Jack looked around the emptiness of the park around him. Skipping school was nothing new to him, matter of fact; he was an old pro. Nothing like his saintly sister had been in school, no, Jack was everything that Sloane hadn't been. A case study of truancy and a juvenile delinquent, that was Jack Evans. He was kind of glad that he had an 'in' at the Sheriffs Department otherwise he was sure he would be locked up in juvie by now. Good old Sheriff Michael Guerin had a soft spot for him.

"Thing's are getting strange around this stupid town again, my parents are freaking out. Sloane's being all Sloane-like. Family discussions are hush-hush but they have to know I can still hear them. I just want to know exactly what's going on. No one ever talks to me about what happened a few years ago, I was just a kid at the time. I know it was big and I know we won, but what we won? I have no freaking idea.

"I think something big is on the way and everyone's on edge, especially my mom. Her and my dad are having late night discussions. Whatever it is, I don't think they're agreeing on anything. Even Leia the Freak is acting stranger than usual. Something's going to happen and I have a feeling that I won't be left out of this one." Jack tossed his cigarette as he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Shit."

"Nice language," a familiar voice came from behind him followed by an all too familiar face. "Shouldn't you be in school? Shouldn't you not be smoking?"

"Sorry Michael," Jack rolled his eyes behind dark glasses at the Sheriff. "I got bored at school."

"Yeah, I bet Maria will be happy to know she bores you." Michael Guerin extended his hand to Jack and pulled him off the ground. "I guess you can tell her yourself when I take you back, huh?"

"I guess so," Jack shook his head and followed Michael to the 4x4 for a ride back to school. "You're not going to tell my parents I was smoking, are you?"

Michael shrugged as he drove, dark glasses hiding the smile in his eyes. "We'll see."

Jack nodded and knew he wouldn't tell. No one ever told on Jack, everyone was just like that with him. He had been well aware that his sister had gotten all the attention when he was growing up. First with the not talking, then the big whatever that went down. After that his family had pulled him from his the shell he liked to have around him and forced him out into society. Jack smiled to himself thinking that society wasn't quite ready for him. A few years of Jack being the center of attention and he thought he might burst. He didn't want all the attention but he was getting it anyway. He had a feeling all that was about to change.

* * * * * *

Chapter Two

Jack stole the occasional glance at the Sheriff as he drove him back to school; back to an afternoon of being bored. Even if his teacher was Maria, she did make it a little better, it was still school and school sucked.

As they pulled up in front of St. Gertrude the Great school, Michael looked to his young passenger and sighed. "Where'd you get the cigarettes?"

"Dad's dresser," Jack smiled mischievously. At least he wasn't asking about the money he stole from there as well.

"Hand them over," Michael opened his palm and waited while Jack dug the pack from his backpack and set the crumpled box in Michael's hand. "I don't want to catch you smoking again, okay? Next time I go straight to your parents."

"Fine, but my dad smokes sometimes so I don't think he'd really have a right to say anything," Jack opened the car door.

"You mom would care," Michael smirked. "Right? Besides, you're only thirteen. It's illegal for you to smoke."

"Whatever," Jack shrugged and jumped out of the 4X4. "Gotta go. Thanks for the ride." Jack slammed the car door shut and walked into the dreary halls of school on his way to Ms. DeLuca's eighth grade class. He sulked down the hall and thought about taking off through the back door. Michael would probably be waiting for him like last time. Damn, he was good at getting down Jack's habits. Better than either of his parents were. They seemed to turn a blind eye when it came to things he did wrong.

Petty theft in local shops and the school and the most punishment he had gotten was being grounded to his room. Oh no, not that, with the computer, Stereo, TV and DVD player, that was sheer torture. Jack knew his parents were trying to make up for lost time. He wasn't interested.

When he arrived at his locker, he touched the combination lock and it dropped open. Reaching for another pack of cigarettes, he stashed them in his backpack and walked down the hall. He paused outside of the room and heard Maria's laughter. God, she had a great laugh.

Jack pushed open the door and walked in taking his place in the last row. After a scornful look from his teacher and a smug smile from Jack, class went back to normal. Jack seemed to drift as he listened to Maria ramble on about something that happened a few hundred years ago. Boring. Although the class and the subject were boring, Jack could never get tired of listening to Maria's voice or her laugh. Especially her laugh.

* * * * * *

Sloane Evans and Leia Guerin were holed up inside Sloane's bedroom with the door locked as they were frequently. The two friends relied on each other for everything. Their support of each other was stronger than any parental bond. They shared almost everything with each other, from the first kiss from a boy to what would happen when they traveled to a different planet. They joked around a lot about the rules they'd make up not really believing that someday they would be in charge.

"Have you been getting some weird feelings lately?" Sloane asked her best friend Leia in the privacy of Sloane's bedroom.

"Yeah," Leia sighed. "I was going to ask you about them. Do you think…?"

"Yeah," Sloane nodded. "I think we have to go soon."

Leia nodded as tears slid down her cheeks. "What do you think it'll be like?"

"I don't know, but remember, we're going there as royalty so it can't be that bad." Sloane grinned trying to hide all the fear behind a mask of happiness.

"Red rivers and rocky ground doesn't sound that nice." Leia wrinkled her nose.

"That was only from a dream of my aunts and blurred, possibly implanted, memories of my dads. That doesn't mean anything, really. I mean, they have no idea what it's really like, they've never been there. It could be way cool."

"I guess you're right." Leia nodded. "But for some reason I can't see us taking off and ruling a planet without any family or friends. I mean, they've been such a big part of our lives. Actually I can't see us ruling anything."

"We'll be awesome, Leia. You and me, the way it's always been. Our families will always will be a part of our lives," Sloane's eye's twinkled. "We could talk to them and see-"

"Stop right there." Leia held up her hand. "Are you seriously about ready to sit there and tell me that any of our families would want to go? To just get up and leave everything behind?"

"Maybe," Sloane shrugged. "It's a thought. I mean, wouldn't we all be totally hooked up when we got there?"

"I guess," Leia smiled thinking about her parents on another planet. She thought they were usually there anyway. "I don't know. I mean, it sounded cool as shit at the time and all the times we talk about it jokingly, but now that it's like here, I'm scared."

"Me too," Sloane grabbed her friends hand and squeezed. "I guess we just sit around and wait now, huh?"

Leia nodded. "My parents have been acting strange lately. I think they feel it too."

"Mine too," Sloane nodded. "They're arguing at night and trying to act like everything's cool but they're so obvious. Even Jack's picking up on it."

"You mean when he's not being a delinquent?"

"Yeah," Sloane shook her head. "Almost the end of the school year and he's probably missed more than he's gone."

"Oh, yeah."

"If it wasn't for your mom I think he'd be held back. She probably just wants to get rid of him!" Sloane laughed.

"You're probably right. By the way, I'm missing like thirty bucks from the other day when I was over. It was in my backpack, would you mind asking Jack about it?"

Sloane sighed shaking her head.

* * * * * *

Michael Guerin and Max Evans sat alone in a darkened booth in the back of Rizzo's, their favorite Italian restaurant. Their faces bore the semblance of worry and fear. Neither of them had spoken much through the abbreviated dinner, neither knew exactly what to say or how to start the inevitable conversation.

"Okay," Michael splayed his hands on the table in front of him. "We gotta talk about this, Maxwell. You and I both know what's coming."

Max nodded and sipped his iced tea. Playing with the loose ponytail at the nape of his neck, he met his friend's eyes. "Yeah, I guess we do."

"They're going to leave," Michael ran his hands through his hair the same way he'd been doing for years and years. He laughed sarcastically and shook his head. "They're going to leave and we might not ever see them again."

"I know. I thought it'd be a long way off, not just a few years after what happened." Max had a hard time talking about the great 'battle in the yard' and the death of his firstborn child. "All our lives have calmed down and now this? Are we really even sure?"

"I can feel it, Max. So can you and so can Iz; hell, she's practically pulling her hair out. I bet Leia and Sloane can feel it too, and Jack. It's time and I don't know if I'm ready to say good-bye to my daughter, are you?"

"Of course not," Max scoffed.

"Have you discussed this with Liz at all?" Michael asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, but probably not as much as you have," Max snapped showing his jealousy at his wife's friendship with Michael. It wasn't common, but once in awhile the jealousy monster reared its ugly head.

Michael let out a deep breath. "Okay," he said slowly. "Not a good topic."

"No, it's not." Max agreed. "Leave Liz out of it, for now, if you can."

"No need to get surly about it," Michael rolled his eyes. "This is big and you're acting like a suspicious high-school boyfriend. We're talking about losing our daughters to another world, Max. That's the important thing here."

"I know, I'm sorry." Max looked at his hands in his lap. "I can't lose Sloane, Michael. There's been too much loss in my life already."

"I feel the same way. You know there's really only one solution to this, don't you?" Michael got an agitated stare in return. "It could happen, if we want it, we could do it."

"I don't want to go there," Max stated. "That's a fact. I have no desire to leave Earth, ever. This is my home and I love it."

"Even if Sloane leaves?"

Max shrugged knowing the answer he would give was not what he truly felt. Everything in his life was stable. He had a loving family, a good job, a nice house and a daughter who was probably going to be taking off through space and time to rule a planet. Damn, he thought, damn it to hell, I don't want to go.

"We'll have to talk about it sooner or later," Michael lowered his voice. "It's not going away."

"Maybe we're all reading this feeling wrong, did you ever think of that?" Max snapped. "Maybe its something else altogether. It could be another enemy we don't know about."

"I don't know if we have any anymore." Michael refuted then held up his hand. "Okay, you're not ready to talk about this, that's fine. When you are, when we know more, let me know and we can handle this like adults. Until then I'll let you wallow about in denial, okay?"

"I'm not in denial!" Max slapped the tabletop with his hands causing nearby tables to turn towards them as he rose out of his seat. The veins on his neck stood at attention, his eyes narrowed. He looked to the nearby patrons and nodded an apology before settling back in his seat. He pointed at Michael's face and spoke softly. "Don't you ever tell me I'm in denial about anything! I know exactly what the fuck is going on. I'm not just some asshole who doesn't want to accept anything. I know what you're talking about. Don't forget, Michael, on that planet I was the King and you were just my back-up."

Michael licked his lips and looked down at the table before raising his head and meeting Max's eyes. "I won't forget that, don't worry." He smiled snidely and shook his head. "But how someone like you could ever be a King, I'll never know. And next time you talk that way to me? You can go fuck yourself." He stood and tossed some cash on the table. Looking at Max again, stopping at the side of the table, "sometimes I wonder if Sloane is even your child. She'll make a helluva better leader that you ever could have." He pulled a Braves hat from his back pocket and put it on before ambling out of the restaurant.

Max's gaze lingered after him. "Damn it, he's right," he whispered as he put money on the table. He left minutes after Michael and wasn't surprised to not see him in the parking lot. Max had stepped over the line and he knew it.

* * * * * *

"What are you doing home so early?" Maria met her soon to be husband at the door. She caught his aggravated expression and backed away. "Dinner not go so good?"

"Max is an idiot," Michael whipped off his hat and tossed it against the couch cushions. "He's a freaking moron. He tried to pull rank with me tonight. Can you believe that? He tried to pull the King crap with me after all these years; he pulled that out of nowhere."

"Not happy with the conversation, I take it?" Maria stepped back to him and wrapped her slender arms around his waist.

"No, he's in denial."

"He doesn't think they have to go?" Maria asked with a slight perk to her voice.

"He knows they have to go," Michael hugged her and kissed her neck. "He's just playing stupid and he's pissing me off."

"Did you get to talk to him about what you and Liz chatted about?" She asked looking up into his eyes. He looked down at her and the enchantment of locking eyes was enough to take her breath away. "God, I love you."

Michael laughed, "talk about changing the subject." He kissed her and thought about going over to Max's and telling him off again or maybe just apologizing. "I have to go, babe." He broke away from her. "I gotta resolve this thing with Max tonight. We've been friends too long to let an argument about one of the most important decisions in our lives come between us."

"I know," she smiled sweetly and stifled a laugh. "I swear, sometimes you and Max are like fifteen year old girls!"

Michael rolled his eyes at her and left the house again. The drive to the Evans house was short and he pulled into the driveway behind Max's Suburban. Surprised to see his daughter's car out front, he stood on the porch and knocked. Liz answered and greeted him with a welcoming arm inside and a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"Welcome to the house that feels like it might explode from all the tension!" Liz smiled and let her friend in. "Max is out back secretly smoking."

Michael shrugged an apology. "So, where's Leia? I saw her car out front."

"Upstairs with Sloane. Don't ask." Liz smiled. "I don't know where Jack's at so be careful what you talk about outside, okay?"

"Sure. I caught him smoking again, but I promised I wouldn't tell if he turned over the cigarettes."

"Let me guess, he stole them from Max?" Liz asked.

Michael raised his eyebrows and shrugged again before walking through the house and out the back door.

* * * * * *

Chapter Three

Michael closed the back door behind him and pulled a lawn chair over to Max who hadn't turned around to look at him. Michael sat and waited for a response and got nothing.

"Okay," he ran his hands through his hair. "I'm slightly sorry for what I said earlier."

"Don't be." Max flicked his cigarette into the dewy grass. The glowing tip vanishing into the moisture. "You were right. I was wrong."

Michael stifled his surprise. "Okay."

"Seriously," Max turned to his friend displaying red rimmed eyes. "Don't be sorry, you have nothing to apologize for. I was an ass and I deserved exactly what you said to me."

Michael nodded but wasn't able to come up with any words.

"This is big and I am in denial," Max undid the rubberband holding his small ponytail together and shook out his hair. "I don't want to believe any of it, I don't want the girls to go and I sure as shit don't want to go anywhere myself. We might never come back home, Michael. I don't think I'm ready to spend the rest of my life on another freakin' planet."

"I guess your mind's been made up then?" Michael rocked back in his chair and thought he caught of glimpse of something white along the side of the house. He looked again and saw nothing. "You're willing to let your daughter and wife leave?"

Max shook his head. "No, I'm not willing to do that either. Until I know more, I don't want to talk about it. I can't make any decisions on this until I have more information. If there is a chance that we'll be able to come back here, maybe, I don't know. We don't know if we even know what we're talking about. It could be something entirely unrelated."

"Liz said-"

"Stop. I don't want to talk about Liz. We're not seeing eye to eye on any of this and I don't want you two tag-teaming me. What about Maria? I know she's not thrilled with the idea."

"True," Michael nodded. "But she doesn't want to see her family broken up, either."

"What about Jack? He's just a kid. What am I supposed to do with Jack. He won't understand any of this."

Michael didn't have an answer for that. Jack was just a kid. A smart kid, but none the less, a kid. Max had a point, but Michael wasn't about to let him know that tonight. Still harboring slight bitterness about the 'King' remark from earlier, Michael was going to let that slide.

"It's the unknown, Michael, are you will to risk everything you've struggled to accomplish for the unknown?"

"I'll risk everything to be with my family and keep them safe." Michael had been saying the same mantra for over twenty-years and he meant every single word of it.

Jack listened carefully and quietly to the grown-ups on the patio. Another planet? Sloane and his mom were going to another planet? Jack was shocked. He knew something was on its way, but another planet? Wow. That seemed too much to handle.

He slunk back around the side of the house and went inside via the front door.

* * * * * *

Isabel Evans paced in front of the cool fireplace waiting. Waiting for something, but she wasn't sure what yet. A sign? A phone call? Something was off and it was driving her crazy. Michael had been goading her about the girl's leaving, but that wasn't it, she was almost sure. At least not all of it. It was deeper than that. As close as she had been to the girl's growing up, she was still now and she didn't feel like it was their time to leave yet. There was too much left to do here, they needed some more time, they were still growing, still learning. No, Isabel shook her head, it was different and she didn't think anyone was leaving as soon as Michael did.

She looked at the box on the dining room table that held several copies of her final 'Robin' book. After Robin's High school graduation what else was there? Isabel had shoved Robin off to college and left her there, finally bored with her creation. They were still young adult books and lately Isabel hadn't been feeling so young adult like.

She had starting writing something entirely new and was quite pleased with it. A romance/thriller. Writing gave Isabel the escape she needed. She liked being able to worry about other people's problems throughout the years. And now Rick was writing too, they had so much in common. She felt comfortable rambling on about her agent or publisher and knowing he wasn't totally bored. It had taken a year of peddling 'Rights to the Throne' around to different publishers before it had been picked up. Now he was anxious to write a new one, he joked with his wife that he was waiting for a sequel.

Isabel thought it had been funny the first time he said something like that, but with all the tension in the air now, she wasn't laughing. Michael had come to her first asking if she felt anything was going on. Of course she did. Being more intuitive that either Michael or Max, she had felt it the instant it hit the air. She was sure Sloane and Leia had too, probably even Jack as well.

But she didn't feel the same way as Michael. She didn't think it was time for the girls to go. She had her own ideas about what was going on but wasn't ready to voice them yet. Not to Michael and not to her brother.

Her sister-in-law had surprised her when she had popped by a few days earlier. Liz and Michael had been discussing things and Liz was totally in favor of going to Antar with the girls. Isabel remembered her shock. Of anyone, she would have never thought it would be Liz who was ready to fly away. Isabel knew she sure didn't want to go and leave everyone behind. She was torn, though, as she had promised her brother a long time ago, she'd go wherever to be with him. If Max wanted to go, Isabel knew she'd be right along side him.

"Damn!" Isabel swung at the box of book and knocked them off the table. She looked at the books on the floor and began to weep. "Let me be right. Don't let it be time to say good-bye."

* * * * * *

As Jack entered his house through the front door he ran into Sloane and Leia on their way out.

"Leaving?" He asked while silently adding 'hopefully'.

"Yeah," Sloane smiled and put her hands on her hips. "Guess what? Leia's missing money from her backpack when she was here the other day. Do you know anything about that?"

Jack smirked and raised his eyebrows. He reluctantly dug in his denim pocket and produced three ten-dollar bills. He handed them over to Leia. "You should keep a better eye on your money."

"You little shit," Leia narrowed her eyes at him. "You should keep your paws off of my things if you know what's good for you."

"Oooh," Jack waved his hands in the air. "I'm so scared."

"You should be," Leia fought back a smile. "You know that cute little girl who sits next to you in school? What's her name? Oh, yeah, Sara. Well, I know for a fact that she has a crush on you."

Jack blushed as the tips of his ears turned red. "Shut-up, Leia the Freak!"

"Well, what I was going to say was I thought it would really cool if she found out how much you liked her, too. Maybe you could go on a date. I know, we could double. What do you think?"

"I'll stay out of your backpack," Jack shook his head and retreated past his mother and up the stairs to his room without saying another word.

"Sometimes you're just evil, Leia." Liz said smiling as she walked up to the two girls. "I think I might go visit your mom tonight. She home?" Leia nodded. "So anyway, where are you off to?"

"We're going to meet Tim and one of his friends." Leia smiled the same way she always did when talking about her new boyfriend. "I think we might be going bowling."

"Bowling?" Liz nodded. "Wow. I thought you hated to bowl, Sloanie."

"She does," Leia grabbed her friend by her shirtsleeve. "But she likes to watch the boys bend over to play!"

"Leia!" Sloane immediately began to blush as she was pulled from the house. They waved good-bye to Liz and ran to Leia's car. "I can't believe you said that to my mom."

"It's true, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah." Sloane laughed and turned up the metal on the radio. For as long as she could remember, blasting drums, incoherent voices and a steely guitar were things that helped her calm down and relax. "So tell me about this guy, what's his name, Christian?"

"Yeah, but call him Chris." Leia smiled as she drove. "He's a cutie. Blond hair and blue eyes should contrast you quite nicely. He said you looked hot in the picture I have in my wallet."

"Not the after-battle shot." Sloane rolled her eyes. "With all the dirt and blood. Very nice, Leia. Thank you for showing that one off. What did you tell him it was from?"

"I told him the truth, you were battling evil forces in the backyard." Leia laughed and hit a curb making her laugh harder. "I tell the truth and no one believes me so I guess you'll have to make up a story about the picture yourself."

"You are evil," Sloane smiled. "Straight up cruel."

"I know." Leia pulled into the parking lot and slammed the car into park. "I swear I'm going to dump this car in a lake." She slammed the door of the aging Tempo and watched the side mirror fall off. Both her and Sloane were holding their sides in hysterics.

"I can't believe you actually drive around in that deathtrap," A male voice startled them from behind. Leia swung around and smiled at her new boyfriend, Tim Lewis. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips. Sloane looked nervously at the ground while Tim's friend stared at her.

Sloane tried not to watch as Tim cupped Leia's ass while his other hand was making it's way up her shirt. Jesus, Sloane thought, this is a parking lot. She tapped Leia's shoulder. "C'mon Leia, this is so public."

Leia nodded and backed away from Tim. "She's right." She grinned and tucked her shirt back in her jeans. "Chris, this is Sloane. Sloane, Chris."

Sloane stepped forward and shook the golden boy's hand. She thought he held it a little too long and seemed to stare a little too much. Uncomfortable, much? The two couples made their way into the bowling alley and found shoes, balls and a lane. Sloane watched while her friend and Tim were all over each other with slight jealousy. She had never had a real boyfriend, never wanted one knowing her fate. But to see how happy Leia was acting, was almost enough to change her mind. She glanced at Chris and smiled until she noticed he was staring at her chest. She rolled her eyes and waited for him to face her.

"I'm sorry," Chris met her amber eyes with deep regret in his blue ones. "I didn't mean to stare."

"Right." Sloane looked as Leia was watching Tim bending over to bowl and smiled.

"No, seriously." Chris smiled a radiant smile. "I don’t know if Leia told you, I'm an artist."

"Really?" Sloane pursed her lips. Ahh, the plot thickens.

"Yeah, I sketch and I would love to sketch you. Your face, your body, everything about you is so strong and well formed. You'd be perfect." His fair skin was shaded with pink. "So, you think you'd be interested?"

"Umm, I guess so. Sure." Sloane stumbled on her words feeling like one of Dali's melting clocks. "Why not?"

"Nude?" He asked while crossing his fingers. "Maybe?"

"Wow." Sloane was visibly caught off guard. Not too many people had seen her naked and never a man. "I don't know."

"I'm sorry, if you're uncomfortable I understand. I've just never seen someone like you."

Sloane nodded and watched as Leia and Tim met in an embrace, their groins pressing together, and felt a pang of jealousy. "Well, sure. It's art, right?"

Excellent." Chris smiled and pointed to the lane. "You're up."

Sloane nodded and took her turn bowling two gutter balls, her mind elsewhere. They foursome laughed and made fun of each other's bowling techniques, or lack there of. Sloane was the last bowler in the game and when she was done throwing her last gutter ball, she turned around, Leia was waiting for her. She grabbed Sloane's arm and led her away from the males and down a hall towards the restrooms. "What?"

"I need a favor." Leia smiled. "I want to go home with Tim tonight. I think I'm ready to, you know."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I wasn't until today. I mean if we're getting ready to take off to some planet we know nothing about that could be filled with a bunch of freaks, I want my first time to be with someone I can actually tolerate to look at."

"Is that a good enough reason?" Sloane asked.

"For me it is, Sloanie." She glanced over her shoulder. "Who knows what we're going to get ourselves into and I want to make sure I've had the experience before we go."

"What if we're wrong, though? I mean what if we're reading this all wrong? We need to talk about this with our parents and Aunt Isabel. I mean it could mean something totally different."

"It might not," Leia shook her head. "This could be my one shot at a normal relationship. I have to try it, can you understand that?"

Sloane understood. "Sure, I understand. Can I have your car keys?"

"Chris'll drive you home," Leia explained. "He drove tonight. Is that okay?"

Sloane nodded and felt the tinge of jealousy again. "Do you love him?"

"I could, maybe." Leia smiled. "It may be my one chance Sloanie, I have to do this. You know?"

Sloane knew. She hugged her friend and told her to be careful before they rejoined their dates. Good-byes were said and Sloane and Chris were left looking at each other.

"So, do you wanna blow this place and get something to eat somewhere?" Chris offered. "If you want to go home, I'll understand."

"No, food sounds good." She smiled as he picked up her hand and led her from bowling alley.

* * * * * *

Morgan Valenti looked at her sleeping toddler and smiled. Not a smile of happiness exactly, but a smile of contentedness. Adora slept peacefully in the center of Morgan and Kyle's bed. Morgan grimaced with the knowledge that Dora was the only one who was sleeping peacefully in that bed.

The last year had been boring. After Dora had been born, everything in the Valenti home had been bliss. Now it was stagnant. Boring. She longed for the days of excitement. Days of anything except monotonous nothing. Her friendships with Maria and Jo Davie kept her going. She lived vicariously through Jo and her dating scene and through Maria's freaky-alien life. Morgan Valenti was bored stiff. Nothing was the same anymore. Work, eat, sleep, play with the baby and repeat. She shook her head; her life was beginning to resemble the back of a shampoo bottle. Lather, rinse and repeat.

She sighed and looked around the bedroom. It was a nice bedroom in a nice house, but it was lacking the fun and excitement her and Kyle used to share. Morgan hated to think the way she was, but she was so bored. She needed a change and she hoped that change wouldn't involve losing Kyle. He was a great husband and a wonderful best friend, but he had slipped into the same mind numbing existence as she had.

Things that Morgan had thought about for years were surfacing again and that scared the hell out of her. All the thoughts and fantasies she had as a younger woman were flowing through her psyche rapidly. Part of her hoped she never had the opportunity to act on them while the other part of her prayed that she would.

The doorbell snapped her back to the boring present. Must be Jo, she thought as she answered the door. She let her friend in and slumped into the couch. Jo laughed and sat next to her. Jo Davie hadn't changed much over the years. She still resembled a pixie and looked years younger than she actually was. Being a single parent to an adopted son worked miracles on her. She had more energy than she could ever possibly use in one lifetime.

"Why are you so glum?" Jo asked putting her feet up on the coffee table.

"Bored." Morgan leaned forward resting her head on her knees letting her mane of blond hair fall nearly to the floor. "I'm bored and I need a haircut."

"What's so boring?"

"Everything. I miss the excitement. I miss the fun. Kyle never wants to do anything except hang out here or at his dad's and watch something sports related. I wasn't meant to sit around the house all the time. I need some excitement." Morgan looked at her friend and grinned. "I sound like a spoiled brat, don't I?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Still working part time or did you decide to go back to full?"

"Part," Morgan replied. "Never again will I work full-time."

"It'll get better," Jo reached out and grabbed her friends hand and squeezed. Normally she wouldn't be reading her friends through touch, she had learned better control of her gift years ago, but sometimes things just slipped right through. She let go of Morgan's hand and looked at her. "Not again."

"What?" Morgan asked quizzically.

"Don't Morgan, okay? I didn't mean to, but I read you and I totally didn't like what I saw going through you. Don't do anything stupid."

Morgan thought about denying then decided against it. Jo was right. Don't do anything stupid.

* * * * * *

Chapter Four

Leia knew something was wrong when she stepped into Tim's apartment. She looked around at the basic bachelor's pad that she had been in before and never felt his way; an uncomfortable whir pulsated through her. Not right. She watched her boyfriend as he turned on dim lights and turned off bright ones. Not right. She realized she had never been alone here with him before and her head began to swim. Never truly alone. Where was his roommate?

She swayed in the middle of the room as Tim approached her and ran his hands along her sides then down over her hips. His mouth pressed against hers with such force she fought to keep her balance. Tim's hands pulled her shirt from her jeans and immediately traveled up her stomach to her bra.

Leia tried to back away from him, but he looped one arm around her back and held her to him. She shook her head as he ran his finger under her bra, then flipped it up over her breast.

"Stop," she stuttered and managed to back away from him. "Stop!"

"What's up Leia? Isn't this why we're here?" He grinned and stepped towards her.

She shook her head and adjusted her bra. "No, I'm sorry."

"C'mon," he leered. "I know you want me, that's why you came home with me."

Sloanie, I need help. Are you there?

Leia backed away from him and turned towards the door. He grabbed her from behind and pulled back into the middle of the room.

Sloane! I'm at Tim's!

* * * * * *

Sloane sat up rigid in the booth at the Crashdown. Leia was in trouble. She looked at Chris who was staring at her now. "We have to go."

"What's wrong?"

"I-" Sloane shook her head. "Tim's. We have to get to Tim's."

Chris stood without questioning and led her to the car. He sped through town and arrived at Tim's building before he said anything. "What's going on Sloane?"

Sloane shrugged and followed Chris inside the apartment building.

* * * * * *

Leia fought off her boyfriend trying to hold back her powers, she didn't want to use them unless absolutely necessary. She stood on one side of the couch and Tim on the other. The 'come hither' look she used to find so adorable was now scaring the hell out of her.

"Leia!" Tim called to her. "Why are you running from me?"

"Because you're a big fucking loser!" She sang back to him.

"A little while ago you wanted to jump my bones and now you're calling me names." Tim shook his head, dark shaggy hair swinging in his face. "Now you're just being a bitch!"

"Then I'll leave," Leia shrugged and started walking to the door. She took a deep breath laying her hand on the doorknob when Tim grabbed her from behind and pulled her down to the ground landing on top if her. "Let me go, Tim." She tried to keep her voice level, her anger in check. If he only knew what she could do to him. He grinned and licked the side of her face keeping her pinned down. Leia felt her eyes water with images of her mother. Her mother? Leia shook her head and wondered why the hell she was thinking of her mother. She flashed back to a time when she was a baby. "Oh God," she uttered as the realization came to her of what she had witnessed. Her mother had been raped.

She began to fight Tim off with all her strength and finally gave in to her natural ability. With a slight flick of the wrist, Tim went sailing off of her and crashed into the side of the couch. His dazed state only lasted a few seconds before he was nearing her again. As the front door flew open, Leia raised her arm to the air and sent Tim to the floor unable to move. He struggled with an invisible muscle that was holding him down.

"Oh," Chris whispered as Sloane ran to Leia's side. "What's wrong with him?" He asked quietly pointing at Tim.

Sloane and Leia looked to each other trying to come up with an answer and failed. Sloane saw the deep hurt in her friend's eyes and knew instantly it ran deeper than Tim. "We have to go," she whispered in Leia's ear. Leia nodded and stood with some assistance from Sloane. They faced Chris who was still watching Tim struggle trying to free himself from the floor.

"Who are you?" He finally looked at Leia.

"No one," Leia shook her head and stepped out of the apartment.

"Sloane?" Chris looked to his date. "I don't know what the hell is going on in here and I'm kind of freaked out."

"I know," she said carefully not sure how much information she should divulge.

"I see this guy I know pinned to the floor by nothing after he went flying away from Leia," Chris shook his head. "I can tell this is Tim's fault, and I don't care. I just want to know how you knew to come here and what the hell happened."

Sloane shook her head. "I'm sorry, Chris, I have to go." She walked to Tim and knelt down next to him lowering her head to whisper in his ear. "Listen, if you ever hurt my friend again, I'll kill you. Don't take this as an idle threat, it's not. I will kill you." She waved her hand and over him and his body went lax. He stared at her, his brown eyes wide. "Do you understand?" He nodded and scooted away from her. Complete panic oozing off of him.

Sloane walked away and past Chris out the apartment. She found Leia waiting by the stairwell. She took her friends hand and they walked down the steps and to the Tempo, Leia handing Sloane the keys. After Sloane let Leia in the car, she stepped around to the driver's side and stopped cold when she heard her name. It was Chris running from the building.

"Sloane!" He called again getting closer. "Wait!"

Sloane was a stature as she looked at him. She waited for twenty questions, surprised when she only got one.

"Can I see you again?" Chris asked smiling.

Sloane looked at the golden boy and eventually nodded. "I guess."

"You know," he motioned to the building in back of him. "Tim and I aren't really friends. More like associates."

Sloane couldn't help smiling at him. She reached in the car and Leia handed her a piece of paper with her phone number already scribbled on it. Mind talking could be a glorious thing. She handed him the slip of paper and got in the car.

"I'm sorry," Leia said solemnly looking out the side window. "I didn't want to ruin your evening."

"I guess things didn't go quite as planned with Tim, huh?" Sloane pulled out of the parking lot looking in the rearview mirror as Chris Lewis got into his own car.

"No, they sucked." Leia hit the dashboard with her fist as tears ran down her cheeks. "Everything sucks."

"Leia? What happened?"

"I got a bad feeling when we got there and then he turned into a walking ad for date rape." She laughed harshly. "My mom. I saw my mom when he was on top of me."

"What do you mean?"

"My mom. My mom was raped when I was a baby and I was there. I never remembered it until tonight." She began to cry harder. "I can't remember everything, but he looked like my dad. I think. I don't know, I'm confused."

"Oh no," Sloane let out a deep breath. "Are you sure?"

"I think, I'll have to ask when we get home." Leia wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"I don't know-"

"I know, Sloanie. I was there, I was just so little I don't know what I saw." She shook her head while trying to shake the image. "I know it happened, okay? I know the man looked like my dad."

"Your dad would never…"

"Yeah, I know." Leia looked out the window for the remainder of the ride home, occasionally wiping away intermittent tears.

* * * * * *

"I understand Liz, but this is still insane." Maria shook her head. "I don't want them to go alone, God no, but I don't know if we should."

"Michael and I-"

"Oh my God!" Maria said a little louder than she should have. "I realize that you two share a brain, but don't go throwing him into this. I have a mind, of my own, and I should be able to make it up as I please."

"I know Maria," Liz bit back anger. "I just want you to think about it, okay?"

"Don't you seriously think that's all I've thought about since Michael came home and told me he thought it was time?" Maria snapped. "I won't let my daughter go off to some unknown world without her family. Okay?"

"So, you want to go?" Liz raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, hell no." She shook her head. "I don't even like to fly in an airplane, let alone anything else. I said I would go because I won't let my family be broken apart."

"What happened to your sense of adventure?" Liz asked shaking her head. "This is going to another planet, doesn't that even sound exciting?"

"No, it doesn't Liz." Maria looked to the front door as Michael walked him. She shot him the same harsh expression. "Maybe you don't care about leaving your parents and other human friends, but I do. I like it here and I really want to stay. But if my daughter goes, I go. Don't make this sound like a field trip Liz, okay?"

Liz nodded and looked to Michael who shrugged in return. "I know it's serious, Maria. I was just thinking that if we all did this together, heart and minds, it would make the transition easier."

"Do me a favor Liz, you're a smart woman, think rationally." Maria snipped. "Or better yet, don't think so much. Okay?" Maria turned and walked form the room leaving Liz and Michael alone.

"Okay, I guess that didn't go so well, huh?" Michael cringed as he heard the bedroom door slam.

"Gee, what makes you think that?" Liz rolled her eyes, a habit she could no longer control.

"Okay," Michael ran his hands through his hair. "I guess she's got Maxitis, huh?"

"Maxitis?" Liz smiled. "I like it. So whenever anyone goes all broody and won't listen, it's called Maxitis. Very nice."

Michael nodded a thank you to her. "You better go. I have to talk to her."

Liz nodded as Michael led her to the door. "I don't think Isabel believes they have to go. Did you know that?"

"I would love to believe that," Michael nodded, "But we have to cover all our bases. I won't let Leia leave without me and I'd prefer it if we could all go in peace."

Liz smiled in agreement and stood on her tiptoes to kiss the corner of his mouth as she always did. She lost her balance and her lips met his on full contact. She backed away and blushed. "Sorry."

Michael fought the urge to smile at Liz's embarrassment. He walked her to the porch and they watched as the Tempo pulled up in front of the house, Sloane was driving. They waited as the two young women walked through the yard and approached them. Michael could see the look of determination on his daughter's face.

"Where's mom?" She demanded.

"Leia," Sloane put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Calm."

"What's going on?" Michael asked looking between the two.

Leia looked to Liz then back at her father. "Someone who looked like you raped my mom. I know it wasn't you, I want to know who was it and what happened?"

Michael took a step back. Liz stared at Leia in shock. She looked to Michael and they both knew it was time to tell the girls about Rath and the others.

* * * * * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Her breath was halted, they had been running for so long and she was tired.

"I don't know anything for sure, but we have to try it!" He whispered harshly in her ear. He grabbed her hand roughly and led her across a grassy landscape, then pulling her down on the ground with him as he heard approaching footsteps. He put his finger to his lips and waited. After several minutes, he motioned with his head that it was time to go. They ran until their chests felt like they were going to explode.

"How much further?" She panted.

"Not far. They said it should be right around that hill," he pointed to a squat grassy knoll about forty yards in front of them. "Can you make it or do I have to carry you?"

"I think I can make it!" She snapped and ran after her companion.

* * * * * *

Max Evans paced his almost empty house. Jack was upstairs being a thirteen-year-old boy. Playing games on the computer and listening to music that made Max's head ache. Nights were the longest time for him these days. The days after the 'battle in the yard'. The days after his daughter had killed his firstborn son.

He didn't think he would ever be able to shake the image of Lantham as his limp body was carried by the only father he had ever known. Max regretted that he hadn't been able to say good-bye to him properly. He also occasionally forgot that it was Lantham that had put him in the energy-draining prison preventing the good-bye. He knew he was spending too much time out at the Granilith, but after figuring it out for time travel, he thought, his mind raced with ideas. Going back in time and righting some of his wrongs, going forward and seeing how everyone turns out. Going back and saying good-bye to his son before he died. That was the one that Max seriously considered. If he could work out the details so he wouldn't jeopardize present events, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

Max leaned against the kitchen counter, immediately hit with the sensation of family. He looked at his watch, almost ten; Liz should be home soon. Sloane was a big girl, a young woman, and she didn't have a curfew but he hadn't known her to stay out too late before. He wanted them both home with him now. He needed them. Being around his family somewhat lessened the grief he felt towards Lantham.

* * * * * *

Chapter Five

Michael escorted the women inside and went to get Maria. He knocked on the bedroom door and then pushed it open. He saw the love of his existence propped up on the bed with school papers in front of her, a red pen in her hand. She looked at him and offered a weak smile. "Hi."

"We have a problem."

"So what's new?"

"Leia knows about Rath, kind of." Michael hated the way the pain washed over her face. Her beautiful face.

"What?" Maria asked slowly not even sure if she comprehended what he was saying to her. Rath? She hadn't thought about him in years. The rape was so far removed form her psyche. The nightmares had eventually vanished with time. "When?"

"Her and Sloane are here," Michael sat next to her. "Leia said she knows you were, you know, by someone who looked like me."

Maria shook her head feeling every emotion course through her. All the images she had fought for years to destroy flashed in front of her eyes. She looked at Michael and couldn't speak. She was reliving the moment. Every movement of that horrible morning moved in slow motion through her consciousness. She saw him so clear as her Michael, her love. Her body tensed as she felt ghost hands on her, so rough. The shrill crying of her baby reverberated in her ears. The slide of her Michael into the stranger physically inside of her.

"Baby?" Michael clamped his hands on her shoulders feeling the agony race through her body in violent shakes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She met his eyes and shook her head, regaining her composure. She took a few deep breaths, the way Kyle had taught her to during his meditation stage, and wiped away imaginary tears. "I can't, Michael."

"Maria, she's out there and she knows. I don't know how, but she does. I have to tell her something. I have to tell her about Ra-"

"Stop! Don't say that name around me again." She picked up the papers that had fallen from her hands haphazardly.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I think we have to tell her about him, she knows already, but she doesn't know who he was or-"

"Are you insane?" Maria finally spat out the words. "I won't go through that again, Michael. I can't. I don't want my daughter to know about him. He was trash and he's dead. That was a long time ago, I can't go dredging this up again."

Michael nodded and kissed her forehead. "Okay. I'll handle it. Liz is still here-"

"Well, there's a shocker," Maria barked at him and lay back against the headboard. "I'm sure you and Liz can figure this out together." She picked her pen back up and went back to grading. "Just not around me, Michael, please. I fought too hard to make it go away."

* * * * * *

Max walked outside to the coolness of the shadowy back yard. He lit up a forbidden cigarette and inhaled deeply feeling the nicotine seep into his lungs. He exhaled slowly and watched the smoke as it disappeared into the night. He swung his arm into the air fighting the demons inside of himself. His world was falling apart, again. It wasn't anything he did this time, he was shocked, it was just a part of being who they were. A snap of a twig brought his senses reeling back to the present. He swung around with an outstretched hand and saw the smiling and bewildered face of his sister.

"What are you going to do? Smoke me to death?" She motioned to the cigarette in his hand.

"You scared me," Max relaxed his shoulders. "What are you doing here so late?"

"Came to talk to you. I knew you'd be up, but I didn't want to call and wake everyone else up." She looked to the lit up house behind her and heard the sounds of new music drifting from Jack's upstairs bedroom. "I guess I shouldn't have worried about that, huh?" She sat at the picnic table as her brother sat across from her.

"Liz is at Michael's and Sloane's on a date. Jack's upstairs probably on the computer." Max smiled at the normalcy of his words. "So, what brings you to Casa de Evans on this balmy spring night?

"I've been thinking about this thing in the air, right? I don't think it's time for the girls to go." Isabel said steadily watching her brother closely.

"Why not?" He asked solemnly his eyes narrowing.

"I think something's on it's way here." She sighed. "I may be in deep denial, but it doesn't feel right. I don't feel like I have to say good-bye to them yet."

"Thank you," Max rested his head on the table for a few seconds before looking at her again. "I thought I was going crazy. I never thought it was that time."

"I could be wrong, Max, I have been before. Well, maybe once or twice." She grinned, moonlight reflecting off her perfectly white teeth. "Michael and Liz are so adamant about it though. Have you talked to Michael? He's freaking out."

"Yeah, well, Michael and Liz sometimes live in their own little world. I'm going to talk to Sloane when she gets home tonight and see what she thinks, maybe her and Leia know more than any of us and no one's bothering to ask them."

"You haven't mentioned anything to them?"

"No," Max smiled sheepishly. "You'd think we'd have learned our lesson about keeping them in the dark by now, wouldn't you?"

"You'd think," Isabel shook her head. "Well, let me know what the girl's say, okay?"

* * * * * *

Jack listened to his father and Aunt Isabel as they spoke softly below him. He was crouching against the open window in the bathroom straining to hear the adults over the music drifting from his room. After a few minutes, he went back to his room and turned down the music and picked up his journal.

"Stupid journal," he said as he wrote it. "Still Jack Evans and thing's are still strange around here. My aunt's downstairs and her and my dad are talking about saying goodbye to the girls, the same as Michael was earlier. As much as I don't like my sister or her freaky friend, I don't know if I really want them to go anywhere. Then the parents would never leave me alone. I swear, sometimes I wish I were an only child with different parents. They keep me in the dark about so much and then they play dumb."

Jack shook his head and looked put his window. His Aunt was gone but his dad was still out there smoking again. "See, he smokes I don't know why I can't. He has been sitting outside in the 'smoking lounge' a lot more often the past few days. Maybe him and my mom are going to get divorced. That would be kind of cool. Then I could go live with Aunt Isabel and Uncle Rick, or just Ms. DeLuca or even better, Kyle and Morgan. Yeah, that would totally rock! They are so much fun. Not all full of secrets. Dora's not bad for a little kid either. Kind of cute, I guess. The Valenti's aren't aliens; they can't do anything special just like my mom and Ms. DeLuca. Maria. I wish she could be my teacher forever.

"So, here's what I know. Everyone's in a panic because my sister and Leia are leaving to go to another planet, with my mom too, I guess. Michael thinks they're leaving too. But my aunt and dad don't think so. But no one has said anything to Sloane or Leia or me, for that matter. No surprise there, no one ever tells me anything. Just because I was a little kid when all the bad shit went down, doesn't mean I don't want to know about it. Screw'em all. Maybe it'll be too late by the time that they decide to tell me anything. I'm not stupid and I have a pretty good idea what's going on around here. If anyone's leaving this planet I will be with them."

Jack shook his head and slammed the journal shut. He rigged it with strategically placed rubberbands criss-crossing each other and stashed it between his mattresses. He hit the spacebar on his computer vanishing the green alien face screensaver and went straight to chatting. At least someone, it didn't matter who, would talk to him this way.

* * * * * *

"You mom doesn't want to talk about this, Leia." Michael returned to living room and sat down on the couch while the women stood and stared at him. "You have to respect that."

"I do," Leia said softly. "Tell me who he was."

"His name was Rath and you can think of him as my evil twin." Michael explained. "We all, the Royal Four, had one. They were like another set of us, but darker. Not very nice. Too alien," he raised his eyebrows at Liz who nodded. "They lived in New York and became a thorn in our sides for awhile. Rath was mine. We were just about identical."

"That's why she didn't know," Leia stated rather than asked. That's why she saw her dad.

"Yeah," Michael wiped at imaginary sweat on his brow. "He was here to cause havoc and he was taken care of."

"You said of each of you." Sloane said quietly not trying to take away from Leia hearing about her mother's pain.

"Yeah, Isabel had Lonnie, Tess had Ava and your dad had Zan."

"Did you know the rest of them?"

"Only the girls. Zan was killed before we had a chance to meet," Michael replied gruffly. "We haven't seen Lonnie or Ava in years. I don't even know if they're still alive. So, all this happened a long time ago, you were just a baby. Your mom's fought hard to put this behind her and she doesn't want it brought up again. Okay, I think that's enough for one night. Leia, can you spend the night at their house? I think your mother and I need to be alone."

Leia nodded and went to her room to pack a few things; Sloane went with her. Liz sat next to Michael and snaked her arm through his. "You did good. Not too much information, but enough."

"Yeah. I thought all that had gone away a long time ago." He ran his hands through his hair. "If she asks more tonight, go ahead and tell her, okay?"

"Sure," she squeezed his knee. "Tell Maria I'm sorry, okay? I was kind of out of line tonight. Sometimes I think you and I live in our own little world and no one else gets it. Do you think we should mention any of this other stuff to the girls yet? I mean, after all it is their lives we're talking about."

Michael nodded. "Do whatever you think is best, Liz. I trust you to do the right thing. Tonight, I have to take care of Maria."

She nodded and waited for the girls.

* * * * * *

Lights glowed like gems in snow. White lightening flashed around the inside of the mystical chamber. Powered by faith and who knows what else, the cavity housing their escape began to crumble.

The two passengers held hands and waited for the signs that all way clear. So easy, she thought, they should have tried it a long time ago. She looked to her traveling companion and smiled. His hair was much longer, slicked back against his head. She didn't know if it was by grease or sweat. It didn't really matter, she was still happy to see him. She caught her breath and smiled as the chamber began to shake.

He took her hand and kissed her lips. Moving in close to her, stepping around the tattered shreds of her once glamorous gowns, he pulled her tight against him. "Almost home, dear. A new home with a new plan." He wiped his hand on the dirty remains of a once new pair of jeans. The white T-shirt was so used, the fabric stained and ripped.

Tess tilted her head back and laughed. Laughed for the first time since she had been imprisoned after the death of her son.

* * * * * *

Max was waiting for his wife and daughter to arrive home anxiously. Wanting to sit down and talk rationally with the two most important women in his life. He was surprised by the accompaniment of Leia. The trio entered the house and as soon as Leia set eyes on him, she was gone.

"We the Elders bring tidings," her voice was flat again. "Tidings of grief, King Zan. What once was secure and promised has been penetrated. Enemies are loose with aid from their supporters. An unforeseen prophecy has risen and must be vanquished in its entirety. War between assemblies is eminent. Your enemies must be destroyed." Leia looked to Sloane. "Be careful young leader, you and your second are marked. Your enemies are not alone; they have allies with a common agenda. Be aware of the dangers." Leia closed her eyes and fell into Max's waiting arms. Within seconds her eyelids fluttered open. She focussed on Max and offered a weak smile. "Again. I know."

* * * * * *

As Morgan Valenti strolled through the all-night grocery store with a cart full of things they really didn't need, she thought about her husband and how stupid she must have sounded to Jo the other day. She loved Kyle and she loved her life. So it was a little boring, Dora was still so young; it'd change, right? She didn't need to do anything drastic or stupid for excitement. It'll come back on it's own. She loved her husband and didn't honestly think that she'd ever do anything to jeopardize their relationship. But if given the opportunity she wasn't sure which way she might go. Fantasies run deep.

She smiled thinking about how she had left her family at home; Kyle laying on the couch, remote control in hand and Dora curled up next to him sleeping. Not paying attention to where she was going, she jumped when her cart hit resistance. She looked up and smiled at her roadblock.

"What are you doing here so late?" Morgan grinned as her brows knitted together. "You look a little different."

* * * * * *

Chapter Six

"Well," Leia stood up and faced the Evans family. "What did I say?"

"Houston, we have a problem." Sloane smiled trying to ease the blanket of tension that was smothering her. "The Elders are under the impression that we're in danger and our enemies must be vanquished."

"Yeah, okay," Leia rubbed her temple. "I thought we already did that."

"Apparently not all of them," Sloane looked to her father. "Is that what you got out of it?"

"Yeah. 'What once was secure and promised has been penetrated.' Right?" Max looked to his wife who nodded in agreement. He stepped back and ran his hands through his hair in the motion that Michael had mastered years earlier. "Secure. Prison."

"Tess!" Liz snapped. "Tess is free." She shook her head and made a noise that could be construed as either a snort or a bitter laugh.

"Their followers set them free and now you and I are marked. We're in danger," Sloane met her friends piercing green eyes. "They're coming back for us and they have allies."

"Allies, huh?" Leia winked. "We don't need no stinkin' allies."

"Leia," Max looked at his daughters second in command and smiled. Damn, how could she make him smile at a time like this? "You've got allies. We're your allies."

"Oh yeah," she wrapped her arm around her father's oldest friend's shoulder. "Like you were such a big help last time. 'Oh no, I'm stuck in a glowy prison and I can't get out!' " She laughed. "Not like my dad was any better, laying on the ground, almost completely dead." She walked away from Max and stood next to Sloane. "Hey, we did it once, we can do it again. They came, we stood together and we kicked their ass!"

Liz and Sloane laughed while Max stared in wonderment at Leia. At that particular moment he saw Michael's strength bursting through her and Maria's sense of humor. The best of both worlds. He was as proud of her as he was his own daughter.

Leia picked her overnight bag up from the floor and handed it to Sloane. "Here you go, oh, Great One. All these messages from the old guys give me a headache and it's got your name written all over it! I'm beat, let's go to bed."

Sloane mock bowed and followed her confidant up the stairs after 'goodnights' and 'don'tworrys' were exchanged. She set the overnight bag on the ground and looked at her strong friend. Sometimes she wondered if Leia wouldn't make a much better leader than herself. "I don't like calling you my second."

"Then don't." Leia shrugged and closed the bedroom door before taking off her shirt. "You know that doesn't matter to me, Sloanie."

"I know, but we're equals. I just want to let you know that every once in awhile. I'd be lost without you."

"Me too, chica." Leia smiled looking amazingly like her mother. Saying one of her mother's pet names made her think about the momentarily forgotten earlier events of the night. Her body sagged on to the queen-sized bed in bra and jeans. "Oh shit. This night officially sucked."

"Tell me what happened with Tim," Sloane sank onto the bed next to her.

"He turned out to be a total loser. As soon as we got there, he was Mr. Sex. I got this bad feeling as soon as we got there, I should have known better." She shook her head, obviously disgusted with her decision. "I tried to bide my time hoping you heard me. I thought maybe he'd just let me go, then we got in this cat and mouse game and I thought about tossing him out the window. God, if I would have used my powers earlier, it would have lasted like two seconds. But we can't show off in public, right?"

Sloane nodded and felt Leia's self-loathing sting. "It wasn't your fault."

"No shit. I swear, if you had gotten there a minute later, I might have seriously injured him."

"I'm glad you didn't, that wouldn't have done anyone any good. I mean it was bad enough sticking him to the floor," Sloane giggled. "That was pretty funny."

"I know," Leia fought a smile. "What happened after I left?"

"Chris asked a couple questions and then I threatened Tim with sudden death if he hurt you again," she smiled thinking about the fear she had seen in his eyes. "I don't think you'll be bothered by him again."

"Thanks," the glimmer of humor vanished from her eyes. "I didn't like what I saw, I mean I don't remember it really, with my mom, but I was there. I was there in the room when he did that to her. She thought he was my dad and he raped her." She shook her head and covered her eyes with her hand. "Tim had me pinned down on the floor and it's like I remembered what happened to my mom. He looked just like my dad. I know it wasn't him, but it was so spooky. Rath. You didn't know about these evil twins did you?"

"They never tell us anything, Leia, you know that." Sloane laughed suddenly. "They talk about everything amongst themselves and don't clue us in until it's like two seconds away from impending doom. I hate that. You'd think they'd learn by now that everything always comes back. Like Tess, look how long it took before we got the whole story on her."

"Man, I really didn't like her." Leia shook her head and pushed the image of her mother away. "And now she's back, right? Does that mean Mr.GQ is coming too?"

Sloane laughed remembering the viscous dictator as he bowed to her. "Yeah, maybe he'll get lucky and there'll be a sale at J Crew while he's here."

Leia held her side as she giggled with her friend. Laughter always seemed to be the best cure for whatever ailed them. "Seriously though, why in the hell would they come back here? They don't belong here and how in the hell did they escape from solitude or whatever they were trapped in?" Leia rolled on her side.

"I don't know," Sloane shook her head. "Revenge for Lantham? Who knows what goes happens on the other planet, rebels crusading for their fallen leaders? I don't know. I don't think I like the part about allies, though. That tends to send a shiver down my spine."

"So, you think they have friends already here?"

Sloane shrugged and stood up. She changed from her clothes to her nightshirt and slid under the blankets. "Let's just go to bed Leia, we can figure it out later. Maybe the parents might have something to add before we figure everything out by ourselves this time!"

"I guess this means we're not going to have to leave?" Leia asked quietly biting her lower lip.

"No," Sloane shook her head. "I'm almost positive we're not going anywhere just yet. Too much is at stake here."

"You're not scared, are you?"

"Yeah, I'm scared Leia."

"Me too." Leia laid awake and listened to Sloane's deep sleep breathing as tears rolled down the sides of her face as she thought about her mother.

* * * * * *

Morgan looked peculiarly in front of her into the eyes of a friend. He stared back at her holding a six-pack of beer. His eyes shifted to an unseen area to his side and then he smiled at Morgan Valenti.

"Hey," he nodded at the blond and smiled. "So, what are you doing here so late?" He asked back at her.

"Shopping, duh." She pointed to the items in the cart. "When did you cut your hair?"

"Recently," the smile became a leer as his tongue slid across his bottom lip. "You like it?"

"Yeah, actually I do," Morgan felt herself blush in spite of herself. "Does Liz?"

"Liz," he said slowly and nodded. "Yeah, I guess she does. So, where are you off to tonight?"

"Back home to Kyle, him and Dora were on the couch when I left, and will probably still be there when I get home. So, I better get going."

"Yeah, I'll see you around," his gaze wandered slowly from her toes to her eyes. "Right?"

Morgan nodded and turned away waving over her shoulder. She ditched the cart of unwanted items and walked quickly out of the store. By the time she got into her car, she was grinning.

* * * * * *

Max and Liz Evans lay in bed together; neither of them wanting to speak first. Max hadn't turned the page in his paperback for almost an hour and Liz was staring inattentively at the TV. Max took a deep breath, set his book down and looked at his wife. Eventually she faced him.

"I don't want to argue about anything," he said slowly. "But now that we know that the girls aren't going anywhere for awhile, do you think it's possible that you and I can have a normal conversation again?"

"I don't know, Max. We can try." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Can you talk to me like an adult and not one of your students? I have a brain, you know, and I can use it."

"I know," he shook his head as a sarcastic laugh escaped his lips. "I bet you and Michael can have civil conversations."

"Michael doesn't try to convince me that he's right about everything. Check the facts, Max, you are not right about everything. You barely hit correct half the time. So what, you were dead on this time." Liz yanked the blankets up to her chin. "I'm glad you were. I didn't want our daughter to run off to save another world, not yet. I'm happy about that."

"Then why are you acting so mad?"

"Because I can, okay?" She snapped then smiled guiltily. "I'm sorry. Of course I'm glad we're not going anywhere; I'm just pissed at the whole thing for the last few days. I mean you wouldn't discuss anything with me."

"My fault," he held up his hand. "It just gets a little irritating that you and Michael are always on the same side."

"There aren't any sides, Max."

"Yeah, there are."

"You confide in Isabel and Michael, sometimes, but then you want to try to order me around. Don't you know me well enough to know that I don't follow orders too well?"

"I know," he picked up her hand and felt the tension. "I don't want to fight with you about anything, okay? I love you and I want to keep you happy. This whole thing has freaked me out a little."

"Everything since the day you saved my life has freaked me out, but I learned to deal with it. I had to deal to be with you." She squeezed his hand. "It's still you and me against the world, okay? Let's just try to talk things through without arguing about them. Can we do that?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I think so. We need to tell Isabel, Michael and Maria about the Elders visit. I'll call Iz now."

"I would have called Michael to tell him, but Leia had a discovery tonight, about Rath."

"Rath?" Alarm shot through him. "What about him?"

"Something happened and all of a sudden she remembers what happened to Maria."

"My God, she was there, I had forgotten; she was just a baby." He shook his head in disgust experiencing again every moment of the night that him and Michael had killed Rath. "How's Maria?"

"I don't know, really." She shook her head sadly. "I didn't talk to her about it. We didn't see eye to eye on the other and then-. I'll call her tomorrow, too. Let's have everyone over for a barbecue tomorrow afternoon. It'll be nice to get the whole gang together again."

"Sounds good. I hope no one else has any other plans." He ran his hands through his hair. "I think I'm going to get a haircut tomorrow, what do you think, short?"

* * * * * *

Michael had waited all night for Maria to talk to him without success. They slept in the same bed but Maria cowered to the side as far away from Michael as she could get.

As the alarm clock went off, Michael slammed his fist on it and knocked it to the floor. He rolled over and saw Maria looking at him. "Hi."

"Sorry." She said so softly that he could barely hear her.

"Oh God," he rolled next to her and embraced her. "No baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring all this back on you, but Leia came to me."

"I know," she whispered into his neck. "I put all of that behind me and now my baby knows. I didn't want anyone else to know."

"I didn't want to tell her either, but she knew. She came to me already knowing that it happened and she remembered that he looked like me. I had to tell her she was right, I couldn't lie. God, as much as we've all wanted to protect those girls by holding things back from them-"

"This is different, Michael. This was personal. This was an attack on me and I doubt it really has anything to do with the past or the future. It was an act of violence that I had almost forgotten about, I'd pushed it so far away and now it's in my face again."

"We never told them about the others."

"It doesn't matter. Two are dead, maybe the other two by now, right?"

"Maybe, but they should have been told. I think Max and I need to have a powwow and find out if we're forgetting anything else. Leia and Sloane have a right to know about us, everything about us. Where they came from."

"Maybe I don't want her to know all the sordid details of me being attacked." Her voice betrayed the emotions she was trying to hide.

"Sweetheart, Leia's a big girl. She's been through more in her life than anyone else I know. She can handle it. She's tough."

"I don't want her to be tough. I want her to still be my little girl!"

"She'll always be our little girl, she's just grown up. She's an amazing woman with all the possibilities in the world in front of her. Let her learn from us and then let her grow."

Maria ran her hand over his forehead and met his eyes. "I swear, a long time ago I thought you were an idiot and now I think you're one of the wisest men in the world."

"That's me, Michael the wise. Maybe they'll make a statue of me someday."

"Thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"For being you. For being everything good in my world. For giving me hope in the future when it used to look so uncertain. For holding my hand when I'm sad and holding my heart always. There's been a constant in my life that is you, Michael. As many obstacles that have been tossed in our way, we've been able to jump over them and land on our feet."

Michael watched her lips as she spoke the words to him, about him. When he thought he could never love her any more than he already did, he surprised himself by falling deeper.

"There'll never be another you, Michael. My heart."

He hugged her tight against him. His Maria, so strong, so adoring.

* * * * * *

Chapter Seven

As the impromptu Evans family barbecue got under way, Morgan Valenti couldn't help herself from looking at Max Evans. Kyle watched her watching him and felt the heat rising up his neck. After an hour of his wife's gawking, he finally pulled her aside after leaving Dora in the care of her Aunt Maria.

"What the hell are you doing? You're making an ass out of yourself and me!" He snapped in a harsh whisper.

"What are you talking about?" Morgan asked innocently. Busted.

"You've been staring at Max since we got here. Why?"

She shook her head slowly. "No, I haven't. Well, not intentionally anyway. I don't know Kyle."

"Great!" He kicked at the dirt. "This is great Morgan. Are you going through the 'I want to be with an alien' phase again?"

"There is no such phase," she looked to the ground then met her husbands eyes and saw the hurt in them. "I'm sorry, Kyle. You know I'd never hurt you; I promise. I was just thinking that he looks really good with his hair cut, that's all."

"Why don't you take a picture and hang it up in your locker then?"

"I'm trying to apologize here Kyle, please, let me." She pleaded and took her husband's hands in hers. "I can't help feeling jealous sometimes. I love being married to you and raising our tiny family. You and Dora mean the world to me. But sometimes I get jealous about the other stuff. I mean, we always come in on the tail end of things and I want to be a part of the action. Not like I want to step into a war zone, but at least be a help or something. It's even more mundane than that. Kyle, we used to go out all the time, spend the evening with our friends playing stupid board games and now it's nothing. I mean we never do anything at all. I'm surprised we're even here today! We work, come home, play with Dora, and go to bed. Repeat. We are the instructions on the back of shampoo bottles."

Kyle cocked his head to one side trying to grasp the shampoo simile. "Are you saying you're bored?"

Morgan looked to the ground and nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Kyle took a deep breath before speaking. "Fine. I tell you what. Schools out soon and after that I'm pretty much free for the rest of the summer. Why don't you plan a nice little vacation and you and I will take a trip. No one else; my dad and Amy can watch Dora. Just you and me, MorganMonster, how does that sound? Let's see if we can wash away some of the boredom."

"Serious?"

"As a heart attack." He grinned an award winning smile and pulled his wife into him swinging her around a few inches off the ground. "I can't give you crazy alien love, but I can give you mine."

"That's all I need Kyle," she buried her face in his neck as her ride came to an end. She smiled looking over his shoulder and could have sworn Max was staring at her. Oh God, she thought, please don't let me be lying. Let Kyle be all I need.

Jack sat off to the side of the gathering when he came outside. Everyone greeted him; they seemed to actually want him there, he thought. His parents were actually getting along today. He watched them for a few minutes as they laughed and wrapped arms around each other. At one point he blinked to make sure he hadn't stepped into some freaky nightmare. He watched the others gathered in the backyard inquisitively. His aunt was talking softly with his sister and Leia. Uncle Rick was manning the grill. The younger women seemed to be hanging on Aunt Isabel's every word. Part of Jack wanted to sneak around them to the other side and listen in at what was so interesting. He knew that if he walked up on them they'd change the subject. Ms. DeLuca and Michael were siting at the picnic table. They were in a conversation with his parents and they were holding hands but Ms. DeLuca looked sad; even with Dora in her lap. He hated to see her look so sad. He glanced around and saw Kyle lifting Morgan off the ground; they were such dorks. He found a spot under a fledgling tree and popped his headphones on blasting some metal crap his sister liked so much.

Isabel leaned in closer to the girls and spoke softly. "Okay, Max told us everything that happened last night and I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Leia raised her eyebrows. "Why?"

"You both should have known so much more that what we told you. Here we are, all the adults, thinking we're so smart by keeping the past from you to protect you and it didn't work."

" 'What is past is prologue'," Sloane shrugged. "Shakespeare. Kind of fitting, though, isn't it?"

"Very fitting, Sloanie. You really are your father's daughter." She smiled proudly. "What I wanted to talk to you both about is this: I know you both have been feeling the tension in the air, but like I told Max, I didn't feel it was time for you to go."

"Thank God," Sloane whispered looking over at the display of public affection her parents were putting on.

"So Tess and Khivar are coming back around with allies," she sighed. "I wish I knew what that meant. The Elders said you were both marked, right?" She received nods from both the girls. "Be careful, okay? I don't think I could stand it if anything happened to either of you."

"Nothing's going to happen to us," Leia smirked. "They're not so bad, we can handle them."

"I hope so Leia, but this time might be a little different." Isabel sighed.

"We'll be fine Aunt Iz, really." Sloane reached out and touched her aunt's hand reassuringly.

"Can I ask you something, though?" Leia stole a quick glance to her parents. "I want to know more about the evil twins."

"Oh," Isabel nodded. "Okay. We didn't know that much about them, they were sent here like as a back-up set to us. I know Zan's dead and Rath. I don't know about Lonnie and Ava."

"My dad said Zan was killed before you guys met the others, but what about Rath? What happened to him?" Leia felt sick even saying the name.

"Well," she stalled trying to catch Michael's eye for help but he was too busy with all of his attention fixed on Maria. "They killed him. Shit."

"They?" Sloane questioned already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, your fathers killed him. It was a long time ago and he was scum. He didn't deserve to live. Not after what he did to your mom." Her eyes softened towards Leia. "She was so hurt. She crawled into a shell and it took weeks to get her out. She wouldn't tell anyone what happened at first, she just closed herself up and hid."

"Mom," Leia looked lovingly across the yard and smiled at her mother.

"She's a fighter, Leia, never forget that. Your father was so full of rage and anger. Him and Max hunted him down and killed him after they found out about what happened." She shook her head. "That's when I used to watch you, Leia. I'd spend hours over at your place everyday."

"I can sort of remember that. How did they kill him?"

"Oh. God. Okay, he was shot and then turned into dust. He won't be coming back, ever." She left out the part of him dying in Michael form; not even Maria knew that part.

"Good," Sloane nodded once and looked at her friend. "I'm glad."

Leia nodded and excused herself. She walked into the house and up to Sloane's room where she laid down on the bed and cried. Leia, so strong and confident, felt every bone in her body ache. Every emotion flooded with pain. Pain for her mother. Her mommy. The woman who had sacrificed so much to have her so young. The woman that Leia had begged Sloane and Max to fix so long ago. Damn him, she thought, it's a good thing he's already dead. After a few more minutes of mental anguish and a few minutes in the bathroom in front of the sink, Leia emerged from the house. She walked to her parents and hugged her mother. "I love you, Mom."

Maria smiled deeply holding her daughter in a surprised embrace. "I love you too, Leia."

"I'll never let anything happen to you, okay? I promise." Leia kissed her cheek and rejoined Sloane and Isabel. "Okay, I'm better. Iz, since you're the only one who has ever decided that we need to know things, what have you got for us?"

"I don't have much, Leia." Isabel shook her head. "I have no idea what or who is headed this way. Tess and Khivar were very powerful, they still may be, I don't know. If they're bringing allies with them, who knows what to expect. From what my brother said, they're going to be gunning for you and in my opinion I think they might use others to get to get to you."

"What do you mean?" Sloane felt the knot in her stomach return. Fear.

"Your family. God, they know how close we all are, Tess knows. Don't let your guard down. I can see her using one of us to get to you." Isabel reached for a pack of cigarettes from her purse. She lit one up and shrugged. "Stress."

"Does everyone know this already?" Leia raised one eyebrow at Isabel.

"Yeah, kind of." Isabel blew smoke into the air above her. "We all talked a little today. Except Morgan and Kyle, they were late. So you're not actually the last to know this time."

* * * * *

"So, where do we go now?" He asked holding a lighter up to her unlit cigarette. "Any idea?"

"Chill, I told you, we're hanging out. Keeping it real," she pulled the car into a hotel parking lot and turned it off. "Go get a room. This place looks better than the one last night."

"You better stop ordering me around," he glared at her.

"Brother dear, you don't scare me." She flicked ashes out of the car window. "You've never scared me."

"I scare a lot of people." He sneered at her. "I never could fool you though, could I?" The sneer turned into a grin.

"Not many people can fool me," she blew smoke above her head.

"Why are we here? Can you at least tell me that much?"

She shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. The feeling to come here was so strong; something's up and we're a part of it. I've already seen this before, but now you're going to witness how the other half lives."

"Liz. That's what Blondie said last night. So you remember her, huh?"

"Yeah," she snorted. "What a sappy follower, she would have licked Max's boots if he'd wanted her too. You'd probably like her. Anything could have happened to the rest." She flicked her half-smoked cigarette out the window then lowered her voice. "I know Rath made it here before he disappeared. I still have that stupid postcard from Amarillo. Amarillo's only a little over two hundred miles away, so I know he got here. The bastard. He's probably been living as one of them for the last twenty years."

"Do you really think that?"

"Nah, he'd have killed them all before becoming one of them." She snorted. "We never got to tell him about you."

"Yeah, but you mean you never got to tell him that I knew he wanted me gone," dark eyes watched his own expression in the side mirror. "Bastard."

"Yeah," she looked almost wistful for a second. "Oh well. It would have been kind of cool to see his expression when you came out of hiding. You were such a pussy for staying away so long."

"He wanted me dead and he would have killed me if you wouldn't have told me the plan. You had him wrapped around your little finger." He laughed out loud. "I chilled, babe. I got lost in the woods and then I came back."

"The woods, huh? If that's what you want to call it." She slapped his leg. "Either way, I'm glad you decided to join me on this little jaunt down here."

"Like I had so many other plans. I trust your intuition. If you feel we should be here, then bam! We're so here." He cocked his head to the side. "What happens next?"

"We get a room and see what's up. We're here for a reason, Zan, we gotta find out what the hell it is." Lonnie licked her lips and grinned wickedly.

* * * * * *

"Why do we do this to each other?" Max asked once he was alone with his wife in bed.

"Do what?"

"We fight, God, we fight so much. When I think back to all the tests we've gone through to be together and then we spend half our time fighting it makes me kind of sad."

Liz looked to her husband. Her husband. For better or for worse. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad, Liz, I'm frustrated." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I don't want you to be sorry, I just want to understand. Why did we fight so hard to be together just to end up with half conversations and full arguments?"

"It hasn't always been this way," she said slowly.

"But it has for a while, Liz. You can't come to me with anything anymore. It's always Michael. Michael this and Michael that. Not even Maria. If something happens or you want to talk it's never to me; it's always Michael. I know nothing sexual goes on between you two, but it's so fucking hurtful to see you go to him instead of me."

"Max-"

"No, wait. I want to be the staple in your life again, Liz. I don't ever expect you and Michael to not be friends; that'd be asking for the impossible. I just want my wife back. I want the Liz I fell in love with back."

"That was a long time ago."

"That was when you could talk to me. There's nothing I miss more than you being able to talk to me. When we thought Sloane was leaving and saw things so different, you ran to Michael and then the two of you tag teamed me. I hated it. I want our life to be our life."

"It is our life," she looked away from him unable to bare the guilt of hurting him. Max: he was the one she would have done anything for and now all she could do was make him hurt. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want an apology, Liz. I want a promise." He sighed. "I want you to promise to try to work on this marriage. If we lose the dialogue we lose the rest."

"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" Liz asked hearing an underlying tone. "Are you saying either I start talking everything over with you or we're done?"

"No," he closed his eyes and counted to five. "I don't ever want to lose you, Liz, you have to know that by now. I just want our lives back to how it used to be. Max and Liz against the world."

She nodded and placed her hand over his. "That's they way it'll always be. Max and Liz against the world." She snuggled in closer to him laying her head on his chest. "I love you Max Evans."

"I love you Liz Evans." He kissed the top of her head with a feeling of renewed passion.

"We'll make this work, Max. We always do. Just give me a little time to come back."

"'If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life.' Oscar Wilde." He smiled knowing his wife was rolling her eyes.

* * * * * *

On Monday afternoon Jack Evans sighed heavily as he made his way down the steps leading from school. His backpack was heavy with homework from Ms. DeLuca. Why did teachers always seem to pile on the work when school was almost out? He thought it over as he walked down the street by himself, anxious to get back home and to his computer. Not paying attention as he walked, his eyes hidden by dark glasses, he ran into someone standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Damn it!" He swore as his backpack slid off his arm. He looked to the reason of his distress and narrowed his eyes. "Sorry.

"That's okay," the voice was sweet. "I was in the way. You go to school here?"

"Yeah," Jack answered and looked around. "Why?"

"St. Gertrude the Great. Did you know she was a Patron Saint of Travelers?"

Jack nodded and walked away; the stranger started walking with him. "Do you want something?"

"No, I just wanted to say hi. Hi Jack." She smiled at him as the sunlight glinted off her blue eyes."

"How do you know my name?" He asked walking faster.

"Just an old friend of your parents from high school. But don't tell them you ran into me, I want to surprise them in a few days."

"Whatever. It's not like they listen to me anyway."

"I'll listen to you," she touched his shoulder.

* * * * * *

Chapter Eight

When Sloane got off work on Monday afternoon she had butterflies in her stomach. All day at the gallery she was clumsy and even stuttering. She loved the part-time job she had maintained for the last year and a half and was slightly embarrassed that she was acting this way over a date she had that night. Her boss was kind and understood the anxieties of the first date with a new boyfriend; he told her he got them all the time.

Sloane was still a little disappointed in herself. She prided herself on being professional to the artists and consumers that came in. She had started as a volunteer docent and had worked her way up to assistant curator. In a big museum or gallery that would mean a lot. In the four-room showcase she worked at, it didn't mean all that much. Still, it was a job and Sloane loved it.

She drove home trying to picture what she was going to wear on her first official date with Christian Lewis. They had planned it the day before; he was going to pick her up at home from there to dinner and then a movie. Typical date. Sloane smiled to herself 'a typical date'. She hadn't had too many of those. Never done more than kiss a boy. Too scared to date much not knowing what her future held; she was having second thoughts about that again. She wasn't sure if she wanted to become close to Chris if she was going to be walking around with a target on her back. Unlike other times, she hadn't consulted Leia on this. She knew Leia was trying to reach her a few times throughout the day, but had tuned her out.

Leia was working tonight, so Sloane knew she wouldn't reach out to her until late. For some reason Leia never mind-talked to her while she was working, only when Sloane was. Leia's job was too important to her. She worked part-time in the Sheriff's department filing and doing clerical work. She never missed a day and she never got anything wrong. She was hell bent on making her father proud of her.

Sloane looked at the clock on the radio as severe butterflies swarmed in her stomach. Never nervous; not for a simple date. Maybe this Chris Lewis was something special. Sloane couldn't wait to find out.

* * * * * *

Morgan Valenti wanted to skip through the mall. She hadn't felt this alive in a long time. Life with Kyle was taking a sudden swing upwards and she couldn't be happier. After the talk at the Evans' house, Kyle was being more attentive to her and making things better. He had surprised her when he got home from school with flowers and a brand new credit card. She smelled the flowers and kissed the card while Kyle told her to go shopping while he watched Dora. He didn't have to tell her twice.

She had tried calling Maria to see if she wanted to go, but got the machine. Jo Davie was working so Morgan ventured to the mall by herself. After marathon shopping in an anchor store, she stopped at a fruity drink kiosk and ordered something with strawberries and lime. Taking a seat on a nearby bench she savored the tart fruit drink while thinking about where her and Kyle were going to go on vacation. She opened her eyes and a small cry escaped her lips when she felt someone next to her.

"Max!" She chided. "You scared the hell out of me. What are you trying to do, give me a freakin' coronary?"

"Sorry," the man she mistook for Max smiled, his teeth gleaming in the pale fluorescent lighting of the mall. "So Blondie, what's going on?"

"Just shopping," she pointed to the several bags at her feet. "What's going on with you?"

He shrugged and stretched his arms above his head. Morgan couldn't help gaping at the thin black shirt molded to his chest and abs. "Just shoppin' too I guess." He reached towards her and wiped her lip. "Something frothy." He slid his finger into his mouth and smiled. "And sweet."

"Yeah," Morgan nodded as a ripple effect of unknowing, excitement and apprehension skyrocketed through her. She set her drink down and picked up her bags. "I gotta go." She dropped a couple of the bags and before she could pick them up, he got them for her.

"C'mon, I'll walk you to your car."

Morgan took a deep breath and nodded leading the way through the mall and out the door into the dying light of the sun. She walked fast to her car and popped the truck with the multi-functional key chain. She set her bags inside and then the ones he was holding. "Alrighty then, thank you Mr. Evans. You have a nice night and I'll see you later."

He nodded and walked her to the driver's side door. As she placed her hand on the door handle, he encircled her waist with his arm turning her around to face him. She swallowed audibly as his face neared hers. "Blondie."

Morgan licked her lips as un-seductively as she could. They were just so dry. She could feel his breath on her neck as he lowered his head to her. His lips met the tender spot of skin between shoulder blade and neck. She gasped as his tongue flicked across her. She closed her eyes while his lips traveled up her neck to meet her still dry ones. He pressed his mouth against hers, assaulting his tongue on hers. He pressed his body against hers until she felt his hardness against her hip.

Kyle. Adora. Thoughts flew through Morgan's mind while she contemplated her next move. Too much was going through her. A fantasy she'd had for years and a devotion to her husband she would never kill. With skillful ease, she backed away from him and placed her hand on his chest. "Whoa there cowboy," she kicked into Southern Belle overdrive. Still the defense mechanism.

"What?" He leaned into her and tried to kiss her again. "What's wrong?"

"What's right, dumbass, is more like the correct question." She pushed him back. "What was all that about?"

"I see the way you look at me," he raised his eyebrows having no idea if he was right or wrong.

"I look at everyone. Listen, just because Kyle's got it in his head that I want to 'do it' with an alien, doesn't mean that I really do. Okay? Young Valenti can get a few wild ideas sometimes." She opened her car door not noticing his surprised expression. "So, just back off and we'll forget this ever happened. Sound good?"

"You sure you want to forget?" He asked leaning in her car while she started the engine. She nodded and waited for him to move so she could close the door.

He closed it for her and stood with his hands on his hips and watched her pull out of the parking spot and zip towards the exit. A familiar presence was soon next to him. Big dark glasses covered her telltale eyes. Her shoulder length brown hair was slicked back against her head.

"Well, did you find out anything useful?" Lonnie asked her brother while lighting up a cigarette.

"She knows about the alien thing." Zan took the cigarette from his sister's hand and took a long drag. "That's gotta count for something."

"That's it?"

"For now, but I'm working on her. Valenti. Sound familiar?"

"Valenti?" Lonnie rocked on her heels. "Sheriff Valenti. Yeah. Let's go call the Sheriff's department and see if we can't rustle up a few clues."

"Rustle?"

"She called you 'cowboy', I thought you'd like it."

* * * * * *

Max Evans took a drag off his sister's cigarette and sighed deeply. He had been sitting on her patio with her for over an hour.

"Less than two weeks of school left until your summer vacation, your marriage is getting back on track, all's good in the Evans household, save for a couple of revenge-filled aliens."

"You're not funny Iz," Max smiled at her. "But you're right. I think Liz and I can break through all this crap that’s pulling us apart. I have the whole summer off and Tess is coming back into my life, again. It's not fair."

"It's fair that Sloane's not going anywhere." Isabel cocked her head to the side. "That's a big good in my book."

"Mine too, but to be honest, I have a bad feeling about this. I've been racking my brain for the last few days and I can't come up with anything. If Tess comes back here for revenge, with or without Khivar, who knows what will happen. There are no rules this time, Iz. There were rules with Lantham," his voice cracked as it usually did when speaking about his deceased son. "Anything goes, I guess."

"You're scared?"

"Kind of. I'm worried that this might end ugly, but at the same time I have so much faith in Sloane and Leia. Are you scared?"

"To an extent. I'm more worried about the girls."

"They're so strong together. Remember what Khivar said to Sloane before? He said they would be talked about for generations. Together they were powerful. They're leaders."

Isabel nodded and smashed her cigarette out. "Be careful, Max. Okay? You're on a hit list. Don't always take things as they are. This time is different."

"We'll be okay, Isabel. We always are." He shrugged. "Let them loose on us, we'll win. We always win."

Isabel nodded but she was not agreeing with him. She was worried about his cavalier attitude. That was the kind of thing that would get him killed. Be on guard, she had told him. Be on guard.

Max left a few minutes later; he wanted to be home to meet Sloane's date.

* * * * * *

"Two weeks." Michael Guerin met his love at the front door.

"Two weeks for what?" Maria breezed by him and set her bags on the couch. "I only have a week and a half of school left."

"Two weeks. Marry me, Maria. Marry me in two weeks."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I told you I wanted to marry you soon, babe."

"Okay. Yeah. That was like over three years ago. 'Soon' ran out about two years ago."

"Okay, so I'm late. C'mon. I want to marry you Maria. Will you marry me?"

She tried not to smile at him. The hardened Sheriff was gone; the boy she had fallen in love with was in front of her. Something she had silently longed for years earlier was being handed to her and she didn't know what to say. She bit her lower lip as he extended a closed hand to her. She touched his hand, clammy, and he opened it up. On his palm was a ring. A silver band. She took it and studied it closely. Wrinkling her brow, she saw the inscription. 'Always, Michael.' She smiled, "this is not an engagement ring."

"Honey, we've been together too long for that. This is the one that counts." He smiled back at her as she flew into his arms hugging him. "So, yeah? You're going to marry me?"

"Yeah, Spaceman, I'm going to marry you." She wiped away tears of happiness. "Why two weeks?"

"Because that's when everything is planned for," he loved seeing the look of surprise on her face. "Okay?"

"Planned? Everything's already planned?"

"Oh yeah, took care of most of that today."

"I thought you worked this morning."

"I'm the Sheriff, baby, I can do whatever I want." He hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans and rolled his shoulders

Maria laughed and handed him back the ring. "You're a strange one Guerin."

"So are you, soon to be Guerin."

* * * * * *

Sloane waited with her parents in the living room for Chris to pick her up. Her mom had helped her pile her hair on her head the same way she had used to do it when she was younger. Sloane had decided on a long black skirt and short-sleeved black shirt. Not too casual and not too dressy. She tapped her foot and looked at the clock, almost six-thirty.

"Why are you so nervous?" Liz laughed. "It's not like this is your first date."

Sloane shrugged. "I don't know. I just am."

"Are you worried about…?" Max let the rest trail off.

"Not really. There's nothing I can do to prevent anything. I'm not giving up and rolling over, but at the same time, I'm not going out looking for trouble. The time will come and we'll see what we're all made of then. Tonight I'm just worried about getting food stuck in my teeth." She looked to the door as the knock came. "Shit. How do I look?"

"Beautiful," Max smiled at her and answered the door. He let Chris Lewis in and introduced himself and Liz.

Chris smiled at Sloane and took her hand leading her out the front door and into his car. "Your parents seem cool enough."

"Yeah, they're all right." She looked back at her father in the window watching them. "They could be worse."

Chris grinned and ran a hand through his cropped spiky pale hair. "So, dinner and a movie, huh? Sounds classic." Half way through dinner at Rizzo's Chris leaned across the table and pulled the chain from around Sloane's neck from beneath her shirt. The Royal emblem in his hand, he looked to her questioningly. "What's this?"

"Oh, a family heirloom." She answered.

"It's beautiful," he gazed in her eyes. "Like you. You are a beautiful woman Sloane."

She blushed and tucked the talisman back into her shirt. "Thanks."

"No, really. A classic beauty. I can't wait to sketch you. You will still pose, right?" He smiled as Sloane nodded.

"I've never been the model before," she felt the Dali syndrome again.

"You should have been."

The rest of dinner went so smooth Sloane was sure something was going to go wrong; but it never did. The movie was funny, in a stupid slapstick kind of way. She laughed and watched Chris laugh. When he held her hand halfway through the movie she squeezed his back.

After the movie he drove her home and set the car in park. He turned down the radio and picked up her hand. "Sloane, I had a great time tonight with you. Would you see me again?"

"Yes!" She smiled hoping she wasn't sounding too desperate. "Yeah, that would be great."

He leaned in closer to her and cupped her chin with his hand as he brought his lips in to hers. As he kissed her images blasted through his mind. A little blond girl with a stuffed monkey hovering over her. Sloane's parents, much younger and people he didn't know. Leia. He saw Leia as a teenager. The same people as before but older. Colors. Reds and greens and flames. A body on the ground. The emblem from around her neck in a man's hand. He pulled away from her and sucked in his breath. "What was that?"

Sloane shook her head. She didn't know what he was talking about. "What?"

"When I kissed you," he ran his hand over his mouth. "I saw Leia and your parents." Sloane began to shake her head. "All these people I don't know and then colors everywhere. And a flame. And someone on the ground. Your necklace. What was that Sloane?"

"I'm sorry," she shook her head. Flashes. Like the ones her parents had. The ones that her and Leia always wondered if they'd ever see or give off to someone. She opened the car door and put one leg outside before Chris caught her hand.

"Sloane, who are you?" He pulled on her hand. "Wait!"

"Let me go, Chris." She said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"I know you're something special." Chris whispered. "You and Leia both are, I can see that. Tell me who you are Sloane Evans."

"I can't," she snatched her hand away and ran from the car into her house.

* * * * * *

Leia Guerin laid on her bed in the dark with her eyes open. She knew Sloane had been tuning her out all day and it was beginning to piss her off. At close to midnight, she heard Sloane loud and clear and ignored her. She slipped her phone off the hook, just in case, and eventually fell asleep with the hurt feelings you can only get from your best friend.

* * * * * *

Tess watched as school let out and kids of all sizes and varieties scampered away down the streets or into the waiting buses and cars. She looked to her companion and smiled. "There he is." She pointed to the flaxen haired boy walking towards them. "I told you he'd come just like he did yesterday. I think we made a connection."

"How did you even know it was him?"

"I can tell, Khiv." Tess stood and walked towards her new young friend. "Hi Jack."

"Hi Ava," he called her by what she told him to. He eyed the man behind her skeptically. "Who's that?"

"Oh, that's my friend Khiv. Khiv, Jack." He introduced them and Jack relaxed a little as Khiv shook his hand. "How was school?"

"Almost over, that's all I care about." He walked with the pair to a bench at the end of the school grounds and plopped his backpack on the ground. "Ms. DeLuca's giving out so much homework."

"That's your teacher?" Tess's eyes widened. "Ms. DeLuca?"

"Yeah, you know her?"

"From high school." Tess nodded at Khivar. "So, do you like having her as your teacher?"

"She's great!" Jack let his enthusiasm show for just a minute before settling back into his grim exterior. "For a teacher."

"Yeah, I bet she is." Tell smiled. "So, did you write at all last night?"

"Yeah," Jack blushed. He still wasn't sure why he had ever volunteered the information that he wrote stories to a complete stranger the other day. "A short story."

"Can I read it?"

"Really?" He tilted his head to the side. He couldn't remember if his parents had ever asked to read anything that he wrote. He didn't offer his stories except the ones that he wrote for school and his dad was pretty good about reading them. Even his aunt and uncle had read a couple. But none of them knew how many he wrote or what they were about. He shuffled in his backpack and produced a few typewritten pages stapled together. He looked longingly at them then handed them over to his new friend. "It's probably not that good."

"I'm sure it is, Jack. You seem very talented." She nodded to Khivar. "Khiv and I were getting ready to go get some pizza, do you want to come along? We can talk about your story."

Jack hesitated. Technically these people were strangers and he knew never to go anywhere with strangers. But they seemed nice enough and Ava was interested in his stories, so he nodded and followed them down the street to a waiting black sedan.

"Nice car," Jack commented climbing in the backseat.

"Thanks," Khivar smiled and briefly thought about the woman he had killed to take it from her.

* * * * * *

Chapter Nine

Kyle knew something was bothering his wife since the night before but she refused to give him a hint. He had thought for sure that the open credit card and promises of a romantic vacation would still have her spirits flying high; but they didn't, she was distracted. Maybe tonight he'd be able to talk to her, well after dinner with the Evans'. He wasn't quite sure how they had gotten roped into going, but it was at Isabel's and that made a difference. Listening to Max rattle off arcane quotes when the moment hit him was something Kyle wasn't looking forward to. Not having Michael and Maria there would cut down on the comedy, but they both had other things on their minds.

After hearing about the plans for his sister-in-law's surprise wedding, Kyle was delighted. He offered his help to Michael who had accepted gladly. He marveled at the way Michael had come up with everything on his own. Planned it down to the last minute and smallest detail. He needed some help to pull it all together, but that's what families were for.

Family. Kyle shook his head at the word. Thinking back to years before, to high school; a place he dominated. He hadn't had time for nerds like Max Evans or Michael Guerin; and now he couldn't see his life without either of them. Michael became his friend and Max sometimes his friend and sometimes his archenemy. It was different with the women. Liz, once he thought he loved her, but that was puppy love. Now she was a friend, one of his best. Maria. Sweet Maria. His sister. Someone he had never truly gotten along with until they were thrust together by circumstance and pregnancy. One of the few people that had been able to lessen the burden of grief over Alex Whitman's death. The moment they bonded he knew she'd have to be in his life forever; he couldn't imagine not having her in it. Isabel was Isabel. Shrewd on the outside and complete mush on the inside. It had taken a long time to infiltrate her hard exterior, but once he got through he was in. And he owed her. He owed everything to her for introducing him to his wife.

His wife Morgan. God, he loved her. The one year she had spent away from him had felt like an eternity. He never wanted that feeling again. He was pretty confident he wouldn't have it again either. The marriage was solid, very solid. They were in love, plain and simple. So Morgan has an interest in the aliens still, realistically, who wouldn't? He doubted that she'd ever act on that interest, besides, he thought he knew Max and Michael well enough by now to know neither of them was going to cheat on their significant others. Even though Max had that one indiscretion, that was years ago.

Staring out the window as a soaking rain pelted the window in the pre-dawn hours, Kyle Valenti smiled. He looked to the sleeping toddler in his arms and kissed his daughter's forehead. "Adora." He whispered. The light of his life had woken up crying and dad was there to keep his baby girl safe. He inhaled her baby-fine dark blond hair and fought against tears of sheer happiness as he felt his wife slip her arms around his waist. He didn't face her; didn't want her to see his vulnerability. She nuzzled her face against his neck; he felt her eyelashes kissing his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut and thanked God for the blessings he had in his life.

* * * * * *

Jack laid in bed with his headphones on trying to figure out the previous day's events. School didn't start for another couple of hours and he was the only one awake in the house. He liked his new friends well enough; they treated him like an adult, not like a kid. He could relate to them. Ava was nice, while Khiv was quieter; he let Ava do most the talking. Which was fine with Jack, Ava had a nice voice and a nice laugh. Not as good as Ms. DeLuca's but close enough for it to count.

He had enjoyed spending the afternoon with them. They both really took an interest in his short stories, and that was cool. He liked talking about all the faraway places he'd never been and worlds he had made up. When he got home his dad was unusually tentative of him though. He had asked about school and then if he wanted to visit his grandparents when school got out. Once or twice during the conversation he seemed to get a strange look on his face, Jack chalked that up to something that was happening with Sloane. Sloane. Jack rolled his eyes in a fashion he had learned from his mother when he thought about his sister. He could sense something had gone wrong on her big date but honestly, he didn't really care. Maybe that's why his dad was being strange. Who cares? He rolled over on his side and pulled his journal from underneath his mattress.

"Still Jack Evans," he whispered taking of the headphones. "Still living in my own version of hell. I did make a couple of new friends though, and they're very cool. Ava totally wants to know about me, she's interested in my stories and what I think about things. Finally, someone who gives a damn about what's going on in the mind of Jack Evans! Khiv's okay, too. He doesn't say all that much, but he dresses real cool. They want me to go to the batting cages with them tomorrow after school. I can't wait!

"Finally, someone who will listen to me. I mean I know my parents listen when it's convenient for them. I guess sometimes I'm too hard on them, it's not like they have these real normal lives either. All this alien shit gets in the way. I wish I knew more about it. Aunt Iz tells me something's and so do the parents, but I know there's more to it. I guess they're trying to protect me, from what? I don't know. I'm not even sure if I care. They don't know the half of what I can do anyway. I'm strong. I bet I'm even better than Sloanie the Magnificent. I overheard yet another talk between mom and dad; they kept calling Sloane and Leia 'leaders'. I don't know what the hell they could lead. They're just stupid girls. Oh well, maybe I better get some sleep. I know Ms. DeLuca's planning a pop quiz for tomorrow."

Jack re-affixed the rubberband ambush and slid the journal back into it's home before closing his eyes.

* * * * * *

Sloane tried calling Leia all morning and the other end just rang and rang. After a night full of a busy signal, she was ready to drive over there. She needed to talk to Leia, annoyed with herself that she hadn't confided in her before her date with Chris. Now Leia wasn't making herself available. Sloane slammed the phone down as her mother walked by her room.

"You okay?" Liz stopped in the doorway.

"Fine," Sloane shook her head. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I left early," Liz walked into the bedroom and sat down on the bed. "So, how was your date with Chris? He seemed very nice."

"Good. Actually, it was great," Sloane smiled. "He's an artist, he wants to sketch me."

"Very cool."

"Yeah." She looked to the phone and frowned. "I think Leia is avoiding me."

"Why would she do that?"

Sloane shrugged. "I don't know, I guess she's pissed because I really didn't tell her about my date with Chris. " But I want to tell her what happened with the kiss, she thought. She wasn't ready to divulge that little tidbit of information to her mom yet. "I guess I kind of blew her off yesterday."

"Don't ever blow off your friends, Sloane." Liz nodded thinking about the faded friendship she had with Maria. "It might be too hard to get them back." The sadness in her eyes was obvious. She missed Maria.

"I know you miss her," Sloane smiled at her mother's shocked expression. "I can tell every time you guys are together lately."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know dad gets pissed about you and Michael, but friendships evolve over time. You and Maria have been friends forever, what happened?" Sloane paused wondering if she had the right to ask.

"I don't know, Sloanie. It was almost like one day Maria and I were closer than close and then the next day we hardly talked." Liz sighed and looked to the ceiling. "I know it's probably my fault; God knows I bear the guilt of it. Every time Maria has come to me to fix our friendship, I don't hold up my end of the bargain. I slide right back to brain sharing with Michael."

"Don't lose Maria, mom. She's so important to you; you and her were as tight as Leia and me. I can't imagine just not talking to Leia one day."

"I know," Liz frowned. "Maybe I can try to work things out with her again. It just used to be the two of us together and then all these…"

"Boys?" Sloane grinned.

"Yeah, boys." Liz laughed. "They came around and then babies and real life and somewhere in the shuffle, I lost Maria."

"Try to get her back mom."

Liz promised and left the room with the intentions of calling Maria. Sloane lay back on her bed and closed her eyes.

Leia? Come on, I know you're mad. Leia?

The phone ringing next to her ear gave Sloane a jolt. She picked up and before she was able to answer she heard Leia.

"Yeah, I am mad!"

"Leia, I'm sorry."

"You should be! How could you not tell me about your date with Chris? We share everything Sloanie and now you're running off on a date with someone I set you up with. That was so un-best friend like of you."

"I'm sorry," Sloane could feel her friends hurt through the phone. "I tried to get a hold of you last night. Afterwards."

"I know. I tuned you out like you did me all day yesterday."

"I was afraid that you'd be upset that I was going out with Chris after what happened with Tim."

"Are you serious?" Leia laughed into the phone. "That's stupid. I want you to date; I want to date. We're only young once, I think, so we should be doing all the things young people do. In our spare time we can fight mean grudge-holding aliens who want to wear our spleens as hats."

Sloane laughed. "Thanks, Leia."

"Sloanie, you know you can always come to me with anything. That's what I'm here for. I'm your second."

"No, my equal."

"Whatever. Anyway, how was the date with Chris?"

"Can I come over? That’s what I want to talk to you about."

* * * * * *

As the day drew to a close Isabel Evans was busy bustling around the house trying to make sure everything was perfect for her small get together. Rick was at the grill and all the other food had been prepared. It had been a while since they'd entertained and Isabel missed playing the hostess. She wished Michael and Maria would be able to join them, but knew they had other things on their minds like their pending nuptials. He was being so secretive about everything it was driving her crazy. Isabel reminded him over and over that she was one of the few who could actually keep a secret. She knew he dragged Kyle in his confidences and Iz was pretty sure she could pump him for information at dinner.

The doorbell rang as the door opened and the Evans family came in. Jack immediately went to the office and snapped the computer to life. Liz offered her help while Max slipped outside and talked to Rick. Sloane had decided against coming. The Vale