. "We just want to survive."

"And you will survive!" I stood up and wondered what the hell I was going to say now. "All of you. All of us. Don't pull this 'other life' card out now. It's irrelevant. Sure, you guys are stronger together, but frankly who cares? We're here to find Tess and bring her home. You can be stronger together when we go home. I don't know what any of this has to do with the now."

"Me either." Kyle cocked his head to one side. "Seriously. Who cares about all this alien fate shit? Does it help get Tess out?" There were those non-friendshippy feelings again. I wonder if anyone else knew.

"No," Michael stood and faced down Max. "It doesn't. Is this all you had to tell me?"

Max shook his head. "No. When we get inside none of us know what we're going to come up against. We have to be ready to use our powers to our advantage. Can we count on you Michael? Can we trust you that you'll come through with the powers you're still learning to use?"

I saw the vein in Michael's neck begin to throb. That was not a pretty sight. He took the hat off his head and looked down at it. I wondered what he was thinking. I hoped it was about me but I doubt it was right then. "I will do everything I can to get her back. I'll lay down my life to help, I'm the reason we're all in this predicament and I will rectify it."

I didn't like hearing Michael say that. No. I believed him and that's the part I hated. So help me God if Michael went down he wasn't going alone.

"Good," Max stood and I wondered if this so important meeting was over. I didn't learn much and I didn't know how this trip tonight was going to pan out. I felt confidant going there with Michael and Isabel, but Max worried me. "What time do we leave?"

"After eleven." Michael said evenly. "Are our powers really stronger together? I can feel the energy, but I don't know…"

I knew Michael didn't like saying he didn't know anything; I hated the way Max got that cocky look again.

Max nodded. "They are. The parlor tricks you can do will be amplified. Can you handle them?"

"Can you handle hand to hand combat?" Michael shot back.

"Boys," Isabel stood and chastised them both. "Michael, we all have confidence in you. We know you won't let us down on the alien side. Max, chill out. We're a little otherworldly family so get off your high horse and be constructive and tell Michael what he needs to know. Okay?"

I saw the pride in Alex's face as he listened to his wife. I hoped I could look half as proud when I listened to Michael. I bet I did.

"Michael will be fine, hopefully some of the instincts that we all share, he has them too." Max looked form Isabel to Michael. "You should know how to react in a situation and use your power. If you're the true leader, you'll know."

Me and Max were going to throw down. I stood and begged off Kyle's somewhat vocal pleas to stay seated. I could only take so much and Mr. Evans was pissing me off. "You know what Max."

He looked and me. "What Maria?"

"You have a problem. Your sister's right, get off your fucking high horse and be helpful. I don't think anyone cares who's in charge around here. Everyone is going to do everything they can to get Tess back." I caught a smile on Michael's face out of the corner of my eye. "So Max, keep your egomaniacal remarks to yourself until this is over. We're a team here, okay? If you can't play well with others then…Fuck you, get off my team!"

I put my hands on my hips and heard Kyle trying not to laugh in back of me. My eyes were narrowed at Max and I waited for him to do something. Anything. I glanced to the other bed and saw the back of Michael's shaking head. Isabel was smiling and Alex was doing that silent Muttley laugh.

"You've stated your case Maria and I'll try to play nice," Max walked towards the door. "You're right, we are on the same team. But I don't know if you're the captain or not." He walked out of the room.

"Max is…" Isabel started as soon as the door closed. "He's not exactly sure where his place is in all of this." She sighed. "I am trying to defend him because he is my brother and this taking a back seat is killing him. He cares about Tess and I know he's worried about her. He's just being an ass."

"Can we trust him?" I asked and wondered why Michael wasn't. Maybe he already knew through one of those alien type connections.

"You can trust him." Isabel nodded with vigor. "I promise."

If Isabel promises then I believe her. She did know him a hell of a lot better than I did. "Okay, so can you guys work on your powery thing before we go or what?"

Michael raised his eyebrows at Isabel and I knew right then that they had been friends for many more years than either of them had been on this planet. This was cool.

The two of them huddled together while Kyle, Alex and I stood and watched. It was actually kind of cool watching Isabel work with Michael. I mean he was getting better, but he wasn't anywhere near her expertise. I didn't feel the slightest bit of jealousy when she held his hand or when she whispered in his ear so we couldn't hear. I saw a teacher and a student. My friend and my love.

Alex was soon bored with the show of shrouded powers and went back to his room to work on the hacking into Section thing. Kyle stayed and watched but I think it was for a different reason. Well, I knew he didn't want to go back to his room and deal with Max; but I also think he needed to be around me.

I could understand that. I needed to be around him, too. I guess we were so much alike and the level of comfort together was beyond expectations. I think I calmed him down in his fear for Tess's safety and he calmed me in the fear of our own safety. We were good for each other.

*        *         *

Alex returned to our room around ten o'clock. Kyle and I were snoozing on one of the beds and the door opening nearly made me jump out of my skin. Michael and Isabel had left the hotel for a few hours and they walked in the room behind Alex. The mood was somber with the knowledge of the unknown and unexpected upon us. Damn!

I slipped into the bathroom and changed into black leather pants and a black baby Tee. The pants had been a present from Michael and he loved it when I wore them. If we were going in all ninja-like, then damn it, I was going to look good. I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail and tied it off with a strip of black suede. I checked my eye makeup and leaned over the vanity. "It's all going to go as planned, Maria. We're going to bust in and get Tess and kill evidence about her and Roswell. It's a simple plan and nothing ever goes wrong with simple plans, right? Fuck."

I walked back into the room and noticed Max had joined us. He didn't look in my direction and frankly, that was a good. Isabel was gone and I imagined she was at her room changing into her ninja clothes. Max was in dark blues, which was okay; it wasn't as cool as black, but he'd do. I checked out Michael and smiled. He had on his black leather pants too and they fit him so nicely. I swear if we weren't getting ready to go on a mission I would be peeling them off of him and licking his legs. His tailor cut black T-shirt outlined every muscle, every curve and I was getting severely turned on. I had to tear my eyes away from him before I jumped him right there.

Isabel returned dressed in black jeans and a black button down shirt. She had on dressy black boots and just shrugged when she caught me looking at them.

"Ready?" I asked and looked pointedly at Max. I'll show him who's fucking captain of this team.

We said our good-byes to Kyle and Alex and promised updates ASAP. Alex gave me a little palm type computer and I almost laughed. "What is this?"

"A direct link back here. Just in case." Alex tried to give me one of his happy smiles but it fell flat. He pointed out the essentials and I played along like I knew what he was talking about.

"Be careful," Kyle hugged me after he hugged Isabel. He whispered in my ear and I got goosebumps.  "Come back Maria, no matter what, promise you'll come back."

I nodded and hugged him tight. Then we were off. We took one of the rental cars into downtown DC and nothing looked familiar to me at all. Of the whole twelve seconds I had seen of the city months ago I remembered nothing. Michael drove and I sat shotgun. He parked in a public lot that despite the late hour was still half full of cars.

The four of us got out of the car and we followed Michael. I caught up and latched onto his hand as he led us through a maze of alleys and small side streets. I'd swear we'd been walking for hours when we arrived at a building that looked almost familiar. Then it was familiar. It was the exit Michael and I had gone through on my first night out away from Section. This was the way in and here we were right in front of it. I wondered if the doors were strong enough to withstand the crazy powers of the aliens.

I watched as Michael walked to the door and looked to the side. He tapped a brick and it slid away revealing one of those retinal scanner things. I held my breath while Michael leaned in close to it. I jumped when I heard the buzzer and the door opened.

Michael faced us and I think I could read his mind. We were wrong. They were waiting for us. They were welcoming us with open arms. Shit!
*       *        *

Chapter Nine


"Oh my God," Isabel put her hand to her mouth and I searched Michael's eyes.

"Michael, no." I stepped towards him and shook my head. "We were wrong. This is all wrong."

"We have to, I have to…" He looked over his shoulder at the open door. "Tess."

"Not like this. This is all fucking wrong. Okay? There is nothing right about this. We have to do something else. We can't break in and get her when they're inviting us in."

"Maria's right," Isabel whispered.

"It's a fucking set up Michael." I whispered harshly at him. "If we go in we're all dead."

"Tess is in-" Max pointed towards the open door and I knocked his hand down.

I pointed in his face as I spoke through clenched teeth. "Max, shut the fuck up! Do you really think Tess would want us all to get killed trying to save her? I know Tess is in there, but if we march in with their fucking welcome, then we all die. Do you want to die tonight Max? No, actually, you'll be cut open and examined. You want that for yourself and your sister?" I knew I was being mean, but I had to say it. I had to make him understand who he was dealing with. "Got it?"

He relented and I think he understood what I was trying to say. This wasn't a brush with the local law, this was Section. "You're right."

"Thank you," I smiled sarcastically. "And I just became captain of this team." Ha! I knew I'd win in the long run. I turned back to Michael and he was nodding. "Well?"

"You're right," he said softly. "We're gone if we go in like this. They know I'm here but they can't know about the rest of you." In the middle of a crisis, he still smiles at me. "Well, they might know about you."

I shook my head and smiled back. "We have to regroup. We have to rethink this and then go in, right?" I don't know why I was asking anyone anything. After all, I was the captain.

"Is there another way in?" Max asked.

"Several." Michael looked over his shoulder again. "This could just be a coincidence." The door shut as we watched.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Okay."

He smiled at me. "I know. We're coming back tonight. In a few hours. I have to look at the floor plan again. Let's go."

So here we go away from Section. They know Michael's here and we're walking away. This was not right either. We couldn't walk away and come back later. That was a stupid idea, although it was Michael's, it was still stupid. Us not going in was my idea, but that was stupid too. Damn! I stopped walking and stood still with my hands on my hips. Eventually the others stopped too and looked at me.

"Maria?" Michael said slowly and I think he saw the gleam of adventure in my eyes. Either that or the sudden fear evident in my wet underarms. "Maria."

"Fuck this." I shook my head and I think I might have smiled. "We're not going to back away now. So they know we're here? So what?"

I stood my ground and actually rewrote everything I had said minutes before. That was the new Maria talking back there. The one who wanted safety and comfort. This was the old Maria now. The one who wanted to push it as far as it would go. Maybe it wasn't exactly the old me, but was the new and improved new me.

"I think she's right." Max said quietly and oh God, walked over and stood next to me. See, I knew we were on the same team. But I was captain, damn it!

"Me too," Isabel said without conviction. I sensed the fear in her and I couldn't blame her. I was scared too. Okay, I was more pissed than scared. She stepped towards Max and me.

Michael shook his head and bit his lower lip. "I swear, sometimes…"

I could only imagine what he was going to say next. "So, Michael. You in?" I cocked my hip to the side and pursed my lips. I winked and I knew I had him. I'd always be able to get him.

He stepped towards us and then swung around, a previously unseen gun was now in his hand. It was pointed at a familiar face. Well, two familiar faces.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Max demanded looking at his fiancé standing next to Kyle Valenti.

"Hi," Liz Parker waved and I laughed. I knew she'd show up here. Well, not exactly here here. Isabel had been right. "Max-"

He walked to her and pulled her by the arm out of our earshot. I cringed knowing she was going to get a tongue lashing, and not the good kind either. I looked to Kyle and saw that face and wanted to hug him. Being someone who usually does what she wants, I did. "What are you doing here and how did you find us?"

"Liz," he looked nervously at Michael. "She got into Sections mainframe."

"How?" Michael asked slowly while putting the gun back into an undisclosed location. Gun? Where in the hell did he get a gun from?

"From the other night, she paid attention and got in." He said slowly. "Well, that and Alex left her a copy of the files to work on while we were gone in case…You know."

"She got in." Michael smiled and looked over at the couple who were arguing. I could tell that from all the hand gestures from both parties. Whew! Glad I wasn't over there.

"Yeah," Kyle nodded. "I don't know what she knows exactly, but you're still in the computer."

"I'm sorry?"

"Still in their system? I don't know." Kyle fidgeted and I felt sorry for him. I looped my arm through his and gave him a smile. "She blocked you with some thing but the retina thing is good. Fuck! I don't know, you'll have to ask her."

Michael nodded. "Liz, could you come here for a minute please?"

Kyle and I watched as Liz came over with Max trailing behind her. He was fuming. I guess I would be too if I were him. Thank God I'm not. I stepped away from the group and was surprised when Kyle and Isabel joined me.

"Are we going in or what?" Isabel asked.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I have no idea. If Michael finds out from Liz what she learned…Fuck! I don't know!"

"I thought you were the captain," Isabel smiled and I laughed.

The three of us watched as Liz talked animatedly to Michael. Max stood next to her and nodded occasionally. Michael smiled and I knew this was all a good. Liz Parker had come through for us. They walked over to us and Michael took my hand.

"We're coming back tomorrow." He nodded. "Liz, wonderful Liz, has hacked into Section. What Section said couldn't be done, Liz did."

"Alex started it for me. I just found a loophole…" Even in the dark I knew she was blushing.

"I have to see what she has to show me before we go back." Michael led me towards the way we came. He bent and kissed my cheek. "You're still the captain, but this way we'll be more prepared. Okay?"

"Sure," I shrugged. "One more night at a hotel with you, I can deal. I don't know if I'll be dressed as cool for a new adventure, but I'll probably be able to come up with something."

"I'm sure you will." He looked down at my chest and I felt my nipples harden. Sometimes it only takes a look.

We walked back through the maze of alleys and side streets to the public lot. Max and Liz opted for the other rental car. We piled in and went back to the hotel. I think each of us was thinking the same thing. A slight relief that we didn't have to deal with Section tonight. I hoped this delay wouldn't be harmful for Tess.

When we got to the hotel, Isabel went to the room she shared with Alex and promised she'd meet up with us for breakfast. Everyone else came to our room. Michael and Liz huddled over her laptop and I could tell from the expression on Michael's face that he was excited.

Max sat on one bed while Kyle and I sat on the other and flipped channels on the TV. Okay, he flipped and I watched like three seconds of everything that was on. I glanced over at Michael periodically and I saw Max doing the same. This went on until well after two in the morning.

When Kyle, Liz and Max finally left our room I didn't even ask what Michael had learned. Maybe I could share my captain chair with him. We could be co-captains. Michael was almost giddy and I knew he would tell me everything, but there was no rush. The only rush I was concerned about was how fast I could get Michael out of those leather pants.

He locked the room door and then turned my way. He un-tucked his shirt and pulled it over his head. I watched in amazement as always. That chest would always get me.

I kicked off my shoes and took a step towards him. I slid my shirt over my head and tossed it at Michael and laughed. There we were standing in the middle of the hotel room both only clad in leather pants. Mine came off first and I stood in front of him letting him look at me.

He had that wicked little smile on his face as he undid his black on black belt. The lights were on and I wanted to keep them on. I wasn't shy, at all, and I liked to look at Michael as much as he liked to look at me. Our relationship was perfect.

He kicked off his shoes and slid those leather pants off. I still don't know where he was hiding the gun. I stepped towards him and our bodies melded together. Our lips met and his hands slid down my back resting on the small of it. His fingers traced imaginary lines and I felt the heat rising inside of me. There was no other place in the world I would rather be than in Michael's arms. It didn't matter to me if we were on a beach or not. As long as we had each other I was happy.

I ran my hands through his hair and said a silent thank you for him not getting it cut. Our tongues coursed over each other's and when he broke away from me I almost screamed. I didn't but sighed instead when his lips found their way to my neck and the sensitive skin just above my shoulder blade.

"I love you Sweet Maria," he whispered into the hollow of my neck.

"God, I love you too, baby." I closed my eyes as he lifted me off the ground. I will never tire of him carrying me. That alone makes me feel like a princess in a fairy tale. Something I never felt like before. I was a princess to him.

He carried me to the bed and laid me down. He stood in front of me drinking me in with his eyes. He seemed to be memorizing every inch of my body. That smile was still on his lips and I couldn't wait to suck it off. He lowered himself to me and I reached for him. I felt his body quiver when I touched him. Still so shy sometimes, my Michael. Still bashful with me on occasion. I let all of my inhibitions go when I'm with him; but sometimes I feel like he's holding back. There was still so much for him to learn from me. And I was so willing to teach.

I guided him inside of me and felt the tingles. Each time was new for me. Each time he was inside of me I felt closer to him. He was mine. He really did belong to me and I to him. There was nothing in the world that could ever keep us apart and I went to sleep each night with that knowledge. I'm sure that was one of the reasons the nightmares never came back.

He thrust so deep inside of me that I yelped. He smiled and rolled onto his side taking me with him. We laid on our sides face to face and the intimacy was so strong. This was where all my dreams came true. This was the place that storybook romances were born from. This was bliss.

I held his hair off his forehead as our eyes never broke their gaze from each other. Our breathing became synchronized and we were one. Two people sharing the same heart.

"Michael," I whispered.

"Maria," he whispered back.

He broke the gaze first and wrapped his arms around me pulling our bodies even closer. We quit all moving and laid together as one. Neither of us wanting to break away. Neither of us wanting to move from the place we loved.

"I love you," we said it at the same time and smiled.

A thought of this being our last night together hit me like a bullet train.

*         *           *

Chapter Ten


When I woke up I was alone. The sun was up and I was literally alone. Michael was no where to be found. I sat up and noticed a note on his pillow:

Sweet Maria. I'm downstairs with the others in the restaurant having breakfast. I couldn't wake you. You looked so peaceful. Join us. Always, Michael.

Breakfast? Did he seriously go to breakfast and not wake me up? I got out of bed and grabbed a pair of shorts and one of Michael's long sleeved shirts from our suitcases. I got dressed and nearly screamed when I looked in the mirror at my hair. Sleeping in a ponytail? Not a good. I pulled the strip of suede out and saw Michael's Braves hat on the bureau. I put it on and felt like I was twelve again. After a quick brushing of my teeth I ventured downstairs and found my party as their food was being served. I looked at Michael's plate of pancakes and salivated.

"I didn't want to wake you," he smiled and cut off a piece of pancake for me. I took it off the fork and took my seat next to him.

I looked at Kyle and man, did he look tired. I wonder how his night with Max and Liz went. Poor Kyle. The woman he might be in love with was being held prisoner and he had to spend the night cooped up in a room with those two.

"Maria," Isabel touched my hand across the table. "We were talking about tonight. Liz was telling the rest of us what she told Michael already. Pretty cool, huh?"

I must have had the confused dog look again.

"Didn't Michael tell you?" Alex asked and raised his eyebrows at me as a knowing smile came into view. "Ahhh… Never mind."

"Would someone just fucking tell me?" I rolled my eyes and called a waitress over. Our waitress? I don't know. I ordered a big breakfast and sipped Michael's orange juice while I waited for it.

"I got into Section's computer network," Liz said from across the table. "Michael's information is still there. It wasn't deactivated when he was presumed dead. Rena's files are still pretty much locked as well as Michael's fathers. But as for Michael himself? I think he could have walked into Section last night and had the same security clearance as before. He wasn't touched."

Shit, did I really fuck up last night? First we don't go in then we do then we don't.  "So, Michael could have found Tess last night?" I shook my head and felt guilty. I couldn't face any of them.

"No, Maria." Michael put his hand on my arm. "It's not definite. Section could be making it look like they forgot about my security and then strike. We have no way of knowing that."

"Was there a trigger effect of some kind that sent off warning bells when Michael did the eyeball thing?"

"I blocked any recourse from the scan," Liz said all professionally and she was beginning to grow on me a little more. Plus she did have to put up with Mr. Egomaniacal Max all the time, gotta give the girl a little credit for that. I would have turned him into hat by now if I were her.

"Good thing you showed up in DC, huh?" I smiled and raised my eyebrows in Max's direction. Either he wasn't paying attention or he was ignoring me. I was banking on the latter.

She smiled demurely, she could do that, I couldn't. I listened to incessant computer babble for the next twenty minutes. I understood not even half of what she was saying. As long as the others got it, I was good. When I eventually asked if I was still in Sections network, or whatever, she didn't answer me right away and I got nervous.

"Well?" I pressed and set my fork down.

"Not exactly," she looked at Michael and I assume he nodded. Damn straight, he better not keep things from me. "You're deceased. Your profile ended when you left Section."

When I left Section? "Fuck me! They were going to kill me regardless, weren't they?" I demanded and looked at Michael. I saw the answer in his eyes; I didn't need a verbal confirmation. Those fuckers were going to kill me no matter what happened in Roswell. See, now it was real fucking personal.

I was done eating. Another bite of anything would have made me gag. My stomach was in knots and I was getting more and more pissed by the minute. I needed to relax, I needed to chill out or I was going to snap.

After breakfast Isabel and I did a little shopping while the boys and Liz played computer hacker geeks. Isabel didn't get into the whole computer thing either. I guess the men were in charge of the planning for our raid on Section this evening. Hopefully it would go just a little bit better that the last time. A door opens and we all freak out. Yeah, I would be scared of us too.

"Do you think this is going to work? Us just waltzing in, finding Tess and getting back out?" Isabel asked nervously while I tried on a pair of black boots.

"I'm sure we'll be fine. They weren't waiting for us; they just never took Michael out of their network. Maybe they were waiting for the prodigal son to return." I shrugged. "You never know with these secret government places." I tried to make light of the situation and keep her slipping confidence up. That's what captains were for.

I ended up buying the boots along with a cute little black shirt that would look awesome with my leather pants. So I was shopping for a little B&E and so I was going to wear the same pants as last night. So what. If I was getting arrested or worse I was going to look good. I talked Isabel into buying some lingerie promising Alex would go crazy for it. All men went crazy for lingerie. I didn't own much, but I still didn't wear much.

We got back to the hotel around dinnertime and found the others in my room. There was a plan and we weren't backing down tonight. Tonight we really were going into Section.

The plan was set in stone by nine o'clock. None of us ate dinner except Kyle who ordered room service; nerves were getting too rattled. I tried to remain the pillar, but it was damn hard looking at the faces of Alex, Liz and Kyle. They weren't going. They were going to have to wait it out and wonder.

By ten we were ready to go. Isabel was back in black with those dressy boots on, Max got with the program and was in basic black. He didn't look nearly  as good as Michael did in black, but hey, who did? Michael and I were the leather pants twins again. He had on a long sleeve shirt this time and I wore my new one along with my new boots. They were comfortable for now, I hoped they stayed that way.

We said our good-byes and I saw the faraway look in Kyle's eyes. "Don't worry about us Kyle, we'll be fine."

"I made you promise me you'd come back last night," he hugged me. "I'm making you promise it again."

"I-"

"Don't make a promise you can't keep," he whispered in my ear.

I met his eyes and nodded. "I'm coming back, okay? We're all coming back and we're toting along that little blond thing you have the hots for, okay?"

He blushed and I kissed his cheek. "I don't want to lose you Maria."

"You think I'll give up without a fight?" I smiled but my heart ached. I didn't want to lose Kyle.

"I know you'll fight," he motioned to the aliens going with me. "Take care of them, okay? If Max gives you hard time, kick him in the balls and take him out. Okay?"

I smiled but I wasn't sure if he was joking or not. We said our good byes to the ones staying behind and we were off. We were going to try it again. Back to Section. I wanted to put more emphasis into it, but after last night I couldn't.

Michael drove and we parked in the same parking lot as before. He snaked us through alleys and side streets. I held on to his hand with a grip so tight that I wondered why he wasn't saying anything. Isabel and Max stayed close on our heels.

We arrived at the same nondescript door and Michael slid the same brick back. If I didn't know better I'd say I was having déjà vu. Everything was like it was last night. Nothing was out of place, nothing out of order. I didn't have a sinking feeling in my gut and that was a big good. Liz Parker really did come through for us and I was her biggest fan right now. I hoped she hadn't fucked up somewhere along the way and got us all killed. If she did, I swear I would come back and haunt the hell out of her.

We stood behind Michael as he retinal scanned. I do believe I was the only one with my hand on that leather-clad ass though. The door clicked and the buzzer sounded. I hated the buzzer. Michael reached for my hand and the four of us went into Section.

Liz had gotten a general idea where Tess might be, in something called the 'containment area'. If that didn't make her sound like a lab rat I don't know what would. We were on the other side of Section, probably as far away from the containment area as we could get. That meant going through the entire fucking place before we got to where we thought she was. It wasn't even positive that's where she was. But we had to start somewhere and Liz was pretty sure that's where we'd find her.

Michael took the lead and I was at his back. Just like I told him, I'd always have his back. Isabel was behind me and Max behind her. We looked like a little parade of Zorro wannabes. Sad, but true.

The steel gray hallways looked as I remembered them. Cold, oppressive and confining. I was fighting the urge to slide back into the state of frenzy I had been in when I was first here. I know I was breathing harder, but I couldn't help it. Being back inside of Section was surreal. We were getting close to my old hamster cage and I wondered if there was a new operative living, or being confined, in there. Michael squeezed my hand and looked over his shoulder at me. He winked and mouthed 'I love you'.

I didn't have time to react, Fuck! I didn't see it coming. A bright light blinded us from all sides and I dropped Michael's hand to shield my eyes. I heard Isabel scream and Max swear. I tried to find Michael but the light was too fucking bright.

"Michael!" I yelled but I didn't get an answer. I reached around for him but he was gone. Michael was just gone. "Michael!"

That's the last thing I can remember. I felt something on the back of my head and I was out.
*         *           *

Chapter Eleven


I could feel the softness of pliable flesh under my head. I reached around for Michael and felt denim. Denim? I sat up and felt the nausea. I looked in back of me. It was Isabel and she was crying. I looked around the room and everything started to fall into place. Section. We were at Section and there was a bright light and Michael…Michael? "Where's Michael?" I demanded.

Isabel shrugged. "Maria-"

"What the fuck happened?" I felt light throbbing on the back of my skull. I looked around the small room and saw the door. I went to it and it was locked. Of course it was locked, there wasn't even a fucking handle on this side. Fuck! I looked to Isabel who was on the floor; her knees pulled up to her chest. "Isabel." I sat down and took a few deep breaths. "What happened?"

"There was a light," she said in a voice much calmer than I expected. "A bright light. I couldn't see anything." Okay, I remembered the light. "Then the light was gone and you were on the floor and Max and Michael were gone."

"Both of them are gone?" I stood up and paced the small confining room. Michael was gone. Section had their prodigal son back but God only knows what they were doing to him. I smelled a set-up and I was thinking if that Liz Parker was involved she was going to get her ass kicked. But Max was gone too. Fuck! "Tell me what happened?"

"The light went out and I was trying to adjust my vision and I saw you on the floor. Max and Michael…" Isabel shook her head and I felt for her. "You were carried in here and I was led in, they shut the door and I patched you up. We've only been in here about ten minutes."

"Who brought us in here?" I had to know what to do. This was all me now. This was all Maria.

"Three men in black, I couldn't see them that well…" She stood and faced me. "What can we do Maria? Where are Max and Michael?"

I didn't have a fucking clue what to do. Not a clue. I started to pace again and I think a light bulb popped over my head. If there wasn't one there literally, then there should have been because I was a damn genius. "Alien mojo, Isabel. Can you get us out of this room?"

Isabel looked around and nodded hesitantly. "I think so. I can open the door but I can't knock down all the walls, well, not alone." She halfway smiled at me and I was glad it was her stuck in this prison with me. "Then what Maria? What do we do if we get the door open and there's a hundred armed men outside?"

"Duck?" I shrugged. "I don't know Isabel but we can't stay in here and wait for them to come back. They know who I am, but maybe they don't know about you. Who knows what the fuck they know?" I threw my arms in the air and went back to pacing. "We have to get out of here, so go ahead and do your thing."

Isabel nodded. I watched her with admiration. She walked to the door and placed her hand on it where the doorknob should be. A strange indigo light permeated through her hand and into the door. I stepped back and watched as the door slowly popped open. She stepped back and together we opened it the rest of the way. There was nothing waiting for us on the other side. That was a good. I think. I was having a hard time telling the difference between a good and a not good lately.

"Maria?" She whispered and took my hand.

I know we must have looked like two grade-school girls out in the dark for the first time. Holding hands and watching our step, scared of the bogeyman who was undoubtedly waiting for us around each and every corner. I led her slowly up a corridor I know I have never been through before. This was apparently a part of Section that I hadn't been privy to during my last stay here.

"How far did we walk to the room?" I asked.

"Only for a minute, maybe a few seconds more."

"Any steps?"

"No, a slight decline on the way there, though." She pointed to the inclining floor in front of us. "Like this."

"So you think we're going back the way we came?"

"I think so," she looked down the corridor in the other direction. "No. This is definitely it. I think after the next turn we should be where the lights went on."

"Any idea what that light was?"

"Something to blind us I assume," she shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Sure as hell did," I stopped walking and faced her. "Thanks for doing your thing on me, Isabel."

"No problem, I needed my captain back." She smiled.

I shook my head. "I'm not really captain material…"

"Bullshit." She whispered harshly. "You're a hell of a good leader, look how easily you got all that important information from me. If were up to me I would have been sitting in that stupid room until they came for me. You're it Maria. I'd tell you that you were the man, but it would be oddly inappropriate."

I wanted to burst out laughing but figured that would probably give us away. I was kind of surprised that the alien mojo trick didn't do it. We walked a little further down the hall and heard voices.

"Shit," I said under my breath as we froze. The voices were close but seemed to be getting further away. I picked up a little car racing talk and sighed. "Getting any vibes where they be holding Michael and Max?"

"I can't feel them," she shook her head. "I never can, really. I wish I could be more help Maria, but…"

"Whatever," I smiled at her and led her forward. She had been right. This was the place the lights came on. I shielded my eyes just in case, but there was nothing. Just an empty hallway. The sterile steely walls were just as we had left them minutes ago. I looked around and wanted to cry. This was where I had last seen Michael. I was holding his hand and then he was gone.

"Now what?" Isabel leaned into me and whispered. "Do we go in further or try the door to get out?"

Options? I hadn't thought about options before. I wasn't all that familiar with the term. Stay and look for Michael or get the fuck out and run like hell. "We stay." I saw the worried look on her face and was quite sure it matched mine. "For a few minutes at least."

She nodded and I knew she'd back me up on whatever came our way. She may have been Michael's back-up in some otherworldly alien-type life but today, she was mine. We walked down the main hall and I tried to remember the maps. Michael had all the information on him so I was going at it from memory. I remember we were as far away from the 'containment area' as humanly, or alienly, possible. I didn't want to go in much further without having some type of clue as to where we were going. If only we had…

"Holy shit!" I stopped walking and I think scared Isabel. "Last night Alex gave me a little computer thingy," I looked at her and the blank stare I got back was not exactly what I was looking for. "I guess you don't have it?"

She shook her head and I wanted to cry. I didn't have it either. So either Michael or Max did and they were gone or it was back at the hotel. Okay, my money was on that it was back at the hotel. "Fuck." I couldn't even come up with anything better to say. "I don't know what to do." I shook my head. "I can't leave Michael in here."

"I know," she looked around the hallway. "We need help Maria, I don't know if we can do this alone or not. We need the others."

The others? No way. I was not going to put Kyle in the thick of this. Not a chance. Alex? I didn't know him all that well, if Isabel thought he could do it…Liz? I was back to not being all that sure about Liz. I didn't know if I trusted her or not.

"Not Alex, though…" Isabel trailed off. Damn! We were on the same page. "Kyle I don't know...And Liz? Does it, never mind."

"Seem too convenient that she just showed up and told us what we had to do to get in and then we walk right into a fucking ambush?" I finished the thought for her. Trust me, that had crossed my mind about a billion times in the last few minutes.

"I can't even imagine that Liz could have…Any of this. Plus Max is gone, too." Isabel shook her head. "I mean, I've known Liz forever and I don't think she's got it in her to be like this."

"You know her better than I do, so I back you on this." And I did. I trusted Isabel's judgement. Hell, she picked me for a friend didn't she? I glanced down the hallway and saw a camera. It was scanning the area slowly and facing away from us, for the moment. Damn! I pointed to it. "Can you do that? You know," I waved my hands in the air.

Isabel smiled and walked underneath the camera staying close to the wall. She stood on her tippy-toes and touched the bottom of the moving lens. In about a second it wasn't moving anymore. Rock on! She grinned and walked back to me, an air of confidence was all around her. I hope she'd share it.

We stared at each for a few seconds and then I cocked my head in the opposite direction of the door. "A few minutes? See if we come up with anything; if not, we try to leave."

"Sure," Isabel nodded and took my arm. When I looked at her she smiled. "You go down, I go with you." Now that's what I liked to hear. "How are the boots? Still comfortable?"

"Yeah, soft leather I guess." I nodded as we walked down the scary corridor. Things became almost familiar to me as we neared where my hamster cage was. I knew the way to there from where we were, but not much else. I could get us to Rena's office, but why in the hell we would want to go there? And I could get us to the gym. "I don't know where we're going."

"Okay."

"I need the map, damn it I need the map!" I looked around the corridor and felt like screaming the same way I had when I woke up in this dreadful place. It had seemed like years ago, but now, being inside again, it seemed like