Author:Melanie

site: http://www.geocities.com/laniew1/index.html

Summary: Liz and Kyle renew their friendship only to have another shooting send Liz back to where it all began. Can she make different choices to save her friends?

Visions of My Past - Chapter 1

Liz Parker leaned forward from where she was sitting in the middle of her best friends' grave and traced his name with her fingers. She could feel the wetness from the tears that had already fallen on her cheeks. The tears that she had been unable to stop. She was losing it, she could tell even if no one else could.

Alexander Whitman

She swallowed hard as she tried to fight back the sob building.

Maria thought she didn't care. Maria thought that she was cold and unfeeling and that she didn't miss Alex at all. She didn't want to tell her that she missed Alex so much sometimes that she thought she was going mad. That she wished that she could back and change everything so Alex wouldn't die. That she could feel their small group being torn apart at the seams and there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

Everything had been slowly unraveling before Alex's death. The group moving off in their own directions. But after… after his death everything had sped to its horrendous conclusion. The revelation that Tess… Alien Tess one of the four podsters that she and the others had risked their lives for time and time again had been responsible for Alex's death had hit the group hard.

Pretty much shattering it to its core.

Everyone was dealing in different ways.

"Hi Alex," she said softly, the wind blowing her hair around her face as her eyes remained fixed on the headstone. If she tried hard enough she could almost see Alex sitting in front of her. A scolding look on his face.

"I'm late… I know… Max wanted to have a meeting to remind us how important it is that we find his son and bring him back here immediately," Liz snorted. "Like we don't all already know that."

She sighed. "I shouldn't have said it like that, I know he's just concerned about the baby," fingering the grass beside her she scowled. "He told me he loved me… How could he love me and still have slept with her Alex? I don't get it… He wants us to pick up where we left off, start dating again and what not but… it's just every time I touch him I see him and Tess together and I can't do it."

"Anyway Maria and Michael are together again… or maybe they've broken up by now. They have the strangest relationship… Isabel is seeing someone. It's supposed to be a secret so don't tell anyone," Liz grinned. "She doesn't know that anyone knows. I'm not even sure who the guy is… I'm just hoping he's not an alien… Kyle's doing good. He's been really supportive of Maria and I, he's been a great friend… sometimes I wish…"

She shook her head, there was no use in thinking about things she couldn't change. She had chosen Max and that's a decision that she would have to live with. She sat in silence, listening to the wind blow.

"I turn three tomorrow," she whispered tears falling from her eyes once more. "And I bet you no one will even remember," laughing bitterly she wiped at her face. "I mean not that I expected them to… well maybe I expected Max to. He's the one that saved me afterall," pulling her knees up to her chest she wrapped her arms around them laying her cheek against her denim clad knees, "sometimes I wish he didn't."

"I don't," Kyle said stepping out from behind the bushes he had been using for coverage. "I'm glad he did."

Kyle Valenti watched her with worry in his eyes. Liz was on the edge and no one could even see it. Max was too blind, so wrapped up in finding his son and by default Tess that he wasn't even seeing her anymore.

Maria was trying to save her relationship with Michael and trying to restart her music career all in one try.

Isabel had never really cared about Liz in the first place. She'd only seen her as an extension of Max and a threat to their precious secret.

When Liz had slipped out the backdoor of the Crashdown unnoticed, conveniently missing the impromptu meeting taking place out front to discuss some new bit of information that Max had found Kyle had followed her. He couldn't stand to listen to Max reiterate for the thousandth time how important it was to get his son back from Tess and Kivar. Like he wasn't the one that had sent them away in the first place.

Max hadn't even noticed that Liz had vanished. She'd gone back to get a glass and never returned. What a schmuck. If Liz had still been his he would have gotten the glass for her. But Liz wasn't his and they still had enemies… well actually they didn't have enemies the three remaining aliens had enemies that by default were now theirs, so he followed her at a distance to the cemetery and kept watch.

"Your glad?" Liz asked in surprise. "I would have thought…"

"Thought what?" Kyle asked, hands shoved in his coat pocket he walked up to her. Staring down at the headstone. Alex Whitman. Sometimes he wished he'd known him better so he could comfort Liz and sometimes Maria more. Could join in on their Alex stories. But he didn't and he couldn't, so the best he could offer was the ear to listen to them. He knew Alex better now that he was dead than he had when he was alive. "Thought that I'd be happy that you were dead rather than wasting your time chasing after Max Evans?"

"Something like that," Liz muttered turning away from him. Kyle sighed as he sat next to her. This wasn't going at all well. She was on the defensive and he still hated Max Evans.

"At least you were alive," he said softly. "Even if you weren't with me… you were alive and that meant that maybe someday you might come back."

"Kyle…"

"I wish I'd known him better," he changed the subject. God he'd just almost told Liz Parker that he was still in love with her. Now who was the schmuck?

"You do?"

"Yeah."

They sat in companionable silence, listening to the wind, staring at the marble stone in front of them.

"Are they still meeting?" Liz asked quietly turning her head slightly so she could look at him.

"Yeah… Maxieboy thinks he found a way to contact his son," Kyle snorted. The kid was still a fetus how did Max think he was going to contact him without alerting Tess?

"Great," Liz sighed. "So that means that we're going to take another road trip to nowhere that could end with us being arrested again. Wonderful," she muttered. "Just wonderful."

"Listen," Kyle started touching her leg softly. "I think we need some time away from the alien club…"

"What did you have in mind?" Liz asked with a frown.

"Movies tomorrow night, no aliens invited…"

"The movies?" Liz asked skeptically.

"Yeah the movies… What's wrong with the movies? Look I'll even let you choose," he offered magnanimously.

"This wouldn't be your way of trying to sneak a date by me would it?"

"A date? Nah… Ask Maria to come if you want."

"Maria won't want to come unless Michael does."

"Okay so don't ask Maria," Kyle frowned as he pushed himself to his feet holding out his hand to help her up. "This is just two friends going to see a movie that will have no aliens, doomed romances or death in it."

"But other than that the movie is my choice?" Liz laughed, smiling as she grasped his hand. He pulled her firmly to her feet. She held his hand tightly as she looked up at him.

"Your choice," he said softly. "As long as you buy the drinks."

"Okay… but if I'm buying refreshments than you're buying the popcorn."

"You're doing what?" Maria DeLuca exploded as she watched her best friend in the entire world fasten her apron around her waist and turn to walk away from her.

"Kyle and I are going to the movies tonight," Liz shrugged. "What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal? What's the big deal?! Max is begging for forgiveness and instead of giving it to him you're going to go out on a date with Kyle Valenti?! Are you nuts?! I thought you went through your jock phase already!!"

"Maria calm down," Liz said in a soothingly quiet voice. "Besides… Max isn't begging for forgiveness, well except for the one time and anyway it's not a date."

"Not a date? What'd you mean it's not a date?" Maria crossed her arms over her chest her foot tapping against the concrete floor. "If it's not the date what the hell is it?!"

"It's not a date… " Liz stated emphatically as she smoothed her skirt. "It's two friends going to the movies."

"Who's paying?" Maria arched her eyebrows as she stared at her.

"I don't know… Kyle probably. I'm buying the soda's and picking the movie… No aliens, deaths or doomed romances I believe were the only criteria."

"Liz I hate to tell you this but you're going out on a date," Maria said stiffly.

"Who's going on a date?" Michael asked from where he was leaning in the doorway.

"Liz is," Maria waved her hand at her. "Talk her out of it."

"Yeah right…" Michael muttered. "You have to cancel the big date Parker… Maxwell wants to meet tonight at eight."

"Well you tell Max that we'll swing by after the movies over," Liz said angrily. Damned if she was going to cancel her plans because Max couldn't deliver his own damn messages. "And it's not a date," she muttered as she shoved through the swinging door.

Plastering a smile on her face she pulled her order pad and pen out of her pocket and walked up to her first table. "Hi welcome to the Crashdown café… can I get you something to drink while you're looking at the menu?" she smiled stiffly.

Jotting the drink order she walked back to the counter, making herself busy as she filled the cups. Studiously ignoring Michael's eyes on her back. "Go away Michael," she said under her breath as she breezed past him.

"After you agree to cancel your date."

"It's not a date."

And that's how her morning went. Really it should have been a sign that the day was pretty much going to suck. Every time she passed Michael or Maria they would mutter at her about canceling her date and she would mutter back over her dead body.

The two men and one woman who sat in Maria's section didn't look violent. And she would never have thought that the woman would pull a gun on them but she guessed it just went to show that you couldn't judge a book by its cover.

She was getting refills for a table when she heard the argument start. A vaguely familiar argument and an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu passed over her as she slowly turned. One of the men was struggling with the female the other sitting in a state of shock.

"Liz," Maria screamed as she first caught sight of the gun. Michael jumped up from where he had been sitting at the counter, Liz came around from the counter.

And then everything slowed down. It seemed to take an awful long time for Michael to jump off his stool. Maria whirled and ducked and then the loud bang as the gun discharged.

The sensation of being shot a second time didn't really exist for her until she tripped backward and crumpled to the floor.

She could hear Maria screaming her name through the hazy fog that had settled over her brain. Could see her running forward.

She saw Michael leaning over her, tapping her cheek. His lips moved but no sound emanated from them. She frowned up at him, her face contorting as the shock of being shot again finally hit her. Wow the pain didn't feel any different.

She felt herself being scooped up in Michael's strong arms as he started moving. Going where she had no idea. Hopefully the hospital.

And then she saw nothing as darkness overcame her and her eyes rolled back in her head.

"…it sounds like you're describing a poodle," Maria was saying sarcastically as she turned to walk away.

"Eh?" Liz managed to muster as she touched her hand to her stomach and raised it to her eyes. Blinking in startled confusion as she saw no blood. There was supposed to be blood… why was there supposed to be blood? She blinked again, Maria turning back to her.

"What do you mean 'eh'? Are you listening to me?" Maria said impatiently her foot tapping.

"No," she said honestly as she shook her head to try and clear the fogginess.

"Well at least you're honest about it," Maria muttered. "Are you okay?" she peered closely at her. "Maybe you need to up your vitamin intake."

"I'm fine," Liz managed as she looked around still shaking her head. "What did you do to your hair?" she asked suddenly, the last time she'd seen Maria with hair that short had been years ago. Years ago? No it hadn't… years ago Maria had been a pigtail fanatic like her. What the heck was going on?

Maria gasped in horror her hand flying defensively to said hair. "You said you liked it," she cried.

"Oh, no I do," Liz said quickly squinting as she cocked her head to the side. At least it'll grow back she sighed inwardly, won't it? "You ever have déjà vu Maria?"

"Not recently," Maria muttered. "I'm going to go wait my tables before you say something else derogatory about my hair." And with that she turned on her heel stalking away.

Liz watched her for a moment before she looked around the restaurant again. Michael and Max sitting at a booth to the side. Michael and…. Max. Max hadn't been at the Crashdown. Had he? She shook her head once again. What the hell was going on?

She continued to stare over at them, Michael scowling at her as he finally noticed her watching them. The sound of the fight between two men in Maria's section drew her attention suddenly.

"Liz!" Maria screamed as one of the men pulled a gun waving it. Liz started forward, Maria backed away as the men struggled and then the gun fired and Liz stared in horror down at herself before she crumpled once more to the floor of the restaurant. Not again she thought as she stared up at the ceiling for the second time in less than an hour.

This time though instead of Michael's face hovering over hers she saw Max's and she looked up at him in confusion. When she felt him rip the top of her uniform open she realized that she had to stop him, she wasn't sure why though. Why did she have to stop him? It would end badly if she didn't she realized suddenly. Everything would end horribly and they would all suffer. Drawing from a reserve of strength she hadn't realized that she had she raised her hand to lay over his.

"Don't…" she managed to squeak out his shocked chocolate brown eyes meeting hers. "Please don't," she whispered again as her eyes rolled back in her head once more and everything went dark.

Visions of My Past - Chapter 2

Kyle Valenti was having a bad day.

It had actually started out pretty good. Liz had called him first thing that morning to remind him that he needed to go to basketball practice. And there were actually worse things to have happen than to have your beautiful girlfriend wake you up first thing in the morning. So in actuality it should have been a pretty good day… but unfortunately once Liz had hung up he had rolled back over and went back to sleep. So now he was running late.

Really late. When he raced into the gym at Roswell high his coach was already standing at the front of the bleachers droning on in his pre-game season voice.

"Valenti… you're late," he barked not even turning as Kyle heard the door slam shut behind him.

"Yes sir… sorry sir," he said quickly as he took his seat between Henry and Jake. Both shot him looks of commiseration that indicated that he hadn't been the only one late this morning.

As coach started droning on again he leaned back and relaxed.

"So where were you?" Jake muttered under his breath as he kept one eye on the little man talking in front of them.

"Asleep."

"Wish I were asleep," Henry whispered under his breath. "Why are we here again? Basketball season doesn't even start for another two months."

Kyle didn't get a chance to issue the smart alec retort that was on the top of the tongue. The door banging to the gym drew everyone's attention and he sat straight up as he saw Deputy Drexler walking awkwardly to the gathering. He gripped his hat tightly in his hands and studiously avoided the gazes from the basketball team instead focusing attentively on their coach.

Kyle leaned forward with the rest of the team trying to hear what was being said as Deputy Drexler reached their coach and their heads turned away as they whispered. He glanced down at his watch. Couldn't be his dad… his dad wasn't even on duty yet. Then he snorted to himself… his father was always on duty.

"Valenti," coach called waving him down from the bleachers.

Kyle moved slowly forward his eyes fixed on the deputy's face. It wasn't his father, surely he would know if it were his father. But his dad must have trained the deputy personally as an inscrutable expression had crossed his face and Kyle couldn't read anything from him.

"What's up? It's not my dad," he said as he reached them.

"I'm supposed to take you to the hospital kid," Drexler stated as he turned away.

"The hospital? What's going on?" he asked as they walked side by side out of the gym, he ignored the looks from the rest of the team and heard coach begin talking again.

"I'm just supposed to take you to the hospital, that's all."

"Look I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," Kyle halted a stubborn expression on his face as his arms crossed over his chest.

Deputy Drexler sighed as he turned to him, planting his hat firmly on his head he stared at him. Sheriff Valenti had given him strict instructions. No one but the Sheriff was supposed to tell his son who the victim of the shooting had been. But he'd never said that he couldn't tell the kid that there'd been a shooting or where the shooting had been. He had a feeling that if Kyle knew where the shooting had taken place that he could be two and two together and move his butt.

"There was a shooting earlier today," he said quietly as he turned away.

"What? Where? Not my dad…" Kyle sputtered shaking his head in denial as he grabbed the deputy's shoulder to turn him back again.

"No… it was at the Crashdown."

"Oh my god… Liz," Kyle whispered. "It was Liz… wasn't it?" he closed his eyes for a moment before his feet started running toward the car he recognized as the deputy's. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

Maria DeLuca was crying. She really didn't want to be and she had actually been handling the fact that her best friend was in surgery right now having a bullet removed very well until Alex Whitman had appeared at the hospital. She had taken one look at him and burst into hysterical tears.

So now she was sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair in the waiting room for the ER with her best friends blood staining her uniform crying again.

She must look totally pathetic.

"Someone should call Kyle," she managed to get out between sobs.

"I think the sheriff sent someone to get him," Alex said in what he hoped was a soothing voice. He couldn't quite contain the tremor that appeared though and he tightened his arm around her shoulder as he realized that he was shaking again.

Maria looked down at her hands, she was wringing them together in agitation. She had scrubbed them in the bathroom once she had gotten to the hospital. Scrubbed them until they looked raw but she could still see the blood that had been there. Could still see Liz lying unmoving on the floor Max hovering over her.

Max had ordered her to call 911 then grabbed her upon her return, telling her to press "here". Here being Liz's bleeding stomach. His face had been sheet white and he'd looked as if someone had spooked him bad. But he'd spoken with a commanding tone so she'd done what he said. Applying pressure as they tried to keep Liz alive until the ambulance came.

"Stop it Maria," Alex ordered as he laid his other hand over hers.

"I can still see the blood," she cried covering her face with her hands. "I can still see all that blood… What the hell is going on?!"

"Calm down… she's in the hospital and the doctors are going to fix her up and everything will be fine."

"Fine? Fine?! Alex she could be dying in there and we wouldn't even know!"

"She's not going to die," Alex said with a positive tone he really didn't feel.

"How do you know? You're not a doctor," Maria muttered.

"Because I do… besides nothing bad ever happens in this town."

Maria snorted as she wiped at her face. "Yeah… right… I think you're conveniently forgetting the two suicides last year and the car accident. The hostage thing at the gas station."

"Well…" Alex started looking up as a commotion drew his attention.

"Maria!" Amy DeLuca cried getting a good look at her daughter. She tried to move forward to get to Maria's side but was stopped by a deputy's arm holding her back. "Excuse me that's my daughter there," she stated angrily as she tried to shove her way past him.

"It's okay," Sheriff Jim Valenti waved his deputy off. "Let her in."

"Thank you Sheriff," Amy said stiffly her hand winding around the bag she had over her shoulder.

"Jim…" he smiled softly at her, she ignored him as she walked past intent only on her daughter. Looking away he gazed out the door that Amy had entered through and saw his son barreling towards him. "Damn," he murmured under his breath. He already knows.

"Mom," Maria sobbed as she threw herself in her mothers' arms.

"Shh," Amy whispered against her hair holding her daughter fiercely unmindful of the blood staining her uniform or the sobs racking her body. "It's going to be okay, it's all going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay."

"Dad," Kyle came to a shrieking halt as soon as he saw his father. "It's not true right? Someone got their information wrong because I just talked to her this morning. She was fine this morning."

"I'm sorry son," Jim clasped a hand to his shoulder squeezing tightly, glaring over Kyle's shoulder at his deputy who looked sheepishly back at him. "She's in surgery now… we'll know more soon."

"Sheriff," Amy walked up to them her arm around a still crying Maria. "I brought some clothes for Maria to change into is that okay?"

"Yeah that's fine," Jim turned to face her his hand still gripping Kyle's shoulder. "Henderson go with them," he waved a young female officer over.

"Why do we need an officer to assist us in changing," Amy muttered belligerently. "We're both adults I think we can manage."

"It's just a precaution," Jim said quietly.

Amy studied him before she tightened her arm around her daughter. "You haven't caught them yet… have you?" she accused him quietly.

"We've got one of them… we're still looking for the other. But right now your daughter is one of our only eye witnesses and she's the only witness that got a really good look at the two men."

Amy nodded stiffly. "Fine," she smiled thinly as Deputy Henderson joined them. The three women walked away together. Amy patting Alex's shoulder reassuringly as they passed.

"Kyle why don't you go home, I'll let you know as soon as something changes," Jim turned back to Kyle.

"I'm not going anywhere until I know that Liz is okay," Kyle said. With a thin-eyed glare at his father he walked away sitting in the now vacated chair by Alex. Crossing his arms over his chest and relaxing back he stared straight ahead.

"What are we doing here Maxwell?" Michael asked quietly from where he was leaning against the wall. He rolled his eyes when he saw Maria DeLuca begin crying… again. Christ the girl was a waterfall. Every time you turned around the tears were going again.

"I just want to make sure she's going to be okay," Max mumbled under his breath.

"Who cares? You said you didn't get a chance to heal her before Maria got back. Which is a good thing because that would have been stupid… and you're not stupid Maxwell. So if she dies she dies, you tried your best. It doesn't concern us."

"I had plenty of time to heal her," Max said softly.

"What?" Michael looked over at him in shock. "I thought you said…"

"I lied… I had time to heal her, I had plenty of time but…"

"But what?!"

"She stopped me."

"She stopped you? What the hell are you talking about? How could she stop you? She was unconscious."

"No she wasn't," Max shook his head, running his fingers through his hair as he shifted on his feet.

Don't…. Please don't. He could see the pleading in her eyes, the desperation to stop him before she passed out. Before he healed her. He hadn't understood. And by the time he had decided to just go ahead and do it regardless Maria had returned hovering anxiously above them. He had grabbed her hand pulling her down next to him. Ordering her to help him and she had.

But he still didn't understand. How could she have known what he was going to do unless…

"She told me not to… I had my hand over the wound and everything I just had to make the connection. She put her hand over mine and said don't… please don't."

"She couldn't have known Max," Michael sighed. "She probably didn't want you to save her… She's all scientific and stuff she probably knew she was a lost cause and didn't want anyone to expend the extra energy."

"You didn't see her Michael… her eyes when she was looking at me," he shook his head. "She knew. She knew I was going to try and heal her and she stopped me."

"How could she…" Michael drawled off as the possibilities crashed home. And there were many. She could be one of them or she could be one of their enemies. "Oh my god."

"She can't be one of us Michael… she just can't. She was there the first day we went to school… she was already there."

"Then how did she know that you were going to try and heal her Max? There's only three people that even know you can do that and she's not one of them."

"I don't know… but we need to find out," Max said quietly. "We need to find out what she knows or what she is. And we need to find out if she's shared that information with anyone else."

They both glanced over to where Kyle was sitting next to Alex. To where Maria was walking back into the waiting room in a pair of loose blue jeans and a T-shirt followed by her mother. To where the sheriff was talking quietly with one of his deputies.

"We need to find out soon and I have a feeling time is of an essence here," Max said quietly.

I'm glad he did…

Tess killed Alex…

You didn't sleep with Kyle… did you?…

Tess is pregnant…

You don't want to believe that an alien killed Alex because that would mean you were responsible…

Alex is dead…

I believe in you…

I need you to help me fall out of love with you…

I saw you kiss Tess…

I'm not from around here…

Don't tell anyone…. Please….

Visions of My Past - Chapter 3

Kyle stretched in his uncomfortable chair. He'd had to move over one when Maria had come back earlier and now she was curled up in a ball, her head resting in Alex's lap as she slept.

He had no idea how she did it. He couldn't sleep. Not until he knew that Liz was going to be okay. But he supposed that Maria'd had a rough day. He'd finally heard what had happened and that was the only thing that was keeping him from kicking Max Evans out of the waiting room.

Max Evans had saved his girlfriends life. Of course he'd probably had ulterior motives. Liz might have missed them but Kyle had not… the little looks that Max threw at her. Evans had a crush on his girlfriend and there was no way that Kyle was going to just hand her over to him.

He felt gratitude that the guy had been there and that he and Maria had managed to keep Liz alive. But not enough to give her up.

"Son why don't you go home," Jim sat down in the chair next to his son. Kyle had a pale drawn expression on his face. His eyes unreadable.

"I'm not going home until I know that she's going to be okay," Kyle stated stubbornly. They'd had this conversation several times now. Kyle was getting tired of it. He knew his dad was just trying to protect him. His dad didn't want him here if the doctors came out to tell the Parkers that their only child had died.

The Parkers… Kyle glanced over to where they were huddled together with Amy DeLuca. Liz's mom Nancy had finally stopped crying and was wrapped up tight against her husbands' side. Jeff Parker had a wild look in his eyes. The thought of anyone hurting his baby had hit him hard and Kyle thought he might still be in shock.

"I know you want to wait…" Jim stopped as he saw a doctor approaching. Walking slowly down the hallway all eyes in the room were drawn to him as he pushed the door open and entered.

"Mr. and Mrs. Parker?" he asked quietly as his eyes perused the room. They stood in unison, Nancy reaching for and gripping her husbands hand tightly as they moved forward.

Kyle stood slowly as the doctor moved them off to the side. Speaking softly. Alex shook Maria awake and her eyes widened immediately upon seeing the doctor speaking to Liz's parents.

"Alex," she whispered as she sat up. Jim stood next to Kyle as they waited.

Max and Michael moved further into the room, joining the group but still staying on the edges. Part of it but not part of it.

Amy wrapped her arm around Maria's shoulder, Maria and Alex clutching hands fiercely.

"What's taking so long?" Alex murmured as he began rocking on his feet. This was horrible. Absolutely horrible. How long did it take to say that she was going to be okay?

Maria started silently crying when Nancy began wailing, flinging herself against her husband. He held her around the waist as he continued listening to the doctor speak, finally reaching out to shake his hand before the doctor turned away.

They waited impatiently. Loathe to move forward and find out the truth. Loathe to find out if she was dead. Jeff held his wife firmly before turning his attention to the group behind him. His eyes meeting first Jim's than Amy's.

Amy tightened her arm around Maria's shoulder, Jim gripped Kyle's shoulder as the Parkers moved toward them Nancy still crying.

"Jeff," Jim started. "What…"

"She's out of surgery… she's still alive… they don't," Jeff's voice broke as he closed his eyes. "They don't have high hopes for a recovery. He quoted a lot of statistics… The bullet did a lot of damage… She's in a coma," he whispered. "They don't think she's going to make it."

Six weeks later:

Kyle leaned forward in his chair and studied the girl before him. She looked like she was sleeping. If he didn't know that she was in a coma. If he didn't know that her condition hadn't changed one iota since being moved out of the ICU and into a private room he wouldn't be able to tell.

She looked beautiful as always.

The room around them was filled with flowers, cards, stuffed animals of every variety. Some of them brought by him, some sent by friends from school. Friends of both of theirs because everyone knew that they were dating.

He was part of a couple. School had started and his name was firmly and indelibly linked with Liz Parkers. Everyone knew that he spent every afternoon after school at the hospital along with Alex Whitman and Maria DeLuca.

Who would have thought that he would count Alex and Maria as friends. They were a little weird. And if Maria didn't stop trying to force vitamins on him he was going to have to do something drastic. He wasn't sure what yet but it would come to him.

"Hey Liz," he said softly smoothing her hair down over her shoulder. It was loose today, flowing loosely over her shoulders. Normally it was in a pig tail, but some days the nurses liked to do something a little different. "Maria and Alex are going to be a little late today so I get to spend an extra hour with you… if you don't mind of course. If you do you're going to have to open those pretty eyes of yours and tell me to go away."

He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. Physically her wounds had healed. The doctors weren't sure why she was still in a coma, by their accounts she should have come of it by now. The longer she stayed in the coma the less likely she was to come out of it.

"I miss you," he whispered, he had his chair pulled close to the bed and held one of her hands loosely in his. "If this was your way of making sure you didn't need to go to any basketball games it's a bit extreme," he smiled so she would know he was joking. Keeping his tone light and filled with humor.

He did miss her. He missed her calling him first thing in the morning to make sure he was up. He missed walking into the Crashdown and seeing her in her uniform with its short skirt and the funky antennae that she was self-conscious about.

"Did I tell you that Max Evans tried to sneak in your room again yesterday? I don't know what that guy's problem is… If he just asked to come visit you it would be one thing but…" Kyle stopped turning away. But instead he tried to sneak in. Waiting until after visiting hours were over.

Kyle had caught him the first time he had done it. He'd left his math book in the room and had to go back for it. There Max had been standing over Liz's bed staring down at her. Kyle had been pissed. The look on Max's face… it had been indescribable.

Max Evans wanted something from her and Kyle was going to make sure that he didn't get it. But he couldn't be here all the time. He wanted Liz to wake up soon so she could leave the hospital yes, but he also wanted to protect her from Evans.

He obviously hadn't got what he wanted yet. If he had he would have stopped trying to get into her room.

He glared at the roses sitting on one of the many tables. Max had sent the roses. A dozen red ones appeared every week from him.

"Hey Kyle," Maria's cheerful face appeared in the door followed by Alex's. "We found someone wandering the hall," she grinned as his fathers face appeared next.

"Hey dad," Kyle smiled as he stood to take the books from Maria's arms. "What are these?"

"Well we've tried everything else so Maria's going to try and bore her awake now," Alex said breathlessly as he dumped the stack of books in his arms on an empty chair.

"They're pictures from when we were kids. I thought…" Maria shrugged as Kyle joined Alex in laughing at her. "Hey we've tried everything else," she said defensively.

"What are you doing here?" he asked focusing on his father who was shifting on his feet holding his hat in his hands.

"I'm taking you home," his father said sternly.

"Dad…"

"I'm taking you home, Maria and Alex can sit with Liz for today and you can come back tomorrow."

"But what if she wakes up… what if I'm not here…" Kyle said quietly looking to Maria and Alex for help. Both of them just looked away instead focusing on the books that they'd brought with them.

They both felt the same way. But they'd also both been through this exact same scenario with their own parents. Amy had taken Maria home from the hospital just a few days ago. Alex had been forbidden to visit for two days. All the parents were worried that they were overextending themselves.

Trying to do both school and stay with Liz

"If something happens I'm sure they'll call and let you know," Jim said looking at Maria and Alex for confirmation.

"Of course," Maria nodded.

"Good, lets go," Jim said moving to the door. Holding it open he waited, Kyle frowning at him as he picked up his coat.

"This is not fair," he muttered as he slipped it on.

"When you're eighteen you can sit in the hospital for as long as you want," Jim said from the door.

Maria snorted as she patted Kyle's arm. "We will call if something happens."

"Thanks."

Maria laughed as she glanced over Alex's shoulder.

"I don't remember that picture," Alex whined as he flipped quickly past the page.

"Oh come on… you can't honestly think that Liz and I don't know all about that huge crush you have on Isabel?" Maria grinned as she pushed his hands out of the way and flipped back to the previous page. "I mean it's so obvious."

"What's so obvious about it?" Alex muttered as he looked away.

"Oh I don't know… how about the big puppy dog eyes, the way you're standing so close to her. How about the way you're staring at her instead of the camera," Maria winked.

"Stay away from Isabel."

"What?" Alex asked in surprise.

"I didn't say anything," Maria grinned still looking down at the pictures.

"I heard…" Alex glanced over at Liz. At his best friend who hadn't made a sound in six weeks and saw her eyes opened in narrow slits blinking sleepily at him. "Liz?" he breathed standing abruptly dumping the album that had been in his lap on the floor.

"What are you…" Maria followed his gaze, her hand flying to her mouth as she choked back a scream. "Liz," she whispered moving forward slowly. Her hand trembling she reached out and touched Liz's. Her fingers wrapping around her friends she squeaked as Liz's gripped hers.

Alex stood stock still and then in a flurry of motion had pressed the button to summon the nurse and moved to the other side of the bed taking Liz's other hand in his.

"I'm tired," Liz said quietly closing her eyes. "I'm so tired."

Kyle slammed his cup down on the kitchen table. His father had sat him down at the table sat a cup of something and a sandwich in front of him and told him to eat. Leaning against the refrigerator he had crossed his arms and fixed his gaze upon him.

"I'm done can I go back to the hospital now?" he pushed the plate away.

"Kyle," Jim sighed. "Don't you think you're spending a bit too much time at the hospital…? I know that you and Miss Parker were dating and were close but…."

"I love her dad," Kyle said suddenly. "I know you don't believe me but…."

"You're young son… you're going to fall in love a lot of times before you find the person that you're going to spend the rest of your life with… and even then…"

"And what if I've found her…. What if Liz is the woman that I want?"

"Kyle," Jim shook his head. Heading off Kyle at the phone he picked it up as it rang. "Hello?"

"Sheriff Valenti this is Maria… Maria DeLuca is Kyle there?"

"What can I do for you Maria?" Jim frowned as he heard the cheerful tone of her voice.

"She's awake… Liz is awake."

Liz Parker had been trapped in darkness. She didn't know how long she had been trapped but she knew that she had been scared.

While she had been trapped she had listened to the voices.

She had heard Maria's voice, the one that sometimes broke down in sobs. Maria had talked about them. Talked about their childhood about their memories. About their friendship. She missed Maria. Missed her cheerful banter.

She had heard Kyle's voice, he had broke down once or twice when no on else was around. He talked about school, about his new friendships with Maria and Alex. He talked about them. About how he felt about her. She missed Kyle. Missed his strength.

And she heard a voice that should not have been there. She heard Alex's voice. Alex who was dead, Alex who had been murdered by Tess.

She had closed her eyes upon escaping the darkness the first time. She had been scared that she would be trapped again but as she opened her eyes the second time she realized that she was free. And she realized that something was desperately wrong.

"Maria," she uttered hoarsely.

"Liz," Maria smiled through her tears coming back to the bed. "I called your parents there on their way, I called Kyle the Sheriff is bringing him back… he's so mad. He's been here this entire time and you woke up for us," she took her hand squeezing it tightly. "I'm so glad that you're okay."

"What happened?" Liz asked quietly. Maria's hair… Maria's hair was still wrong, she closed her eyes momentarily. Maria hadn't had short hair like that since…

"You were shot," Maria said quietly. "They caught the guys, both of them… Max and I we did the whole apply pressure thing until the ambulance came…"

"Max?" Liz asked softly wincing as she moved.

"Yeah he had me call 911 then I helped him with you... Liz are you okay?" Maria asked worriedly.

"Yeah…" Liz murmured. Max? Max hadn't been at the Crashdown… it had been Maria and Michael. They had been trying to get me to cancel my plans to go to the movies with Kyle that night. Max had wanted to meet… he had some information on his son.

"The nurse'll be right here," Alex burst into the room, excited energy clinging to him.

Liz looked over at him. Looked at Alex standing there alive and safe and did the only thing she could do. She burst into hysterical tears.

Alex had obviously not been murdered by Tess, Maria's hair was different, Kyle was talking about school and she knew why. She was back at the beginning again. She'd only been shot one other time and that was when everything had begun. She had been shot in the Crashdown and Max had healed her. He'd saved her life but in doing so he had irrevocably tied her and her friends to him and the other aliens.

Max. Michael. Isabel. Tess. Tess who wasn't here yet but who would be coming soon. Tess who was Max's mate, his bride. Tess the alien that along with Nasedo had had a deal with the skins to get pregnant with Max's child and then turn the child and the other three aliens over to Kivar.

She remembered it all and it hadn't even happened yet. It might not even happen now that she'd stopped Max from healing her. But she had to make sure.

"Alex," she whispered as he came up on the other side of the bed. "Alex," she pulled him into a fierce hug sobs racking her body.

She would not let him die this time. She would not let Tess betray the others. And she would make different choices.

First choice… Max Evans was not going to tear her heart out. In the other line, when Max had healed her she had dumped Kyle for Max and regretted it. In this line she was still with Kyle and she was going to stay with him and make the right decisions this time.

Visions of My Past - Chapter 4

"Maxwell," Michael hissed into the phone turning away from the hallway he covered the receiver with his hand.

"Michael where the hell are you?" Max sputtered. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago."

"Maxwell shut up! I'm still at the hospital…"

"At the hospital? Why are you still there? I thought you were just going to check on Liz's status."

"Yeah I was… but then she woke up," Michael muttered as he forced a smile at a nurse that passed him. She shook her head shooting him a strange look as she continued down the hall.

"She woke up? You mean she came out of her coma?"

"Yeah…"

"Damn."

"My thoughts exactly… you didn't get anything from her when you went to see her in the hospital?"

"You mean when I could get into the room without her pet guard dog Kyle Valenti there? No… every time I tried to make a connection with her nothing happened. It was almost like she was blocking me, like she didn't want me to see what was there. Isabel even tried to dreamwalk her but she got nothing but haziness and some stuff that didn't make any sense."

"How is that possible Max?" Michael murmured as he watched the Valenti's walk down the hallway. He shot a fake smile and nodded at the Sheriff, Kyle ignored him his attention solely on the room they were getting ready to walk into. "How is it possible that both of you couldn't get anything from her?"

"I don't know… maybe we can get her to talk to us now that she's awake," Max said quietly as Isabel walked into his room.

"Is that Michael?" she asked stiffly. "Tell him that some of us have plans and he better be here soon."

"Liz came out of her coma," Michael heard Max say softly.

"What? I thought she was dying?"

"Yeah that's what we all thought… Has she said anything Michael?"

"No… as far as I can tell she hasn't said much of anything to anyone. Maria DeLuca and Alex Whitman were with her when she woke up. But she can't be one of us Max… I mean it would be obvious if she was, she's been in the hospital for six weeks… someone would have figured it out by now."

"Well something is going on… she knew that I was going to try and heal her… she knew and we need to find out how she knew and what else she knows."

"Hey," Kyle poked his head in the door. "Are we interrupting?" he asked with a smile as he walked into the room. Jim entered behind him.

"Hey," Liz said softly smiling at him, she held out her hand and he walked forward one hand behind his back. "What are you hiding behind your back?" she asked with a grin.

"I don't know," Kyle winked at her, whipping his hand out from behind his back he bowed before her. "I thought I'd bring you some flowers."

Liz laughed at him as Maria took the flowers out of his hands. "I'll just go put these in water," she smiled her eyes were still watery from crying but she was so happy she couldn't stop smiling.

Liz took his hand in hers holding it tightly as he sat in the chair that Maria had just vacated. "Hi Sheriff," she said with a shy smile.

"How are you feeling Miss Parker?" he asked as he stood at the foot of her bed. He gripped the railing with his hands as he studied her.

"I feel pretty good actually. A little sore, tired… but I'm alive," she said softly gripping Kyle's hand tightly within hers. She glanced over at Alex whose hand she was also holding and smiled.

"Yes you are… I must say you gave us all a pretty bad scare there… Kyle was quite worried about you."

"Dad…" Kyle moaned closing his eyes and covering his face as it flushed red with his free hand.

"Well you were," Jim shrugged with a grin. He winked at Liz and she silently laughed at him. In the future he wasn't the sheriff anymore. He had lost his job because of his dealings with the aliens. She was going to make sure that didn't happen. No one was going to lose the things they cared about if she could help it.

"I think it's sweet that you were worried about me," Liz whispered tugging on his hand to regain his attention. He dropped his hand from his eyes and stared at her. Stroking her hand with his thumb he smiled at her. She smiled up at him.

He had been bound to the aliens as well. Because of her. It has all started because Max had healed her. Because of her non-shooting the Sheriff had been relentlessly pursuing the truth and that had caused Kyle to get shot and in return healed by Max. He was going to be okay now. And so was she.

"I was worried," he whispered leaning close to her.

"I was too," she whispered back. They stared at each other, then the moment was broken when both Alex and Jim cleared their throats.

"Well," Jim murmured. "Have your parents been here yet?"

"The doctor pulled them aside shortly after they got here… they should be back soon."

"Well I'll let you kids talk and I'll go see if I can find them," Jim said as he backed out of the room.

When the door shut behind him Liz turned to Kyle. "Is it true that they caught both the guys from the Crashdown?"

Kyle cleared his throat, exchanging a look with Alex before glancing at Maria who had just re-entered holding a pitcher with Kyle's flowers in her hands.

"They did… didn't they?" Liz asked her eyes moving between them.

"Yeah," Alex put an arm around Maria's shoulders as she moved up next to him. "They caught the one that shot you immediately. They caught the other guy just about a week ago."

"Good… good," Liz nodded. They hadn't been caught originally. But originally she had been healed by Max and there had been no real reason to hunt for them… because no one had been shot. She wondered who they were and if they had an ulterior motive for being in the Crashdown that day.

Just like she wondered about the woman that had shot her and started this all over again. Was it all planned or just an accident? She guessed she would find out.

"Hey," Kyle touched her cheek lightly drawing her attention back to the present. "Where'd you wander off to?"

"Sorry," Liz fought the yawn that threatened wincing as her stomach ached. God getting shot hurt like hell. "I'm just so tired."

"So go back to sleep… you're okay now," Maria smiled at her laying her hand over the one holding Alex's.

"Okay," Liz muttered sleepily closing her eyes. "Don't let me sleep to long," she whispered.

Everyone was safe. She was going to have to figure out exactly where they were supposed to be. Six weeks after her original shooting certain things in the original line had happened already.

Maria had known the secrets about Max, Michael and Isabel.

Sheriff Valenti had already been suspicious of Max.

She had already broken up with Kyle.

Max and she had met Riverdog and Eddie.

Katherine Topolsky, the FBI agent had already come and they had gone to Atherton's dome.

She wondered if it would be safe for that to happen now if she wasn't tied to Max. Michael wouldn't get sick and they wouldn't find the healing stones if they didn't meet Riverdog.

So the question was… could she still help them and not get her heart stomped on? Could she still help them and not stomp on Kyle's? Could she give them the answers they sought without endangering Maria and Alex?

She guessed she would see.

Visions of My Past - Chapter 5

Liz was feigning sleep. Kyle, Maria and Alex had all left several hours earlier. Her parents had sat in her room, her mother crying her father gripping her hand telling her the same stuff over and over again.

They loved her. Her family loved her. Her grandma Claudia was on her way back. Again.

The last comment had surprised her. Her grandma Claudia had died shortly after Max had healed her in the previous line. Her father had made a comment that she'd had some chest pains upon hearing that Liz had been shot and was in the hospital. She had come when she had originally been admitted. She had left a week prior to pick some items up from her house and to take care of some issues and then she would be back.

She couldn't wait to see her.

The nurse had come in after her parents had left to check on her. And had returned three times since then. She was something akin to a miracle she supposed.

She was feigning sleep now because people had snuck in her room after the nurse had made her last visit. She could hear them stumbling their way around the room and she wondered how they had managed to remain undetected in Roswell for as long as they had.

"Max," she heard Michael hiss from the foot of the bed.

"Shh," both Max and Isabel in unison managed. Liz had to choke back a giggle.

Christ they were to funny.

Max in the future knew she was a light sleeper… this Max of course was unaware of that fact and probably thought she was still medicated.

She felt Max's cool hand touch her forehead and focused all her energy on remaining still, and blocking Max from receiving images from her.

She had learned that little trick just a few months prior and now she was quite thankful. She would find out shortly if her being able to block Max was because of him having healed her or if it was a natural talent that any human could do.

"Anything?" Isabel whispered hovering anxiously on the other side of the bed. She hated the idea of someone, a human especially knowing their secret.

"No," Max sighed and removed his hand. Tightening it in a fist at his side he stared dejectedly down at Liz.

"How is that possible Max?" Michael muttered. "You should be able to pick something up from her… maybe you're not concentrating enough?"

"No… there's nothing there," Max said quietly.

"How can there be nothing there? She's awake now… Isabel couldn't get anything when she was in a coma. You can't get anything now that she's out."

"You don't need to tell us what we already know Michael," Isabel hissed angrily her eyes focused on Max's.

"Well what we know is all well and good. We need to know what she knows."

"Isabel maybe you can try dreamwalking her again?" Max asked.

"Is it even worth it?" Isabel asked bitterly, staring down at the girl that might have the power to ruin their entire lives in one fell swoop.

"If it gives us the answers we need…."

"Fine," Isabel sighed. "I'll need a few minutes…"

Liz waited until she heard Isabel move across the room before she slowly opened her eyes, focusing on Michael at the end of the bed first. She kept her gaze sleepy, her eyes opened in tiny slits as she waited for him to look at her.

"Max," he muttered, reaching across the bed he hit Max with his hand to gain his attention before tilting his head at Liz who was now sleepily perusing the room.

"Liz," Max said softly, Isabel gasped jumping up from the chair she had been attempting to get comfortable in and moving to Max's side.

"Max," Liz said hoarsely, stretching her shoulders she looked from one face to the other. God, they looked like three kids that had got caught with their fingers in the cookie jar.

"What are you doing in my room?" she asked tiredly, closing her eyes for a moment to feign sleepiness she forced them open and stared up at Max.

His eyes widened as the implications of them in her room late at night dawned on him. She could almost hear what he was thinking. If she doesn't know already, just being here will make her suspicious. His eyes looked away from her, focusing first on Isabel then Michael who were both standing aside waiting for him to ask the questions on all their minds.

"We heard that you were awake," he started awkwardly. Liz bit her lower lip to keep from laughing.

"Yeah… so?" she asked keeping her tone sleepy and uninterested.

"It's just," Max glanced away, eyeing Michael before turning back to her. "When you were shot…" he winced as he stared down at her. His expression earnest, eyes wide. "Well you said something…"

"I did?" Liz asked in confusion. Raising a hand she rubbed her forehead. "That day is all sort of hazy," she said softly.

"Yeah…you… you said don't… please don't… Do you remember?" Max asked quietly.

"No," Liz shook her head. "I remember the shooting and then I remember waking up here," she shrugged. "Sorry."

"Oh… well that's okay," Max backed away from the bed. "It wasn't really important anyway… I hope you feel better," he said as he waved the other two out of the room and backed away.

"Thanks… Hey Max?" she called when he turned to walk out the door.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for saving my life," she smiled at him. "If you and Maria hadn't been there… I shudder to think about where I would be now."

"It was nothing," he said quietly. "I only wish I could have done more."

I just bet you do Liz frowned as the door closed behind them. I just bet you do.

"Well that was productive… not," Michael grumbled as the walked down the hallway. "So she doesn't know anything… although she may think something else is going on now that the three of us… who've never talked to her ever before were all in her room at midnight."

"She's lying," Isabel said suddenly glancing down the hallway back at the door they had just walked out of.

"Is?" Max laid his hand on her arm, stopping her at the elevator. "What do you mean she's lying?"

"She's lying… she knows something she just doesn't want us to know that she knows something," Isabel said simply jabbing at the down button repeatedly.

"How do you figure?" Michael asked staring at her. "She said she didn't remember saying anything to Max."

"She was lying."

"How do you figure?"

"I don't know… call it women's intuition. Liz Parker knows something she just doesn't want to share that information with us."

"Well does that women's intuition of yours tell you anything about who else she may have told what she knows?" Michael asked sarcastically.

"I don't think she's told anyone… at least not yet," Isabel glanced once more down the hallway.

"Well we need to make sure she doesn't share whatever she knows with anyone else… at least not until she shares that information with us," Max said quietly as he walked into the elevator.

"Any idea on how to accomplish that?" Michael asked leaning negligently against the wall as they waited for the doors to close.

"One of us is going to have to make friends with her and find out what she knows," he said simply.

"You want one of us to make friends with Liz Parker?" Isabel laughed.

"Yeah"

"Who do you propose for that job?" Michael laughed.

"I don't know yet… we'll figure it out once she gets back to school."

"You want to wait until she's out of the hospital before we try to figure out what she knows?" Isabel asked in disbelief. "What happened to the whole time is of the essence crap."

"Do you want to make her even more suspicious?" Max shot back. "I think she's suspicious enough as it is. We'll wait, let things go back to normal then when she's relaxed and thinks we've forgotten about it we'll question her again."

"This is stupid… she could have shared the information with everyone by then."

"I don't think she's going to tell anyone… besides who would believe her?"

Visions of My Past - Chapter 6

Maria settled into the chair beside Liz's bed. Shifting slightly to make herself comfortable she waited for Liz to return her attention to her. She was currently fawning over the chocolate that Alex had managed to sneak in to her.

"So are you done sniffing the box yet?" she grinned relaxing back.

"You don't even know how horrible this is Maria," Liz muttered as she ran her fingers over the box plucking a round chocolate piece out she popped it in her mouth. Closing her eyes as she slowly chewed it. Savoring the flavor and texture she moaned. "God that's good."

Maria and Alex burst out laughing at her expression of sheer ecstasy.

"Cut me some slack guys," Liz smiled contently. "They don't want to put me on solid foods yet because I just came out of the coma a couple of days ago so all I get is broth… I really hate broth at this point."

"But you'll be going home soon right?" Alex asked with a grin as he sat at the end of her bed. One leg propped up on the bed he was in a great mood. Isabel Evans, the biggest crush of his life had spoken to him today. Granted it had been to tell him to move out of the way but she had still spoken to him.

"God I hope so," Liz groaned. "I think I've had all I can take of hospitals."

"Does someone want to leave the hospital?" a bright voice asked from the door.

"Grandma!" Liz cried sitting straight up. Her grandmother came flying around the bed, taking only a second to pat Maria on the shoulder and nod at Alex before she wrapped her arms around her granddaughter. Holding her tightly she rocked back and forth eyes closed tears stinging her eyes.

"Thank god," she whispered as she finally pulled away. Kissing Liz's forehead lightly she laughed along with the others as Maria held out the box of tissues that she picked up off the floor. "You look wonderful sweetie… much better than the last time I saw you."

"Yes but I was unconscious the last time you saw me… how good could I have looked?" Liz asked blowing her nose on the tissue. She held her grandmothers' hand tightly leaning into her slightly.

"But you're not now," Claudia grinned. "And now that you're not I think it's only fair to tell you that I'm taking your boyfriend home with me."

"Hey!" Liz protested loudly only to be laughed at by both Claudia and by Kyle who had followed her into the room.

"I don't know Liz… your grandmother can cook and she's offered to take really good care of me," Kyle said with a twinkle in his eye. Claudia winked at him before they turned their attention back to her.

"That's totally not fair nana to be stealing my boyfriend while I can't defend myself."

"He's sweet and loyal, and he spent all his time here reading my new book to you," Claudia said resting back against the bed comfortably.

"Well not all the time," Kyle murmured flushing hotly. "I did my homework sometimes too."

"You two were the first people to read the book… after me of course and I wrote it," she said proudly. "Maria I see that you're growing your hair back out…"

"Yeah," Maria touched her hair slightly glancing over at Liz who was studying Kyle with an interesting expression on her face. "Tell me the truth… which do you like better? The short hair I had when you first came or this?" she asked fingering the ends of her hair.

"I like whichever you're most satisfied with. You have a beautiful face and can pull off either one," Claudia smiled, leaning forward she cupped Maria's face in her hand.

"Oh," Maria said softly her eyes filling with tears. Pulling a tissue from the box now sitting in her lap she pressed it to her eyes. "Thank you Grandma Claudia."

"You're welcome dear… now if you three don't mind I'd like to have a little time alone with my granddaughter. I promise to not keep her long…"

"Sure," Alex nodded jumping off the bed. "We'll come back in like an hour?" he looked at the other two for agreement and when they both nodded he kissed Liz's cheek softly and backed to the door.

"I'm actually kind of hungry," Maria noted as she hugged Liz and Claudia then followed him. "Kyle?"

"Yeah I could eat," Kyle nodded. "I'll be out in a minute," he looked at them his eyebrows arching. Maria laughed as she pushed Alex out the door.

"Don't be to long we might leave without you," she called as the door closed behind them.

"Okay I feel like I missed something," Claudia said grinning as she looked between Liz who had shy smile on her face and Kyle who was walking towards the bed with the same smile.

"Kyle has this thing about public displays of affection," Liz said as Kyle stopped by the bed. They had come to know quite a few of each other's quirks in the last couple of days.

"It's just there's a time and place for that stuff…" Kyle flushed again studiously ignoring Claudia's speculative gaze.

"You do realize that if you want to kiss me goodbye you're going to have to do it in front of my grandmother… right?" Liz said teasingly.

"Yeah," Kyle shifted on his feet glancing from Claudia to Liz and back again.

"I can look away if you like," Claudia laughing offered.

"No… that's fine," Kyle muttered as he leaned forward and pressed his lips quickly against hers. The movement so fleeting that Liz figured if she had closed her eyes she would have missed it.

"You call that a kiss?" her grandmother asked looking between the young man that was backing to the door and her granddaughter who was silently laughing at him.

"I'll come back later…" he said hesitating by the door.

"Kyle Valenti you get back here this instant and kiss my granddaughter properly… or I may change my mind about taking you home with me," Claudia threatened with a smirk. She almost laughed out loud as she saw the terrified expression cross his face.

"It's okay Kyle," Liz soothed. "She won't be here forever."

Kyle glanced at the door with wide eyes. With a resigned sigh he walked back to the bed. Claudia patted his arm reassuringly before she moved off the bed and walked to the window staring out at the parking lot like it was the most interesting thing she had ever seen.

"You don't have to do this… she's just joking," Liz whispered.

"I don't think she is," he whispered back.

"Kids you have thirty more seconds and then you'll have an audience again," Claudia warned glancing down at her watch.

Kyle's eyes widened and he leaned forward quickly. His lips pressed in a simple kiss, the texture of it changed when he felt Liz's hand raise to his face, cupping his cheek loosely. Her thumb smoothed across his skin and he raised his own hands so he could wind them in her hair holding her head steady. Her lips parted with a silent sigh and he smiled against them his owns lips parting in response. Just as he was about to sit on the edge of the bed and gather her in his arms to hold her tightly he felt the tap on his back and froze.

"Now that's more like it," he heard Claudia whisper into his ear. He pulled away slowly, he imagined his face was as flushed if not more so than Liz's at this point and neither could meet the others eyes.

"I should go," he said suddenly moving away from the bed.

"Kyle," Liz said softly staring at him with wide eyes. The few times that Kyle had kissed her in the original line had felt nothing like that.

She had never felt that connection with him that she had just felt during that kiss.

She had only felt that sense of belonging with Max in the original line, never with Kyle. She had only felt that tiny spark of passion flame when Max kissed her, now Kyle had sparked that flame. What was going on?

His expression softened as he looked at her. "I'll be back in an hour," he promised opening the door.

"Okay," she whispered as the door closed shut behind him.

"I really like him," Claudia smiled at her as she pulled the chair up close to the bed and sat down. Leaning forward she folded her arms on the bed and stared at her granddaughter. "Now then…" she started. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Liz asked in confusion her eyes still trained on the door she traced her lips with the pad of her finger.

"He's not coming back just yet Liz honey," Claudia touched her arm softly. "Now why don't you tell me why you look so confused."

"It's kind of a long story," Liz started as her eyes slowly moved back to her grandmother. "I wouldn't even know where to begin… besides it all sounds kind of crazy when I run it through my mind now."

"Well why don't you tell me the story and let me be the judge of that," she smiled reassuringly laying her hand across Liz's arm.

"You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone," Liz said quietly. "I can just hear mom and dad now if they got wind of this… I'd be committed inside a day."

"I won't tell anyone unless you tell me it's okay," Claudia agreed.

"Okay," Liz stated. "Well it all started at the Crashdown… the day that I was shot…."

November 10

I know what you're thinking… you're thinking that it was stupid of me to tell anyone what happened originally. Especially someone that's a writer by trade.

But if there was one person in this world that I would trust with my life it would be my grandmother. So I told her everything. I told her about being shot, about Max healing me. I told her it all and she didn't think I was crazy. That's not to say she believed me… but she listened to the story from beginning to end. And then she told me that I was a strong young woman.

And she didn't judge me. She told me to follow my heart. To do what I thought was right and run with it.

I think she was just thankful that I was alive. And that hopefully I wouldn't have to go through the hell that had been my life for the last three years.

She was the one that suggested that I write everything down. Write it down the way that it originally happened so that I wouldn't forget. She fears that as time goes on in this line that I'll forget what happened to me in this line originally. So I did. I wrote it all down starting from the day Max healed me to the day that I was shot for the second time. Making sure I highlighted the most important events. Especially things that I might need to stop or help in altering to keep us safe.

She promised me on her life that she would not tell another living soul what I told her. She thinks I might eventually need to tell someone else. Just so I can have someone to talk things over with. I don't know who I would choose. If I choose one of my friends over the others and the others find out… well that could be potentially bad in the long run.

For now though I have my journal to work out my thoughts, to work out my feelings. I don't know how I feel about Max. I haven't seen him or Isabel and Michael since the night they snuck in my room to try and read me. I know they haven't forgotten, they're just laying low at this point. Thinking to disarm me into revealing what I know.

I do know how I feel about Kyle though.

I love him. Isn't that crazy?

I haven't told him that yet of course because he would do the guy thing and be totally freaked out. I never thought that anyone but Max would ever make me feel the way I feel. And that first kiss. It totally blew every kiss wit Max, even the ones with flashes off the record chart.

I'm home now.

I have a boyfriend who adores me.

I have my best friends who hover.

I have my grandmother who wants to help us much as she can.

And I have a life of safety without Max Evans, aliens and destiny.

Could life be better?

Visions of My Past - Chapter 7

"Can I get you anything else? More blankets? Hot Chocolate?"

"I'm fine mom," Liz grinned. She tucked the blanket tighter around her legs, snuggling deeper into her chair.

"Okay," Nancy smiled warmly at her daughter. "Kyle? Maria?"

"No thanks Mrs. Parker," Maria smiled exchanging a look with Liz.

They were still waiting for Alex to come back. He'd been telling Liz about a book he had just finished and she had expressed an interest in reading it. So he'd left immediately to go fetch it. Anything Liz wanted, Liz got.

"I'll send Alex out as soon as he gets back," she promised as she disappeared back into the house only to have her head pop back out the window immediately. "Don't stay out to long… I don't want to see you back in the hospital any time soon."

"Mom…" Liz rolled her eyes exchanging a smile with Maria. "We won't stay out to long."

"Good," Nancy ducked back in the window.

"She just cares about you," Kyle said leaning back in his chair. "Where'd all the chairs come from?" he asked looking around the balcony. "I don't remember there being this many."

"My parents thought that you guys would be visiting more often than usual," Liz said with downward glance. "You know because of the shooting and all."

"You think we're spending all this time with you just because you were shot?" Maria asked with a glance at Kyle.

"No… no," Liz shook her head. "They just thought you guys might be a little overprotective… you know hovering because I almost died."

"Well who better to hover than your friends?" Alex asked breathlessly as he climbed up the ladder to her balcony.

"Alex," Liz smiled warmly. "I thought you were coming through the Crashdown?"

"I never said I was coming through the Crashdown," Alex muttered flopping down on a chair he dropped his backpack on the ground near him. "Oh I brought that book for you," he leaned forward pulling it out of his bag and handing it to her. "Don't read it before you go to bed."

"Is it really that bad?" Liz frowned as she glanced down at the cover.

"Not really… just kind of psychologically disturbing. You'll like it… I promise."

"I can't believe you read that stuff," Kyle stood, standing over Liz's shoulder he looked down at the book.

"It's not so bad," Liz tilted her head up smiling softly at him. Reaching up with one hand she touched his cheek softly. He sat on the lounger next to her, an arm around her shoulder he held her tight to his side.

"So who was downstairs that you were avoiding?" Maria shook her head at Liz and Kyle turning her attention to Alex.

"Who said that I was avoiding anyone?" Alex asked rubbing the legs of his jeans.

"Oh come on Alex," Liz laughed. "You only use the fire escape when you're trying to avoid someone downstairs."

"Why? I'd think you guys would use it all the time… you know to avoid the parental units," Kyle looked between the three.

"Alex hates climbing the stairs up, he tries to keep all unnecessary exercise to a minimum…" Liz started with a wide grin.

"So he only uses them when he's trying to avoid someone downstairs," Maria finished.

"Oh," Kyle said in confusion. "So who was she?"

"Isabel Evans," Alex said in a quiet voice.

"Isabel's here? The Crashdown's normally below her normal standards."

"Yeah, she, Max and Michael had a booth downstairs. I saw them through the window so I used the stairs instead."

"Max and Michael were down there to?" Kyle asked suspiciously narrowing his eyes. "That's not normal."

"Maybe they were hungry," Maria offered.

"Or maybe Max Evans is going to try and sneak up here to see Liz," Kyle muttered.

"Kyle," Liz said softly.

"I don't like that guy… I mean how many times did he guy try to sneak into your hospital room? He wants something from you."

"Kyle," Liz tilted her head to look up at him. "You do not need to worry about Max Evans."

"I just don't trust him," Kyle whispered. "He's up to something and it involves you."

"Don't worry about it," Liz grinned. "In order for Max to be an issue I would have to want him and I don't… I have you. And you're all I could ever want."

"Well I have you too… but I still don't trust the guy as far as I can throw him."

"You could probably throw him pretty far."

"You have such faith in me."

"I'll always have faith in you."

"I'll always try to deserve that."

"Okay you two need to quit the gooey sentimentality before you make me so nauseous I throw up," Maria rolled her eyes as Alex laughed.

"So are you happy to be home?" Alex changed the subject as he leaned back in his chair staring up at the stairs.

"Oh yeah," Liz sighed leaning her head against Kyle's shoulder. "I don't ever want to go back to the hospital again." Closing her eyes she snuggled her head deeper into the curve of Kyle's neck. Kyle tightened his grip around her shoulder, turning his head to press a kiss to her forehead.

"So when is your grandmother coming back?" Maria asked nudging Alex with her elbow when she saw his eyes drooping closed.

"A couple of days, she wanted to close her house in Florida up."

"How long is she planning on staying this time?" Alex asked with a yawn.

"Until after Christmas, she needs to be back in Florida by New Years for the start of her book tour," Liz said softly. What she didn't tell them was her grandmother had also taken her journal with her.

The journal with her past… and her future. The future she didn't want to have repeated. She had promised to keep it safe and if Liz needed it… if it looked as if the same future was going to come to pass that it would be returned to her.

Max, Isabel and Michael were going to be a problem.

She knew that Isabel hadn't bought that she didn't remember anything. Something about the look on her face when the three had left her room. By now she would have convinced the other two that they needed to investigate further.

She couldn't wait to see what their plan B would end up being. She was sure it would be interesting.

She would be going back to school in a couple of days. And she had decided that since they would undoubtedly being trying to coax any bit of information they could out of her that she might as well have some fun with them.

She couldn't wait.

Visions of My Past - Chapter 8

Liz studied the book in front of her. Her notebook open she tapped her pencil as she patiently waited for the rest of her classmates to filter in.

The one good thing about her shooting had been the fact that she could move from class to class earlier than the rest of her classmates. Kyle had deposited her in Biology lab with a kiss on her forehead and then ran for his next class. He was definitely going to get his exercise for the next two weeks.

"Hey," Max said softly. Hands in his pockets he shifted awkwardly on his feet. She frowned when she realized that she hadn't even heard him enter the room or set his books down on the table next to him.

"Hey," she nodded, shooting a quick smile at him before she turned back to her books. She was behind. Very far behind and for a brief second as she had sat in her first class that morning it seemed as if it was going to take her forever to get caught up.

But then she had realized that one thing about having a consciousness from the future was that she remembered all the stuff she had learned in school.

Max slid into his seat next to her watching her head remain bent over her books. "I.. uh… didn't think you'd be coming back this soon," he commented as he rested his hands together on the table.

"My doctor said I could if I didn't wanted to," Liz shrugged. "I'm already so far behind that…"

"Miss Parker," their biology lab teacher moved over to them, a huge smile lining her face as she stood in front of the pair. "It's wonderful to have you back… you just let me know if you need anything. Okay?"

"Thanks," Liz smiled warmly as she handed the slip of paper pressed between her books over to the teacher. "Kyle's supposed to come get me about ten minutes before class ends to take me to lunch."

"Well then we'd better get started," their teacher smiled once more and then clapped her hands bringing the class that had filtered in slowly to attention as they took their seats.

Liz kept her notebook open as she listened carefully to the teacher speaking in front of the room. She had memories of all this she realized what was coming before Max did as her eyes strayed down to the tray of equipment in the middle of their table.

Originally she had never realized how often Max would disappear from lab when it was time to take samples of their saliva, their blood to look at under the microscope. With a mischievous grin she reached over to the tray and snatched the little envelope containing the needle. As she discretely opened it under the table she watched Max pale from the corner of her eye. With a smirk she realized that he finally understood that the drops of blood they were going to be looking at under the microscope would be their own.

Both of theirs for comparison.

And even though he realized that this could be his chance to discover if she was human or alien the fear of having his blood viewed by anyone else ruled him. He couldn't allow that. If Isabel was wrong and she didn't know anything she would certainly think his blood was odd.

Casting a frantic glance around the room he placed his hands on the table and pushed himself away so that he could stand.

The fear of discovery imminent he had to get out of there.

"I'll be right back," he muttered as he turned. He snatched his hand back in surprise as he felt the tiny prick of a needle on his skin, cradling it against his chest his eyes rose to meet hers. She cocked her head at him, twirling the needle between her fingers her eyes watching the needle move. His eyes drawn to the sight of his blood on the tip of that needle.

"I'll have the sample ready when you get back," she smiled wickedly her eyebrows arching as a familiar panicked expression crossed his face.

For a second, just a millisecond mind you she felt mildly sorry for him. But that passed as she watched him back away from her a suspicious expression on his face.

"Great," Max smiled thinly before he turned and ran.

"So how's your first day back going?" Maria asked brightly as she swatted Alex's hand away from her tray. He wanted her slice of chocolate cake and he wasn't getting it. "Stop it Alex," she growled as she moved it once more out of his reach.

"Thanks Maria," Kyle grinned as he moved the plate to his tray. Exchanging a grin with Alex he leaned one arm on the table.

"Kyle give it back," she muttered as she reached across the table for it only to have Kyle move it promptly out of the way. "Liz! Do something,"

Liz sighed as she turned to her grinning boyfriend. "Kyle… sweetie," she leaned into him. Her face so close to his she could have kissed him… if it wouldn't have freaked him out.

She stared up into his eyes and for a moment forgot her train of thought.

"Hmm?" he breathed as he lifted a hand to brush an errant strand of hair away from her face.

"Liz," Maria said smacking her arm lightly to regain her attention.

Liz turned her confused gaze to her best friend. "Oh... Yeah… Kyle give her the cake back."

"She said she wasn't eating chocolate because it wasn't on her diet," Kyle murmured as he reached blindly down and shoved it across the table. "Alex and I were just trying to help her out."

"I quit that diet… it wasn't any fun," Maria sighed as she ran her finger through the chocolate frosting, licking it off her eyes closed momentarily before they snapped open from the sound of Alex laughing.

"So anyway… how's your first day back going?" she queried again after a suitable glare from her caused Alex to stop laughing.

"It's okay," Liz said with a smile. "It's nice to be back but it feels like I'm going to be playing catch up forever."

"Well we would help you," Maria offered. "But you're miss smart girl so I don't think Kyle and I are going to be an asset in that department. Alex can probably help you out though…. Right?" Maria turned to the silent member of their group. "Alex?" she nudged him in the side.

"Alex?" Liz and Kyle both peered over the table at Alex whose attention had been drawn away from their conversation. Liz sighed as she followed his line of sight and spotted Isabel Evans standing by the entrance to the quad, Michael standing by her side.

Both were intently staring at them. Staring at her.

Liz frowned at them, her brow arching as if in silent question and was amazed to see Isabel flush with embarrassment at having been caught. Michael scowled at her before the two turned and walked away.

"Alex?" Maria queried once more.

"Did you see that?" Alex asked breathlessly. "Isabel Evans was staring at me."

"You're dreaming," Kyle grinned. "Isabel doesn't stare at anybody… they stare at her," he added as an afterthought.

"Really?" Liz turned to him with a curious expression on her face. "Do you?"

"Me? No, I don't like her type," Kyle said quickly.

"What type is that?" Maria asked curiously as she started eating her cake again.

"The ice princess, aloof type. I prefer my girls sweet and friendly."

"Really?" Alex asked in disbelief.

"Yes really. Why is that so hard to believe?" he wrapped an arm around her shoulder kissing her forehead before he pulled back. Casting a quick look around the quad for witnesses to his most recent public display of affection he instead found everyone intent on their lunches.

Everyone except for Max Evans who was watching their table with unabashed interest.

"Because it's Isabel… and she's…" Alex waved his hand as he struggled to find the word he was looking for.

"An Amazon? A bitch?" Maria supplied helpfully with a grin.

"No," Alex frowned at her. "She's Isabel," he determined as if that should explain everything.

"Well that's all well and good but she's not my type. You are," Kyle whispered as he pulled Liz into a quick hug.

"Oh… You're going to make me cry and that's not a nice thing to do at school," Liz reprimanded him with a smile even as she kissed his cheek.

Visions of My Past - Chapter 9

"So do Kyle and Alex really play basketball after school?" Liz asked as she dumped her books on her desk turning to face Maria. It had come as no small shock to discover the two young men were planning on doing so after classes were done.

"Yeah… Why?" Maria asked dropping her books near Liz's she collapsed on her back on the bed. Staring up at the ceiling as she tapped her foot against the floor. She'd had some song that she couldn't place running on around since that morning. It was beginning to driver her nuts.

"I don't know," Liz shrugged as she stretched, she pulled off the sweater that she had been wearing instead wrapping a blanket that her grandmother had given her around her shoulders. With a motion of her head she indicated that she wanted to go out on the balcony and Maria sighed pushing herself to her feet and following.

"I guess I just never figured that Kyle and Alex would be good enough friends to do something like that," she said settling on the lounge chair. She watched as Maria curled up in another one facing her grinning.

"You aren't the only one. They played together a couple of times when you were still in the hospital, and then they started playing a couple of times a night after your Alex hates exercise comment," Maria grinned.

"I'm glad that you guys are friends," Liz smiled as she burrowed deeper into the blanket.

"Well Alex and Kyle are friends, Kyle and I on the other hand," Maria shook her head. "I guess we could be considered friends if you don't look at how many times he yells at me to stop forcing vitamins down his throat."

"So stop giving him the vitamins then," Liz laughed.

"I would if he would stop taking them; he keeps taking them I keep giving them to him, it's a vicious circle," Maria smirked. "Now," she started peering closely at her to gauge her reaction. "Tell me what's going on between you and Max Evans."

"God exercise should be outlawed," Alex said tiredly as he collapsed on the grass on the Valenti's front lawn.

"Oh come on," Kyle laughed as he shot the ball at the hoop fastened over the garage door. Dashing forward to collect it after it swished through he jogged back and forth. "We didn't even play for an hour."

"I could be at Liz's you know," Alex complained. "Wrapped up in a nice blanket listening to the girls talk about boys, music, school… but no instead I'm running after a little ball. Life sucks."

"Has she said anything about Evans yet?" Kyle asked as he twirled the ball in his hand walking over to where Alex was sprawled on the lawn.

"No… just to say that she doesn't know why he kept trying to break into her hospital room, kept trying to get into the apartment after she got home to see her. She seemed kind of disturbed by the whole thing when I asked her. Why? You don't think Liz and Max…"

"No," Kyle shook his head with conviction. "No… I personally think that it's some whole he saved her life so now he fixated on her type thing."

"That's what Maria thinks to… although since we're here she was planning on pumping Liz for more insight when they got back to her place."

"You don't think Max is going to try something stupid and try to break into her room to see her… do you?" Alex asked with mild alarm.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Kyle muttered. "He doesn't seem to have a lot going on upstairs when it comes to Liz."

"Maxwell that has to be the stupidest plan I've ever heard of," Michael paced in front of the kitchen table at the Evan's. Isabel and Max watched him warily, waiting for the inevitable explosion of temper.

"And what do you propose we do?" Max muttered. "Wait until she broadcasts our secret all over school?"

"I think breaking into her room is a stupid plan, besides the fact that we don't even know for sure that she knows anything," Michael growled running his fingers through his hair in agitation.

"She knows something," Max said quietly. "Why else would she have done what she did in lab?" he stared at his hand, the same hand that Liz had poked a needle into. The same hand that had given her just one drop of his blood for her to examine.

"Maybe she was playing with you," Isabel offered trying to be the voice of reason and calm both young men down before they came to blows.

"She knew something," Max murmured as he clenched his hand into a fist. "You didn't see her face, the way that she was watching the needle. She knew that there would be something different about my blood and she was enjoying watching me squirm."

"Well if you wouldn't act so suspicious around her," Michael waved his hand in exasperation. "We wouldn't have this problem… Instead you stare at her whenever you're in the same room; you break into her hospital room…"

"Hey that was all of us," Max cried defensively as he flew to his feet. Isabel rolled her eyes as she stood, pressing a hand against each male's chest pushing them apart as they confronted one another. "And what about you two huh? I saw you guys staring at her in the quad and so did she."

"Michael's right about this Max," she said in what she hoped was a soothing voice. She let the hand pressed to Michael's chest drop as she turned to face her brother. Michael standing like a shadow behind her, surprised that she had actually taken his side in this argument. "You can't break into her room, not now that she's home. If she finds you she could have you arrested for trespassing, breaking or entering something… We need to wait, I can try dreamwalking her again, we can try the whole friendship thing that we talked about," Isabel frowned at the last idea.

"I know just who wants to be her new buddy," Michael said sarcastically. "Maxwell has practically volunteered for that from the beginning."

"It can't be Max," Isabel shook her head. "Sorry," she winced at Max. "She's already suspicious of you, if you try to make friends with her now… not only will it make her more suspicious, it'll make her friends more suspicious. And with the way that Kyle Valenti has been lately we don't need to make them any more suspicious than they already are."

"So who you propose should do it?" Max crossed his arms over his chest. Even though the three of them had been equals for so long, in times like this he was normally there leader and it galled him to no end to be questioned on his decisions.

"I'll do it," Isabel shrugged as she cringed inside. Liz Parker was not a girl that she would normally even consider being friends with. She managed a small grin when she saw the twin looks of shock cross Max and Michael's faces. "She's already in the in crowd. She's dating Kyle Valenti, I'll just take her under my wing, we'll paint our nails, whatever… Then I'll find out who she is, what she is and what she knows."

"She's one of us," Max sighed heavily. "She has to be."

"She can't be Max," Isabel sat in the chair across from him, Michael turning his chair around so he could rest his arms on top of the back as he sat down next to her. "If she was there would have been no reason for her to be in the hospital… she could have healed herself. I would have been able to dreamwalk her. She can't be one of us Max."

"Me and Max Evans," Liz frowned. "There's nothing going on between us… unless you count the fact that he's my lab partner and in our English class… Why?"

"Come on Liz," Maria wheedled leaning forward. "Kyle's not here, Alex isn't here it's just us. You can tell me… you were having a red hot affair with him weren't you?"

Liz stared at her in disbelief before she burst out laughing. Gasping as the sharp pain hit her stomach she frowned holding herself. "Don't make me laugh like that Maria, it hurts."

"Oh come on Liz… Why would Max Evans be so bound and determined to see you if there wasn't something going on between you?"

"I don't know," Liz said quietly her eyes focused on Maria's. She knew that if she looked away. If she took her attention off her best friend that Maria would think that she was lying. She would allow Maria to be dragged into this, Or Kyle or Alex. She had taken an awful risk at school swiping a sample of Max's blood, she had the attention of the three aliens and she knew from the future that they had a tendency to act first and ask relevant questions after. If there was anyone left standing to answer them.

She was going to have to be more careful. Much more careful that she had been today.

"There is nothing going on between Max and me," she stated emphatically.

"Good," Maria leaned back in her chair. "Because I like Kyle and would hate to see him get hurt after they way he's stood by you through the shooting and all."

"I'm not going to hurt Kyle," Liz smiled softly. "I adore Kyle."

"Do you love him?" Maria asked with wide eyes as she leaned forward again. Finally some juicy stuff that she could taunt Kyle with knowing.

"I might. It's a little soon to say for sure," Liz grinned. "I mean we only went out for the summer and then the shooting happened and I was in a coma. But I love spending time with him and I think about him whenever he's not with me… Does that count?"

"Yeah," Maria smiled wistfully. "Maybe he has a cousin."

Liz laughed as Maria sighed.

"Liz are you out here?" they heard the frantic voice of Liz's mother racing through apartment.

"We're on the balcony mom," Liz called turning her head to the window. "Mom?" she said softly her heart dropping as she saw the expression on her mothers face, the tears falling heedlessly down her cheeks. "Mom what's wrong?"

"Oh Liz," Nancy cried as she climbed out onto the balcony pulling her daughter into her arms. Maria sat shell shocked as they waited for the bad news. "It's your grandma Claudia," she sobbed as she clutched Liz tightly.

"Mom?" Liz asked with trepidation. She could feel the air moving around her. Heard Maria come to her feet. Could feel her heart pounding a mile a minute.

"I'm so sorry sweetie," Nancy pulled away, cupping her daughters face in her hands as she stared down into the eyes so like her grandmothers. "She had another heart attack," Nancy wiped away the tears that had begun falling from Liz's eyes as the news sunk in.

"But she's okay… right? It was just like last time, she's okay and she'll just be a little late coming back."

"Oh Lizzie… There was nothing they could do, it happened so suddenly."

"Mom…" Liz murmured in shock.

"Mrs. Parker…" Maria said simultaneously brushing at her own tears as she moved up alongside Liz. Nancy reaching a hand out to touch Maria's cheek softly.

"She passed away this morning."

Visions of My Past - Chapter 10

Liz curled up in a tighter ball in her lounge chair. Blanket wrapped tightly around her, she hiccuped slightly as she wiped away tears that continued to fall. Maria was again sitting in her chair, absently wiping away tears as she stared unseeingly at the ground.

Stunned at the news neither girl was really dealing at the moment.

Her mother had left them alone. Instead going to her father who had closed the Crashdown. Unable to continue the pretense of a normal workday when his mother was dead.

He was taking it as badly as the two girls were. Liz's mother trying her hardest to make sure that everyone was coping. Liz knew that her mother had never been particularly close to her grandmother. Definitely not as close as her husband or her daughter, she had loved Claudia.

The shock of losing her so soon after getting Liz back overwhelming. For all of them.

For Liz the only thought running through her incoherent mind was that her grandmother was dead.

Her grandmother… the woman that she had given her journal to and she felt very real fear race through her.

What would happen if her grandmother hadn't completed what she'd set out to do with the journal. She had said that she would take care of everything and Liz had to trust that she had.

"Liz…" Maria started softly. Liz turned her head towards her, swollen eyes taking in her best friends' demeanor. Maria was as shattered by this as she was.

"Liz?" they heard Kyle's voice calling out before they saw his head pop through the window. His expression was grief stricken, he hadn't cried but he was as devastated as the girls were. As Alex behind him was.

"Oh god baby I'm so sorry," he whispered as he climbed onto the balcony Alex at his heels.

He perched on a corner of her chair, Liz moving slightly so she could wrap him tightly in her arms, and in return be wrapped tightly in his. He rocked her back and forth as she sobbed against his shoulder.

"I'm getting you all wet," she finally said weakly as she rested her head against him. He pulled back kissing her forehead softly as he studied her eyes. Cupping her face in his hands he tried to smile reassuringly down at her but he couldn't manage it.

When Liz had been in her coma, he had made friends with her family, with her friends. Her grandmother was one of the few adults that he could even stand to be around at the hospital.

She had been optimistic that her little Liz was going to wake up. In return she made him feel optimism. Even when there sometimes seemed like there wasn't any hope to be had.

"It's gonna be okay," he said quietly. "It's gonna be okay…" his voice wavered as he saw the tears welling in her eyes once more, closing his eyes he tried to hold back his. He had adored Claudia. He had been excited about seeing her again once she returned. He kissed her softly.

Stroking her hair softly he turned his head to look at Alex and Maria. Alex had kneeled in front of Maria, hugging Maria tightly as she sobbed against him. Alex was as in shock as he was.

"Do they know what happened?" he asked softly as she moved to allow him to recline next to her. Resting her head against his chest he looped his arms tightly around her, resting his chin on her shoulder as he breathed in the scent of her skin.

"Mom said…" Liz's voice broke as she rested against him, closing her eyes tightly to hold back the next onslaught of tears. "Mom said it was another heart attack… she said the doctors said that there was nothing that they could do."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered against her ear. "I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am."

"I know," Liz smiled bravely at him as she twisted her upper body so she could look up at him. Tracing a finger down his cheek she kissed his chin as her fingers stroked his skin. "She really liked you."

"I really liked her to… she was the only one of your family members that didn't used to kick me out of your room when they showed up. You know she loved you… right?"

"Yeah," Liz rested her forehead against his cheek. "We're leaving tomorrow for Florida."

"Do you want some company? My dad might have objections but I could probably fit in your luggage if you pack light enough," Kyle tried a quick smile pleased as hell when Liz responded with her own weak one.

"You don't have to do that," she said softly hugging him against her tightly.

"I would do anything for you," he whispered in her ear. "All you have to do is ask."

Liz drew away staring at him intently, Maria and Alex had all but been forgotten as they watched in interest.

With everything that had happened originally she had forgotten his loyalty. She had forgotten that when Kyle loved someone that he was devoted entirely to the care and well being of that person. She had tossed that loyalty and devotion away for Max before. Had decided that a seemingly long lifetime of misery… of having destiny spouted off at her every time she had felt like her and Max were making progress was the way she wanted to live her life.

She didn't want that anymore. She wanted what she saw promised in Kyle's eyes. She wanted the love and affection that shined at her when she looked at him.

They hadn't made it this far into their relationship before. They had just been getting to the 'I like you a lot' stage. This time they had seemingly by-passed that stage and jumped right into the 'I love you stage'. And as much as that should scare her, as much as she had worried when she had first come out of her coma that maybe she was transferring her affections for Max onto Kyle she knew that wasn't the case.

She'd had her epiphany watching the stark emotions in his eyes these last few weeks. It hadn't even really surprised her when she finally figured it out.

She loved him. She could feel it radiating through her bones, through her skin and she wondered how he couldn't see it in her eyes every time she stared at him.

She loved him because he had adored her grandmother. Because he had accepted her crazy friends and made them his own. Because he had stayed by her side even when she was lying flat on her back in a hospital and couldn't reciprocate those feelings.

She loved him because he had done everything in his power to protect her from Max and the others. Even if he didn't quite understand why he needed to protect her from them.

She loved him because he accepted her, like she accepted him. He accepted every facet of her personality. That had been the thing she had been missing the first go around. That ultimate acceptance of who she was. Looking back on it now while Max had claimed to love her sometimes she had to wonder if he had. If he had only seen her as an extension of himself. Something he was owed in return for saving her life that day. He had claimed to love her and trust her but towards the end it seemed every time she did something he didn't agree with he went running to Tess' waiting arms.

Maybe in reality that's where he wanted to be. As she stared up at Kyle's confused face she realized with a sudden clarity that she was right where she wanted to be and she wanted to sing it from the rooftops this time. She loved Kyle Valenti and nothing was going to take that away from them this time.

As her smile started crossing her face she saw a hot flush begin working its way across his face.

He had no clue what she was thinking.

Had no clue that she had come to a decision that she should have reached three years prior.

"Liz?" he queried quizzically. The way she was staring at him, the hint of a smile lining her face… it was almost as if she could see into his soul and liked what she saw.

Of course now probably was not the time to tell him.

Visions of My Past - Chapter 11

Liz sat cross-legged on a blanket on a beach in Florida . Staring out into the distance. Not really paying attention to what she was seeing. Not paying any attention to the beauty of the sunset displayed in front of her. 

   Instead her eyes continued to waver between the nothingness and the envelope clutched in her hand. The one her grandmother’s lawyer had handed her just that afternoon after the reading of the will.

   Kyle had received a letter of his own, he had read it already. Whatever it had said had brought a swift smile to his lips. He’d also gotten a book.

   A Beginner’s Guide to Buddhism, which he had stared in shock at before he raised his questioning eyes to hers. She had just shrugged trying to look confused. She wasn’t sure she had pulled it off but she had tried.

   She remembered telling her grandmother that the Kyle from her original future had practiced Buddhism.

   She didn’t know if he would take it up now that their lives had taken a different turn. If Agent Pierce didn’t shoot him, and Max didn’t heal him would he still feel the same insatiable need to have something, anything to explain his life? She didn’t know.

   She was supposed to be reading the letter clutched in her hand. She knew that had been Kyle’s ulterior motive for disappearing back into her aunt’s house.

   For giving her some time alone.

   Although he had used the excuse of trying to coax a thermos of hot chocolate out her aunt she knew that he knew that she wanted to read this letter alone.

   To read this last missive from her grandmother solitarily.

   She shivered slightly. Even wearing sweats and wrapped tightly in another blanket she was chilled by the Florida air.

   If she opened this letter. If she read it that meant her grandmother was really gone.

   She didn’t know if she could handle that.

   So she continued to twist the envelope in her hand. Her name written in cursive slanted handwriting along the face. She felt tears well in her eyes as she recognized the script as her grandmothers.

   She still couldn’t believe that she was gone.

   That she would never again talk to her, hug her, ask her advice.

   Confide in her all the secrets of her heart and soul.

   With a heavy heart she unsealed the envelope sliding out the folded piece of paper.

My Dearest Liz,

   Well if you’re reading this then it has come and my poor heart has decided that it’s had enough of this. I knew when I came to Roswell to see you that I was strictly living on borrowed time. But I couldn’t leave without making sure that my favorite granddaughter would be okay.

   Don’t worry about your journal. It is safely hidden away. If anything should happen to you. Anything suspicious or unnatural it will be returned to you and only you. If you should, god forbid, pass away it will be destroyed so as to not fall in the wrong hands. Not that I foresee anything happening to you. You’ve gained an insight that most people will never receive. Use it to be safe.

   I have given my solicitor explicit instructions just in case something should happen and I trust him with my life. I trust him enough to make sure that you’re protected.

   And I don’t trust just anybody. Not with the safety and well being of one of my favorite people in the world.

   I have given him a list of things to check for. If anything on that list should come to play he knows to contact you and forward the packet containing your diary to you. He doesn’t know what is in the packet of course and he is totally trustworthy. Don’t ask how I know… I just do.

   I’ve left a little something for your Kyle. A gift that I would never have thought to give him if you hadn’t given me some insight into the maturity that he would and has displayed since your shooting Regardless I hope he and you know what to do with it. It’s something that you can work on together. It will draw you even closer than you are now. He’s a good man Lizzie, and in the short time that I spent with him I can tell that he loves you tremendously. Even if he hasn’t admitted it to either himself or you. But then I can tell that you’ve opened your eyes and heart to the possibility of loving him in return as well.

   Don’t fight what you feel for him. I trust you to know what is right and wrong.