Disclaimer: Is this for real? I mean, is there anyone out there who actually would assume that I owned Roswell? Just in case….I do not in any way own Roswell.

Author's note: This takes place in an AU Season 2. I also feel compelled to warn you that this is a Rebel fic.

***

Max gaped openly at his surroundings. Had their plan really worked? He got out of his bed and looked around his room. A room that he had not lived in for almost five years. His eyes caught a mirror on the wall and it was hard not to stare at his younger face openly. The scar that had run along his left jaw was gone; his hair was longer, shaggy. Other than that he looked almost the same as he had before he and Tessa had used the granolith the night before. His eyes snagged the phone. He wanted to call her, make sure her transition had gone as well as his own. He didn't, that was not the plan. The plan was so much more than that. They had a purpose for being here again. If he and Tess were suddenly all over each other Isabel and Michael would be suspicious. Not to mention Liz.

"Max?" Isabel's voice was curious. "Are you ok?"

He drank in her sweet face. God, had they ever been this young?! "Fine." He nodded.

She looked at him as if she was going to challenge that response but instead she just nodded back. "Good, then you should hurry. School starts in like twenty minutes."

School, he had almost forgotten. He had forgotten how normal their lives had been all those years before that fateful day at Crashdown, before Tess. He missed Tess! He needed to see her; they had barely had time to even greet each other before they had been forced to go on this unexpected trip. It had been weeks since they had even kissed. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on it though. So he took and very welcome shower and dressed in clothes that he had not set eyes on for years.

"Max!" Isabel yelled. He allowed her to pull him towards the car. The drive to school seemed to go by too quickly and they were soon entering. Isabel shot him a curios glance as he hesitated. Where had his locker been?

"Hey, you two!" Liz waved, rushing towards him. She looked like she was going to kiss him. He could just imagine the look on Tess's face if he let that happen…. So he faked a cough and leaned away. This seemed to distract her from her goal. "I was looking for Alex actually." She said. "I forgot my notebook at hi—oh there he is." She broke off.

"See ya." Isabel quipped.

"I'll meet you for lunch?" Liz asked the two of them.

Max nodded. "See you at lunch." Max was unable to hide a sigh of relief as she walked away.

***

Isabel was not blind. Max had been acting weird all morning, and no one knew Max better that she did. First with the weird looks he had been shooting her, and now he was acting like Liz was contagious. "What was that?" she demanded when Liz was out of ear shot. He had clearly just dodged a kiss from her. Max loved Liz, and Isabel would know after having heard him say it so many times.

An odd look passed over her brother's face, almost wistful. "Things change Isabel. Some times you just wake up one morning and realize that you priorities are all wrong."

"What does that have to do with Liz?"

"Nothing…anymore." He said before wandering off. Isabel was tempted to follow him until she caught sight of Michael across the hall. Maria stomped off as she reached his side.

"Trouble?" she smiled. Michael shot her an annoyed glance.

"Need something Isabel? Because I'm having one of those days."

Isabel felt her smile fade. It was barely eight o'clock and Maria had already ruined his whole day. He needed to be with someone who would treat him right. "Something's going on with Max."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "Always something going on with Maxwell."

"Yeah, but he's acting weird."

"Who's acting weird?" came an all too familiar voice at their side.

"Hey, Tess."

Tess's smile looked a little false. Isabel also could not help but notice that her make up and clothes looked a little less trashy than was the girl's usual.

"We were just talking about Max."

"He's ok, right?!"

"What, oh yeah. Isabel was just saying that he was acting weird."

"How?" Tess pushed, her smile gone.

Isabel shot Michael a glance. What was Tess up to now? He looked equally suspicious.

Michael just shrugged. "He's probably just tired."

"Yeah. That's it." Isabel agreed quickly.

Tess gave them an inscrutable look before rushing off down the hall.

"Huh." Was all Michael said as they watched her go."

***

As much as he knew it would risk the plan, Max could not help but scan the rapidly filling hallways for Tess after every class. Half the time he was not even sure he was in the right class rooms, all of his memories of this school had revolved around his personal life, other details had been forgotten.

It was after the second class period that he finally spotted her. She was turned away from him, her eyes scanning the crowd. A smile hitched on Max's lips. There she was, his wife, mate, and best friend, his everything. She looked stunning, the sunlight from the nearby window glinting off of her hair. She looked like an angel. His angel. How had he not fallen for her the first moment they met? He knew it would compromise their plan if they were to suddenly get together. They needed to ease Isabel and Michael into their destinies, they needed to prepare everyone for the coming war, they needed.... Tess's eyes met his. Her eyes were so blue, so beautiful. He felt his breath hitch in his throat. She was smiling at him, that sweet smile that he knew was all his. She never gave that smile to anyone else.

Seemingly of their own accord, his feet drew him closer. Their smiles fell away as they neared, electricity seemed to crackle between them. He needed to kiss her, touch her. One of her curls fell across her forehead. His hand automatically reached up to push it behind her ear. Her eyes closed, leaning into his touch.

"Missed you…" her voice spoke in his mind.

"I missed you too."

Then there was nothing but the two of them, alone in the hall, as the other students headed towards their prospective classes. His eyes never left hers. Their foreheads came to rest against each other. She smelled amazing.

She tilted her head to brush her lips against his. "Promise me. Promise me that we can make things better."

He could not help but smile. "Things are already better, I have you."

And then they could no longer wait. Their lips crashed together hungrily. Their tongues tasting each other. It was the only kind of heaven that mattered. He pulled her closer, reveling in having her body pressed against his own. They fit perfectly, literally made for each other.

They pulled away only to draw breath.

"I love you." She said, gasping against his lips. "I love you so much Max."

"I love you too, more than anything." He managed to say before the urge to kiss her once again overwhelmed him.

***

Isabel, Michael, Maria, Liz, and Alex stood gaping at the scene before them. None of them could quite believe what they had just witnessed, or what they had clearly heard. One thing was blatantly obvious to all five of them. Things were never going to be the same again.