I Can't, I'm Different

by janelouise

Complete! 2-20-05...Prts 21-25 Inserted...All four aliens emerge from their pods at different times, are found, adopted and raised separately. Will they every find each other and their soal-mates? Read and find out!

10. Prts 36 thru 40 Royal weddings

ICID Part 36-40 Royal Weddings

Michael and Maria drove down to Roswell the day before the wedding rehearsal. They smiled as they drove out of the Valley knowing everything was set for Max and Liz's wedding night.

Once again the friends gathered at the Crashdown for a friendly pizza party. There was only one surprise, which livened up the party. Mr. and Mrs. Whittman surprised their son, Alex by being able to fly out that day instead of the next, as they had planned. The Petersens were not with them this time, since they were still up in the Valley with the rest of the Antarians. Diane and Phillip had driven down with Michael and Maria. John and Judy had flown in that afternoon.

"So without the Petersens here, I guess we don't have to worry about flying-saucer pizzas." Alex asked Max, sounding disappointed.

"Well you wouldn't want your parents to see that would you? But no, the practical joker is still somewhere up in the Valley, at least until they all get bussed down here, tomorrow."

"He's still active then?" Alex asked.

"Very much so; now that he or she has a whole new set of victims to play his pranks on. Luckily he never sets out to hurt anyone and everyone is getting a big laugh out of his or her pranks. It relieves the tension and the joker's humor seems to be universal! No, if anyone were hurt by his or her tricks, I'd find a way to put a stop to it in an instant." Max said.

"Well I just hope I don't get clown feet again." Alex said, remembering what the practical joker had done to him on the day of Michael and Maria's and Kyle and Tess' wedding.

"Me too." Max said, trying to keep a straight face. The clown shoes had been hilarious!

Michael walked over to Tess a short time later.

"So, you and me, tomorrow at the pod chamber, right?" He asked.

"Yes, we'll drive out and pick up the Royal Circlets and bring them back here." Tess agreed.

"Good."

Around 10:00 the next morning, the day of the wedding rehearsal, Michael picked up Tess in his mini-van and they drove into the desert, towards the huge outcropping, which holds the pod chamber, but as they drove closer, they saw something disturbing.

"Who are all of those people clamoring over our outcropping?" Michael asked.

"Oh no; could they be all of those movie people Max and Liz told us about? Look at all the equipment they have at the base." Tess said.

"Let's keep going and see what we can find out." Michael said.

"Okay."

They had reached the spot where a bunch of trucks and vans had been parked. They left Michael's vehicle there and walked over to where people were working.

"Hold it folks. I can't let you get any closer." A security guard stopped them.

"We saw all the activity out here as we drove by and thought we'd see what was happening." Tess said.

"Oh, well these movie people from Hollywood are filming out here." The guard said.

"How exciting! Are they shooting a documentary about desert wildlife or something?" Tess asked innocently.

"Oh no; this is for some science fiction movie. They're going to be filming out here and back in Roswell for a couple weeks. This bunch here are filming this outcropping because they're going to make it look as though the aliens have some sort of device hidden inside or something like that." The guard said.

"Oooh." Tess said; her eyes were big and round. "Well would you mind if we just walk around and watch them work for a little while? We won't go any closer than this. I find this all so fascinating. Don't you honey?" Tess nudged Michael.

"Right, fascinating...sweetums." Michael replied. The guard nodded to their request and they moved off, keeping a safe distance so as not to attract his attention.

"They're everywhere." Tess said. "Look, they're even up on the ledge by the door."

"Oh man." Michael exclaimed, seeing the same thing. "Do you think that there's anyway they could make the V-crest appear or even activate the door?"

"I don't know. We need to get back to town and tell Max, NOW." Tess said and they both ran for Michael's mini-van and high-tailed it back to Roswell.

"Let's check the Crashdown first. If he isn't there we can check your house." Michael told Tess. They reached the café and walked in, trying to act normally and calmly.

"Hey Dad, are Liz or Max around?" Tess asked her father, who was fixing one of the milk-shake machines.

"Yeah, they're both upstairs." Jeff answered.

"Thank you, Daddy." Tess grinned at her father and reached over the counter to kiss his cheek, before the two of them rushed up the stairs to the Parker's apartment. They dashed into the living room to find Max and Liz on the couch, necking. They did not even hear Tess and Michael come in.

"Uh, uh, uh, Max Evans; none of that until after your wedding!" Tess teased her future brother-in-law. Max and Liz came slowly out of their kiss-induced trance.

"Oh, Hi guys; didn't see you two there." Liz said, blushing.

"Max we really need to speak to the two of you. Can you concentrate on something else besides Liz's lips for a few minutes, please?" Michael asked.

"Uh, sure Michael; what is it?" Max asked.

"Tess and I went out to the chamber just now and we couldn't get in." Michael said. This got both Max and Liz's full attention.

"What do you mean, you couldn't get in? Was the door stuck?" Max asked.

"No, Maxwell, the door was not stuck. Those movie people were climbing all over the outcropping. Apparently they're using it as a part of their scenery. Get this; they are going to make it look as though the aliens have some sort of device hidden inside."

"Oh my gosh!" Liz exclaimed, half troubled, half laughing at the idea.

"Well, Michael do you think that you and Tess could sneak out there later tonight and get in?" Max asked.

"Sure, I don't think that should be a problem." Michael said. "But what about right now, Max? They were up on the ledge, by the door. Is there anyway for them to activate the door?"

"I don't know. We need to contact the Artificial Intelligence Unit inside the chamber and ask." Max asked. "We need an orb." Just then, Isabel and Alex came in.

"What's up guys?" Isabel asked and Max told them.

"Oh man!" Alex exclaimed.

"My orb's in our room. Maybe we should all go in there while I use it to call the AIU." Isabel suggested and they all filed into Liz's old room.

Liz went over to the window and closed the curtains. Isabel reached into her luggage and pulled out the orb, wrapped in a gaily colored scarf.

"Double check that Humans can't activate the V-crest, or open the door." Max said. "And then tell it to Only allow Michael, Tess, you or I to even activate the crest."

"Right." Isabel nodded before she began to concentrate on contacting the AIU. "We're all set." She said a minute later. "Humans cannot activate the crest or the doorway at all, but entry is now limited to the four of us, just in case."

"Good. Thanks, Isabel." Max said.

Kyle and Tess offered to have the rehearsal dinner at their house again, but the two couples opened their gifts in the Parker's living room, first.

"Oh my goodness, how beautiful!" Liz exclaimed as they opened their last gift. "It's from the Petersens. "It's a lovely heavy Swedish crystal vase, like they gave to you, Tess, Kyle. Oh but look at the design, Max." Liz pointed out the picture etched into the crystal.

"What's the design, Liz?" Isabel asked.

"Um, it's a picture of a king and queen. They're walking hand in hand and there are stars all around them."

"Oh my. How perfe...wonderful, perfectly wonderful of the Petersens to give you such a lovely vase." Isabel quickly covered up what she had been about to say, (How perfect for the two of you), glancing over at the Whittmans, who were smiling happily.

"Well it's time to get over to the church for the rehearsal." Tess said and everyone walked out to their cars.

This time, Amy and Jim Valenti had volunteered to prepare everything for the rehearsal dinner, at their son and daughter-in-law's house. And good old John Evans had his camera with him again.

"Dad, how are you going to take pictures, while you're walking me down the isle?" Isabel asked.

"Mr. Whittman said he'd take the pictures of us and Alex has assured me that his father is very skilled with a camera."

"Why don't you let Mr. Whittman take all the pictures then?"

"Because he only brought one of those throw-away cameras with him and this is mine. I said I'd handle the pictures and that is what I'm going to do."

"Okay, Dad." Isabel said soothingly.

Isabel and Liz had rented the same, flouncy skirt to wear during the rehearsal so that their fathers could get used to Not stepping on their daughter's dresses, as they walked them down the aisle. Max and Alex stood at the front of the church, waiting for their brides to walk towards them. Max made eye contact with Liz and never even blinked as she walked on her father's arm, towards him.

'Just one more night and one more day, My Love and then you will be mine and I will be yours.' Max said, sub-vocally.

'Oh Max, I can hardly wait!' Liz replied, silently.

The fathers and grooms also practiced waltzing with their daughters/fiancées in the vestibule, at the back of the church. After Jeff had acquitted himself well, Max took Liz into his arms and they circled the small room slowly, over and over again. They were hearing their own music as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Uh, Max, Liz, it's time to go; guys. Guys?" Alex was getting nowhere with those two and looked around helplessly as the young couple continued to circle the room, in each other's arms. Finally, Michael walked over to them and gave Max a hearty slap on his back, which made him stumble, but Max caught himself before he stepped on Liz's skirt or fell over, taking Liz with him.

"Michael, what did you do that for?" Max asked.

"It's time to go, already. You've been dancing with Liz for 30 minutes now, off in your own little world.

"Oh, uh sorry if we kept you all waiting." Max apologized.

This time, when they arrived at Kyle and Tess' house, there were steaks and freshly caught fish, compliments of Sheriff Valenti, on the grill. The patio out back was shady and cool, with bougainvillea growing up and over the beams, which spanned the area.

"Oh, how lovely!" Mrs. Whitman exclaimed when they all stepped outside.

"Come, have a seat." Amy Valenti urged everyone. "The bar is over here and the appetizers are over there. The food will be ready in about half an hour. How did the rehearsal go?"

Everyone started to tell her and the party went on from there. Mr. and Mrs. Whitman were able to add stories about Alex's younger days as s little boy, to the store of embarrassing tales the parents liked to bring out every time they got together.

After the rehearsal party, Michael went to the Valenti's to change into dark clothing and then came back to pick up Tess, who had also changed. When they drove out to the outcropping, they were heartened to see that all of the trucks were gone, but one car was left.

"The security guard is still here. They must have left some equipment behind." Tess said.

"Okay, what if we drive around to the other side of the outcropping, where I can't sense that anyone else is waiting to catch us and then we can sneak back around to this side in the shadow of the outcropping. The only time he might see or hear us is when we activate the V-crest and the door opens." Michael suggested.

"Sounds good." Tess agreed. Michael drove the mini-van around to the other side of the outcropping.

"Well, the guard can't see us from where he is, but if he comes around to this side, he will easily see this van in all of this moonlight."

"We have no choice. We'll have to chance it." Tess said. "Let's just get in and out as quickly as possible. At least your mini-van is so dirty that I doubt he could make out the color."

"I know; Maria and I rode around out here for quite a while this afternoon. The van is caked in mud and dust and I added a little extra mud to my license plate, just in case. Tomorrow morning, I'll wash it clean."

"Good idea, Michael." Tess said.

The two of them got out of the vehicle and hurried across the sand until they reached the shadow of the upsurgance. There, they walked around the base, staying close to the rock until they reached the bottom of the ramp, which led to the hidden doorway. They climbed the ramp, pausing every few yards to check on the guard, who was reading a newspaper inside his car. Michael quickly opened the door to the chamber and they hurried inside, where Tess hit the panel to close the door.

"Oh boy, with all the noise we just made, I hope the guard isn't waiting outside this door when we leave." Michael said.

"Welcome, Michael Guerin and Tess Valenti." The voice of the Artificial Intelligence Unit startled them.

"Uh, Hi." Tess replied.

"Computer, we are the son and daughter of the High Counselors. We have come for the Antarian Royal Circlets." Michael got right to the point.

"Your identifications have been verified." The AIU said, as the drawer, holding the circlets, slid out of the wall.

The two of them walked over to the drawer and took both circlets. Tess wrapped each in a scarf she had brought and put them into a small backpack Michael had brought.

"Uh, thanks, computer." Tess said, before they walked back to the door. "It's now or never." She said and Michael nodded, hitting the panel to open the door.

They rushed outside and closed the door as quickly as possible, but the guard had heard something.

"Who's there? Show yourself." He reached into his car and turned on the bright headlights. They bathed the rock face below the ledge, in light, but left Michael and Tess in shadow.

"What do we do? If we go down the ledge, he'll see us." Tess asked. Michael bent over and picked up a few large stones lying on the ledge.

"Be ready to move quickly." He said, as he threw the stones and used his powers to make them sail beyond the guard and his car. They made quite a bit of noise as they landed and the guard whirled around. As he did, Michael took Tess' hand and they ran down the ramp and around the other side of the outcropping.

"Who's there?" They heard the guard shout, as they jumped into the mini-van and Michael started it up. He headed well away from the outcropping, the guard and Roswell, until he got back onto a paved road and he could turn back around to head towards town, without the fear of being tracked.

"Oh my gosh, we made it!" Tess let out the breath that she had been holding and grinned. "Great work, 'brother'."

"You weren't so bad yourself, 'sis'." Michael grinned back at her, as they drove back towards Tess and Kyle's house.

Part 37 The Wedding

Liz woke up early the morning of her wedding day.

"Today's the day, today's the day, my wedding day, my wedding day!" Kept on running around and around in her head.

She jumped out of bed and went into the bathroom to dress, so that she wouldn't wake up Isabel. She came out and walked into the kitchen where she ate pecan waffles, which her mother was making that morning. Isabel stumbled out of their room a few minutes later, still half asleep.

"How can you eat, Liz? My stomach is queasy just watching you." Isabel said.

"I get hungry when I'm excited. It's our wedding day, Isabel! Aren't you excited?" Liz asked.

"More nervous than anything." Isabel said.

"Well, try some dry toast and tea. You need to eat something." Liz suggested. "Diane, Tess and Maria will be over in a little while."

"It's a sad day when a man gets kicked out of his own home." Jeff Parker mumbled to John Evans.

"Yes, our home is becoming the bride's headquarters today." Nancy told her husband. "You two can go over to Kyle's house, where the grooms and the other males will be today."

An hour later, the three ladies arrived and the two fathers left. Maria brought several chick-flicks for them to watch while they gave each other facials, manicures and pedicures. They shared feminine and wifely wisdom and had a fabulous day. Even Isabel calmed down.

After a light lunch, they all took a short nap and then it was time for everyone to grab quick showers and get dressed, except for the brides, who were allowed to take long, relaxing, scented bubble-baths. When they got out, they smoothed creams and lotions all over their skin, making it beautifully soft to the touch. They put their bathrobes on and then their hair was curled and pinned up.

"Aunt Diane; thanks for suggesting that we arrange our hair this way." Isabel said.

"Yes. Both of us decided months ago that veils wouldn't look right against our wedding robes, so we decided to put double bows in our hair and allow the four ribbon ends to fall down our backs." Liz said.

"You haven't seen them, Mom." Isabel said. "The ribbons are white satin with gold lace covering them. They go beautifully with the gold embroidery on our robes."

"But we still couldn't figure out how to wear our hair. This will work wonderfully, Diane. Thank you." Liz said.

"Especially when Liz receives her crown." Isabel added.

"Why don't you two go to your room and put your underthings on, as well as your make-up." Diane suggested when they finished arranging their hair. "Then we'll help you get your dresses on."

The girls took turns at the mirror, putting their make-up on and putting their underthings on.

"Oh, I almost forgot my lace garter." Isabel said, as she slipped it on.

"Isabel can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"It's probably a little late to ask this, but did you ever want to be queen? You know, when Max wasn't sure what he wanted to do about accepting his birthright. Did you ever want to claim yours?" Liz asked.

"You know, while Max was unsure of himself, the Alliance Antarians did ask me if I wanted to be queen. Not so much as to offer me the job, as to determine what my intentions were. I turned them down flat." Isabel said.

"You're sure?" Liz asked and Isabel nodded.

"Especially since you will be our queen, Liz. I've seen how you interact with our people and how they respond to you. They love you already and you love them. Not to mention your organizational mind and your logical personality. You will take good care of us and our king!" Both girls giggled.

"That's my plan; to take great care of your king!" Liz said. The two girls hugged and finished getting ready.

"Come out when you're ready girls." Judy called. "Maria's closed the drapes and we'll have more room out here in the livingroom."

Liz and Isabel came out and dropped their robes on the couch.

"Here are your petticoats." Tess said and Nancy slipped Liz's over her head without messing her hair. Isabel was able to just step into her long half-slip because her dress was strapless.

"Okay, now for your dresses." Diane said, as she and Maria brought them forward. Diane helped Nancy get Liz's dress over her head without a curl being touched and settled the dress into place. Maria helped Judy with Isabel's dress.

"Diane, thank you so much for letting Liz wear your dress. It looks lovely." Nancy said.

"You're welcome. You know, I always wanted a daughter so she could wear my dress and now I have one." Both mothers hugged their 'daughter', careful not to crush the fabric.

"Liz, I thought you said this dress had little, cap sleeves." Nancy said. "This dress is sleeveless."

"It did Mom, but we didn't think they looked right when I tried on my robe, so Diane took them off for me."

"Ready for the robes?" Maria and Tess asked.

"Ready." Both brides said.

Tess helped Liz on with hers. As Tess came around to stand in front of her and straighten the robe on Liz's shoulders, her hand brushed lightly over the Antarian Royal Crest. A serene expression came over Tess' face as she backed away to make sure everything looked just right...and then curtsied to Liz, bowing her head as she did.

"Tess, what...?" Liz asked, reaching out for her sister's hands. Tess straightened up and took Liz's hands in her own.

"I just realized how much I love you and how proud I am of you." Tess said; trying not to let the tears gathering in her eyes, fall. "You have always been, will always be my sister, but now you will be my queen as well. I can't tell you how happy I am that it was you, Max fell in love with. How proud I am that it was you who brought all eight of us together and helped Max contact everyone else, so that they could travel here. So that we could live as a community, as a whole again, as we always have in the past." Both sisters hugged gently, still mindful of crushing Liz's dress, as the other women looked on, freely crying at the beautiful sight before them.

"Now for your hair ribbons." Maria said a few moments later.

Tess pinned the ribbons in place at the back of Liz's head, just below all of the curls, which had been piled on top of her head. A few curls framed her face or curled down her neck. Their mothers and friends stood back to survey the over-all-effect.

"You are both so beautiful." Judy said. "Isabel, with your blond loveliness and Liz, with your dark beauty."

Both dresses were now sleeveless, as were the wedding robes, showing off the girl's peachy-tanned, nicely toned, bare arms.

"Do we have everything?" Diane asked. "Matrons-of-honor, do you have the rings?" She asked Tess and Maria. They both nodded. "Mothers, do you have your handkerchiefs?" Nancy and Judy both nodded, as Diane pulled her hanky out of her purse. "Brides, do you have your 'something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue'?" Isabel and Liz smiled as they nodded as well. "Then all we have to do is wait for your father's to come and pick us up any minute now."

The men spent the day in two different groups. The younger men played endless games of basketball in Kyle's driveway and then ran laps around the fitness trail at the park, performing calisthenics along the way; anything to use up the nervous energy bubbling through their bodies. The fathers, on the other hand, watched an all-day golf-tournament and shared stories about their little girls, who were now brides or young wives. Finally, it came time for them to all take showers and get changed.

The fathers and best-men all wore the normal, black tuxedoes. The grooms, on the other hand wore, white, pleated dress slacks and long sleeved, collarless, white dress shirts. Even the shirt buttons were hidden, so as to allow all attention to be focused on their long, white wedding robes, which they left hanging open. Unlike the robes of their brides, which were almost floor-length, the groom's robes only came down to the middle of their calves.

"You know, you two really look sharp." Michael said, disbelievingly. "You kind of looked silly when you wore only these robes at Christmas, but wearing them this way, with a shirt and pants underneath, really look good on you."

"Gee, thanks, Michael." Alex said.

"I've always liked the look of a groom in a white tuxedo. These robes of yours do the same thing for you." John Evans said.

"Time to go." Jeff said. "Best-men, do you have the rings?" Michael and Kyle nodded. "Okay, then Phillip, it's up to you to make sure these four arrive at the church on time, while John and I go pick up the ladies." Phillip nodded.

A short time earlier...

Margaret Petersen returned to hers and Tage's hotel room after helping out one of the newcomers down the hall. When she walked through their livingroom and on into their bedroom, she saw something she could not believe.

"I can't believe my eyes. What do you think you are doing? You would dishonor our prince this way, at his own wedding? I can't believe it's you, has been you, all of these years!" She said in an outraged voice. Tage stopped filling his toy plane with red, pink and white rose petals.

"Of course I'm not, would not dishonor my prince, soon to be my king. He specifically asked me to play 'flower-girl' at his wedding as I did at Michael and Tess' joint wedding in December. He told me he liked the effect."

"When did he tell you this? How long has Max known?" Margaret asked.

"He found out the first time our friends from the Alliance contacted us. We were in our hotel room at the Monastery when my orb went off. I insisted that Max pick it up. He saw the plane packed away in my suitcase when we picked up the orb. At the airport, when we were all saying goodbye, he grabbed my arm and asked me to drop the rose petals at his wedding, but that if anyone was ever hurt by any of my pranks, he'd tell everyone I was the practical joker." Tage explained. Margaret just stood there, speechless for a few minutes.

"So he actually gave you his permission to continue with your pranks?"

"Yes, My Love. I'm sorry that I never even told you, but I just didn't want anyone to know that it was me all these years. Everyone seems to enjoy my little tricks. I've never set out to hurt anyone."

"I just can't believe it's you and yet I should have. Your quiet sense of humor sometimes is so much like the Joker's. Have I been so inattentive that I didn't recognize this special part of my soul-mate?"

"No, Maggie. Your attentiveness is what made it fun and quite often challenging to pull my pranks off without you catching me!" Tage said, as he drew her into his strong arms. "Well I guess this will be my last hurrah." Tage said, gesturing to his toy plane. "Will you allow me to fulfill my prince's request, before you tell the others?" He asked.

"Who said anything about telling the others?" Margaret smiled as she looked into her beloved husband's eyes.

"You mean...you won't tell?" He asked, hopeful.

"Why would I want to stop something, which gives you and the others so much fun? Of course I won't tell." Margaret assured him.

"I love you." Tage said, leaning down to kiss her.

"I love you too." Margaret replied, before losing herself in his kiss.

When Max, Kyle, Alex and Michael arrived at the church, Michael stopped the other three from entering right away.

"Max, there's something I need to tell you, all of you."

"What is it, Michael?"

"Well, um, I, we think something's going to happen here, today; something very special."

"Something special is going to happen here today." Alex said. "We are finally going to marry our soul-mates."

"Besides that." Michael said.

"What are you talking about, Michael?" Max asked.

"At our weddings, Tess and I saw something, someone. We've discussed it with Tage and Eric and they think that you'll see them too, so we made arrangements so that our Human families can see what we Antarians will be able to see."

"See what or whom, Michael?"

"Your parents, Max. Tess and I saw our parents at our wedding. They appeared when the Reverend was giving us his blessing. They gave us their blessing as well."

"How can this be?" Max asked.

"Eric reminded us what our parents said, during that message we saw at the pod chamber. 'Our essences will travel the solar winds, until they reach you. We will be with you, always.'."

"Oh man!" Alex exclaimed. "How are you going to keep my parents from seeing That?" He demanded.

"Simple, Alex. We won't form a connection with them. We have arranged it so that one of Tage's family will sit behind each of our family members. At the proper time, they'll make a casual, physical connection with each family member and bring them into the link. They'll explain everything before the service begins."

"Wow. Thanks for arranging all of this, Michael. If this does actually happen, I'd love my parents to see it." The four young men walked into the church.

Finally, the brides arrived and it was almost time for the service to start. Michael and Kyle escorted Nancy and Judy to their seats where they joined Diane and Phillip or Mr. and Mrs. Whitman, on their respective sides of the church. From where they were standing up at the front, Max and Alex could see Tage shake hands with Nancy, while Eric shook hands with Judy. They saw the mother's smiles become uncertain as their gazes turned to the two of them, before brightening again and both of them nodded and glanced over to Diane and Phillip, who had also been told.

All of a sudden, a familiar little object could be seen flying above the heads of the congregation.

"Is that what I think it is?" Alex asked Max behind the back of the Reverend who stood between them.

"It looks like it. Our practical joker must have heard enough positive comments last time that he decided to do it again." Max said, casually, just before the little, toy plane started to drop its load of rose petals down the central aisle.

A murmur of awe ran through the congregation as they saw the rose petals flutter down, as the little plane ducked through an open doorway and out of sight.

Then the first cords of the Wedding March were struck and Maria, Isabel's matron-of-honor, started down the aisle. After her came Isabel on her father's arm. They reached the front of the church and glanced back.

Tess, as Liz's matron-of-honor, started down the aisle and after her came Liz on the arm of her father. Max watched as Liz slowly made her way down the aisle, towards him. He had his hand out reaching for her as her hand was reaching for his. Jeff and Nancy, who had left the front pew, both kissed their daughter before she walked towards the young man who held her heart in his safe keeping, as she held his. Max and Liz were hard pressed not to cling to each other, but held tightly to each other's hands instead, as they turned to face the Reverend.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman and this man and this woman in Holy matrimony..."

When it came time for the two couples to give their vows to each other, Isabel and Alex stuck with the usual vows.

"I, Alex Charles Whitman/I, Isabel Diane Evans...take you Isabel/Alex...to be my lawfully wed wife/husband...from this day forward. For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor and cherish, 'til death do us part."

As accepted and even encouraged, Max and Liz gave their own vows to each other.

"Elizabeth Claudia Parker, I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. I was alone in this world before I met you, but you changed all that. You helped me to open up; to you and to the others you found and brought into my life. You have opened up whole worlds to me and for this and everything else which makes you my one and only soul-mate, I will love, honor and cherish you from this day forward. Across time and space if need be, no matter what happens." Tears of joy were gathering in his eyes as he finished.

"Maxwell Phillip Evans, I too have loved you from the first moment I saw you. You taught me that there is so much more to this world and that our lives can hold so many more expectations than I ever dreamed of. For this and everything else which makes you my one and only soul-mate, I will love, honor and cherish you from this day forward. Across time and space if need be, no matter what happens." Tears of happiness were slipping down her cheeks as she finished.

'If anything is going to happen, it should be now.' Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess told Liz, Alex, Maria and Kyle after the two couples had exchanged rings and stood, holding hands before the Reverend.

At the same time, Tage and his family casually reached out and touched the backs of Phillip, Diane, Nancy, Jeff, John and Judy, creating a link for all of them.

True enough, as hoped for, while the Reverend was saying a blessing over each couple, the figures of Wellmax and Belisa appeared. All Antarians managed to stay silent on the surface, but there was a sub-vocal gasp of awe. Many of them were unable to keep themselves from bowing their heads towards their late king and queen, but they did manage not to totally bow or curtsy. The Humans around them, who were unlinked, noticed nothing but the Reverend giving his blessing.

As the Reverend blessed Isabel and Alex, Wellmax and Belisa stood in front of Max and Liz. They both placed their hands over the clasped hands of the young couple.

'My son.' Belisa said, raising her hand to stroke his cheek. 'How much you have grown to look like your father, tall and handsome. And this is your chosen soul-mate, Liz Parker. How lovely and strong of character you are, my dear. I see the love you have for Zan, Maxwell, in your eyes. Bless you, bless you both.'

'My son.' Wellmax said next, raising one hand and placing it on his shoulder. 'How proud we are of you, both of you.' Wellmax looked at Liz. 'Liz Parker, you have helped our son do something very important for our people. In bringing them back together, to live here on this planet, they will become a community again, as we always used to be. One unit made up of many, many parts.'

'May you love each other faithfully, live together happily and rule together wisely.' They both blessed Max and Liz. 'We will be at your coronation out in the desert.' They said, before moving over to bless Isabel and Alex as the Reverend came to bless them, himself.

Almost everyone in the congregation had tears in their eyes and running down their faces as they watched their beloved king and queen bless the unions of their son and daughter, to their chosen soul-mates.

To the unlinked Humans, it appeared as though each couple were bowing their heads in anticipation of, or in reverence after the Reverend's blessing. Finally though, the joyful moment came when each groom was instructed that he might Now kiss his bride.

As each couple eagerly kissed, Wellmax and Belisa stood back watching. Joyful/sad smiles on their faces. Wellmax brought his love's hand up to his lips to kiss the knuckles; their eyes locking in silent, loving communication for a moment, before they returned their attention to their children.

Max and Liz and Alex and Isabel broke their embraces to the applause and cheering of their friends and family.

"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Whittman and Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Evans." The Reverend called out.

After more clapping and cheers, the congregation followed the special instructions given to them by the (Antarian) ushers. The parents and Tage's family filed out of their pews first, back down the aisle, this time lined by an Honor-Guard of Antarians and on out into the fellowship courtyard, outside the main church entrance. Because of their link, the six parents could see that the Antarians lining the aisle wore the dark blue tunics, pants and robes, with silver embroidery around the edges of the Antarian Military and Peacekeeping Forces. They knew that these were children of the original Antarian Military. They formed this Honor-Guard in memory of their parent's service. The parents were led out first, so that they would have an excellent view of their children exiting the church.

The Human congregation, meanwhile had been instructed to exit their pews by the side aisles only after the brides and grooms moved slowly by their row. They were then allowed to hurry out the side exit of the church so that they could find good spots to see the newly married couples exit the church...and pelt them with birdseed (instead of rice). Maria, Michael, Tess and Kyle walked slowly back up the aisle, first. Then came Isabel and Alex. They paused at the door to allow pictures to be taken before they moved to a spot saved for them, so that they too could see Max and Liz come out.

Max and Liz stayed behind Isabel and Alex and walked slowly enough that the first young couple had found their spot among the congregation outside by the time Max and Liz had reached the middle of the church aisle. They looked back towards the altar and saw Wellmax and Belisa fading from sight.

Many of the Atarians had remained in the church to watch, as the Honor-Guard created long, slim, energy pikes and crossed them overhead, for Max and Liz to walk under. Max paused and squared his shoulders, squeezing Liz's hand a little tighter, before they started to walk through the tunnel, created by the crossed pikes.

The cheers and clapping of their friends covered the gasps of awe, which came from the six parents and six friends, as they saw the Honor Guard, who stood in lines on either side of the church door, come to attention and create long, slim, energy pikes, which they crossed overhead, as Max and Liz stopped just outside the church door, standing straight and proud, for once, to have their pictures taken, before they ran under the crossed pikes and through the pelting birdseed, to their car, which was parked outside the courtyard gate.

The two couples were borrowing Phillip and Diane's large sedan and John and Judy's large rental car to drive to the reception. Kyle and Tess drove Max and Liz, while Michael and Maria drove Alex and Isabel.

"Too bad my camera couldn't pick up what I really saw." John Evans said to Eric Petersen.

"You will be able to see what you really saw if you link to one of us, when you look at it." Eric promised.

"Great!" John exclaimed.
Gee, can you tell that I wrote that Liz/Tess conversation (when Tess curtsied to Liz) AFTER "Departure"? I've been nice to Tess up until now, but I just had to put her in her place after the Finale!

Part 38 The Coronation

Kyle and Tess drove the car with Max and Liz in back, around town for a few minutes, while Michael, Maria, Alex and Isabel followed in the car behind them. Then they headed towards the city-park, where the reception was being held. The delaying tactic allowed all of the other wedding guests to arrive before the guests of honor did. When the two cars pulled in at the park, Kyle and Tess opened the back car doors to see Max and Liz franticly kissing each other.

"Well, I'm glad to see that no clothing has been removed, but we'd better get them out of there before some is." Tess said.

"I've never been so glad to have a curtain hung between the front and back seats, as I was for the last 20 minutes." Kyle said.

"Okay Max and Liz we are here." Tess called out. "Your wedding reception, where YOU ARE The GUESTS of HONOR!" She raised her voice. That finally got through to the young couple in the back seat.

"Okay, Okay." Liz griped to her sister, as they both got out of the car. Tess used her powers to quickly fix Liz's appearance and then went to help Max smooth his hair and remove the lipstick smudges from all over his face, his neck, his ear...shirt.

"Is there anywhere Liz didn't kiss you and leave her lipstick behind?" Tess asked.

"I don't get kissed and tell." Max replied as he and Liz took off their wedding robes and laid them neatly folded, in the back seat. It was 4:00 and still hot out. The fewer layers they had to wear, not to mention the fewer questions they had to answer about what the robes were...the better. It had been bad enough having to explain them to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman as an Evans' family custom, which Alex had been kind enough too adopt at Isabel's request.

"Come on you two, Alex, Isabel, Michael and Maria are already entering the park."

Max took his first look at the park filled with their friends and family. It was a lovely sight, with its large fountain in the center and its many trees, lending shade and coolness to those who were already partying.

"Boy this really looks nice, Liz. I'm so glad you recommended that we have our reception here." Max said.

"Yeah, I've seen many wedding receptions and parties held here over the years and they always looked so festive and fun." Liz said, as they entered the park arm in arm.

After the buffet dinner was eaten, the two couples cut their wedding cakes. They each had their own, but they were displayed on the same table. Amy Valenti had baked them, so they were not your normal, dry, white wedding cake with sicky-sweet white frosting. Instead, to everyone's surprise, Isabel and Alex's cake was a moist, chocolate cake with rich white-chocolate frosting.

Max and Liz's cake was an equally moist white cake, but each layer had been cut in two and spread thickly with raspberry jam, before being put back together again. It also had a rich, white-chocolate frosting. Ooohs and ahhhs came out of nearly every mouth of those who witnessed the cakes being cut.

The two young couples each cut small pieces of cake and gently fed those pieces to each other. None of them wanted to just have a huge piece of cake shoved into their mouths, or get frosting all over their faces. Instead, after eating the piece of cake, they delicately licked the frosting off the fingers of their mate, who fed it to them.

"It was a good idea of Tage's to have our new friends return to their hotels, rather than come here to this reception." Max told Liz.

"Yes, as much as I would have liked them all to attend, 150 people, on top of our friends from here in Roswell, our families and Tage's, would've been too much, too crowded and too expensive."

"And two many questions to answer. 'Tell me Max, who are all of these old people? Don't you have any young friends?'." Max gave an example.

"You could just tell them. 'Of course I have younger friends, they just couldn't afford to fly in from Boston or the Unified Alliance of Planets.'" Liz whispered to Max.

"Right! Well it was nice of Eric to arrange a party of their own for them. Then they will meet us out in the desert, later." Max said.

"Here comes your mom." Liz told Max.

"Time to throw the bouquets, ladies." Diane called out. All the single women gathered into a small group. Liz and Isabel stood with their backs to them and threw their bouquets over their shoulder.

"I caught it! I caught Liz's bouquet!" Eric's daughter, Karin, yelled as she and one of Liz's friends from high school caught the bouquets.

The brides then sat on their groom's laps, while the men slipped their lace garters off of their bride's legs.

"You mean I have to get up now?" Liz asked. "I was just getting comfy on Max's lap!" Everyone laughed as Liz reluctantly got up.

"Okay, all you eligible young men." Diane called. There were fewer men in the group because so many of them were Karin's cousins. They were afraid to try and catch the garter because of the old saying, which predicted that the two people who caught the bouquet and the garter, at a wedding might someday marry.

When Max and Alex threw the garters over their shoulders, there was a mad dash to catch them, but in the end, only the garter Alex threw, was caught. Max's had slipped through many fingers to land on the ground.

"But what does that mean?" Karin cried.

"It just means that your soul-mate is not here at this gathering." Eric calmed his daughter. "But you know, I hear that a shipload of eligible, young Antarian men will be arriving in the Valley next month." Eric was rewarded with a smile from his daughter.

"What do I do about the dance though; I don't have a partner now?" Karin asked.

"Go pick one for yourself." Eric told her. Karin's smile widened, as she got up to go ask a cute guy to dance with her, when their turn came.

First though, the fathers claimed their daughters for their dance. As Jeff danced with Liz, he remembered her as she grew up.

Liz, when they brought her home from the hospital for the first time.

Liz, when they brought Tess home after they had found her out in the desert. She had hugged her new sister and helping her to stop crying.

Liz and Tess, learning to ride their first bicycles.

Liz, Maria and Tess, working as waitresses in the Crashdown.

Liz introducing Max to he and Nancy, her heart in her eyes.

Liz in the pod chamber, showing her mother the crown which would shortly be hers.

"Liz." Jeff said. "Your mother and I are so proud of you. Graduating from high school and college at the top of your classes. Putting yourself through graduate school. Finding Max and having the strength to stand by him while you learned all there was to learn about him. Helping him to bring his people together. And now you are going to be a queen." Jeff whispered the last statement, excitedly into her ear. "My gosh, in all of my wildest dreams, I never could have come up with that future for my little girl!"

"Calm down, Dad. It's not like I'm Princess Grace or Princess Di. Almost no one is going to know who or what I am." Liz whispered back.

"Let me just dance with my little girl for a few more minutes, before I hand you over to that young man who's impatiently waiting for you, over there." Jeff said.

As John Evans took his daughter into his arms for their dance, he remembered watching her grow up.

He had met Isabel, shortly after he had met Judy. He knew that his relationship with Judy would go no further unless he got along well with Isabel. How could he have predicted how quickly he would fall in love with both mother and daughter?

He remembered the day when Isabel had officially become his daughter, with his last name behind her first.

He remembered the day when she had called him to tell him that she, Liz and Max had found his long, lost brother, Phillip.

And now here she was; his little girl was a bride, a newly married woman!

"Your mother and I are so proud of you." John told Isabel. "You're bright and intelligent as well as beautiful. You've found your brother, your people and this young man to whom you were married, this day. I just hope he takes good care of you." John said.

"He will, Daddy. And I'll take good care of him." Isabel said, as that young man of hers came to claim his dance and his bride.

Across the room, Max was taking Liz into his arms. They just clung to each other for a few moments before they started to dance.

'Oh Max! I am so happy!' Liz exclaimed silently. 'I am finally, finally Mrs. Elizabeth Evans!'

'Me too, Liz. I can hardly express how happy I am that you are finally my wife and I am your husband.' Max said, sub-vocally.

'How much longer before you become my king?' Liz asked. Max looked around.

'About 40-60 minutes more. Tage and his family will start to slip away. Soon, they'll load up the buses and head out to the desert. We'll be able to leave and follow them then.' Max explained.

Mason Blair and Cheryl Appleton were strolling through town, hand in hand, half in character. They would be heading out to the desert in a few minutes, to shoot some scenes on the enormous outcropping that the scenery crew had found and were just killing time, when they spotted Max Evans and Liz Parker in the midst of a party, in the city-park.

"Oh, I bet today is their wedding!" Cheryl said, excitedly. "Let's go over and say hello to them."

"We'd better not, Cheryl." Mason warned, reminding her of their decision to stay away from their look-a-likes.

"Oh you're right, but isn't Liz's dress pretty? Doesn't Max look handsome, all in white? I bet he took his white tux jacket off because it's so hot." Cheryl said, before they started to walk on.

They were walking by the town hall, when a movement caught their eye. A military officer, all decked out in his blue, dress uniform, all of his medals pinned to his chest, came out of the building. As he turned in their direction, they saw happy recognition and respect show on his face.

"Mr. Evans, Miss Parker." He called out...

Colonel Sam Jones came out of the Roswell Town Hall and looked at his watch.

'17:30.' He thought to himself. 'Well, the meeting with Roswell's mayor went well and it's time for dinner. Maybe I'll grab something here before I head back to the base.' He looked up and couldn't believe who he saw walking towards him.

"Mr. Evans, Miss Parker." He called out as the young couple walked towards him. They looked a great deal more casual this time, walking hand-in-hand, but he had the same urge to salute the young man, which he had felt the first time that he had met these two, several months before. Instead of saluting, he took off his cap, tucked it under his left arm, almost came to attention and stuck his hand out. The young couple looked at each other, confused.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we aren't Max and Liz. My name is Mason Blair and this is Cheryl Appleton." The young man said as he and the young lady, who could be twins to Max Evans and Liz Parker, politely shook hands with him.

"Well, my word, this is extraordinary. You two look exactly like them. Even your voices sound the same. I'm sorry; my name is Colonel Samuel Jones. I met Mr. Evans and Miss. Parker a few months ago. But you know their first names. Are you related to them?"

"No, we aren't related." Mason Blair answered. "We just met Max and Liz the other day, when we literally ran into one another." The young couple shared a smile between themselves.

"You mean, they are here, in Roswell? I thought they lived in Boston."

"I believe they do live in Cambridge, but they are here for their wedding. In fact we saw them at their wedding reception, which is being held on the other side of the city-park. Would you like to see them?" Mason asked.

"Yes I would, very much." Colonel Jones said.

"Come on, we'll lead you over." Cheryl said. The Colonel nodded and indicated for the young couple to lead the way. He put his cap back on and followed.

"So, do you two live here, then?" Sam asked.

"No, we're actors, here shooting a movie." Mason said.

"Oh really, what movie? When will it be coming out in the theaters?" Sam asked, curious.

"It's called 'The Royal Four, Among Us.' It's based on the books by..."

"By Eric Petersen?" The Colonel asked. "I love those books and the three movies they've already made, based on his books. I hadn't heard anything about a new movie being filmed, that's great!"

"We think 'Among Us' will be released in about six months." Cheryl said.

"I'll be looking for it." Colonel Jones said.

They had reached the part of the park where the reception was being held and Sam could see Max and Liz, surrounded by friends and family. Just as they came into sight, Mason asked.

"How do you know Max Evans and Liz Parker, Colonel?"

"They and a group they represented made a bid on some land the military was selling." He answered, not really paying attention to what he was saying; his sights were on the bride and groom ahead of him. "I'll just pay my respects quickly and be on my way. You aren't joining the party?" He asked, when Mason and Cheryl hung back, making no move to follow him.

"No, we're only acquaintances and we have to head out to our film site any minute now, anyway. Will you give them our best wishes, though?" Cheryl asked and the Colonel nodded.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you both. Good luck with your filming. I'll be looking for you on the big screen in six months." He said, shaking their hands, before walking off.

"Nice to meet you too, sir." Mason and Cheryl said.

"They represented a group, which was bidding on government land? I thought that they were just college students." Mason said when the Colonel was out of earshot.

"Max is a law student. Maybe he had a summer job with a law firm and he was representing a client. I bet that's what the Colonel meant." Cheryl said.

"Maybe." Mason said, uncertainly.

They watched as the older man crossed the park and approached the young couple. Once again the Colonel took his cap off and tucked it under his left arm, in one, fluid movement, before he came to a standstill, his body stiff, almost at attention and stuck his hand out to Max and then Liz. They watched as handshakes and smiles were shared, as Max introduced him to their parents and family. A few moments later they saw him shake Max and Liz's hands again and then stride off, out of the park.

'I wonder.' Mason thought to himself, as the two of them went to catch their ride out to the desert.

Max, Liz and their family were grabbing a quick bite to eat, between mingling with their friends, when Max looked up and saw Colonel Sam Jones walking across the grass towards them.

"Colonel Jones. This is a nice surprise." Max said as he shook hands with the older man."

"Same here. I came out of a meeting with Roswell's mayor and ran into two young people, who look just like you and Miss...I mean Mrs. Evans! Their names were..."

"Mason Blair and Cheryl Appleton? Yes, Liz and I have met them."

"Incredible likeness between the four of you." He marveled. "They were the ones who told me that today was your wedding day. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Colonel." Liz replied. "You have met my father and father-in-law, Tage and Eric Petersen and Michael Guerin. Let me introduce you to the rest of our family." Liz said as she introduced him around. Handshakes and smiles were shared and the Colonel gave Isabel and Alex his congratulations, also.

"Mr. Petersen, I understand another movie is being made, based on two more of your books. I look forward to seeing it in the theaters. I have greatly enjoyed reading your books over the years and liked the first three movies made, based on your books, very much."

"Thank you, Colonel. I'm happy with what they have shot so far. 'Among us' should be coming out in about six months."

"Yes, that's what Miss. Appleton told me." He looked over at Max. "May I ask if you've made any progress in your valley, Mr. Evans?"

"Some. We are moving at a nice pace, but we have a lot of work to do yet. I would invite you out there to see the site, but it's a mess right now." Colonel Jones nodded his head, understandably.

"Would you like something to eat? There is plenty." Liz asked.

"Thank you, no, Mrs. Evans. I just wanted to stop by and give you my best wishes for a long and happy life together."

"Thank you so much." They both replied.

"Well, I just wanted to stop by and say hello. I had better be on my way and let you get back to your other guests." Colonel Jones said as he stuck his hand out to shake Max and Liz's hands again.

"No need to rush off, Colonel, but it was a pleasure to see you again as well." Max told him, before he left, striding across the grass and out of the park.

"You'd think he was being inspected by a general, he's so stiff and formal." Liz said and Max nodded.

'Phew.' Sam Jones thought to himself, feeling himself relax as he walked away from the park. 'I don't know what it is about Max Evans that makes me feel as though I'm in the presence of one of the Joint Chiefs or royalty, or something. He and Liz Par...Evans seem like such a nice couple and so are their family and friends. Quite a coincidence; their knowing Eric Petersen and then Mr. Blair and Miss. Appleton. Oh well, it was nice to see them again. Maybe I'll go visit the valley, sometime in the future.'

Half an hour later, most of their friends were gone. Only those who weren't privy to that evening's plans were still there. Max, Liz, Isabel and Alex made the rounds, thanking them for attending their wedding and indicating that they were about to leave for their honeymoons.

Of course, instead, the eight of them got into their two cars and headed out into the desert. Michael and Tess, carrying the circlets, drove with Isabel and Alex in the back. Kyle and Maria drove the second car with Max and Liz.

"That was a nice surprise, seeing Colonel Jones again." Liz remarked as she and Max tried to keep their hands off of each other.

"Yeah; interesting that he ran into Mason and Cheryl first. It was considerate of them to tell him where we were, but stay away from us, themselves. We don't want to be seen together in public." Max agreed as he allowed his self-control to slip a little and brought his hand up to caress Liz's lovely face, turning it to face his and moving in for a kiss...

The two cars were the last to arrive. It was just after 6:00 and the desert had already started to cool down from its daytime temperature in the 90s. It wasn't cool by any means, but it was comfortable.

"We saw the film crew working out by the outcropping." Alex said, as they all got out of the cars.

"They can't see us from there and they're working on the west-side of the outcropping to catch the setting sun's light. We are to the east." Michael said.

Liz, Max, Alex and Isabel put their robes back on and surprise, surprise, Michael, Maria, Kyle and Tess put on their own robes, which they had created for this ceremony. Tess and Michael wore the dark blue robes, with silver embroidery, of the Antarian Military, in memory of their parents. Tess helped Liz take the ribbons out of her hair. Then all four of them picked up their orbs, which they had brought with them, before all eight of them walked over to where the entire Antarian community and their parents stood in a large circle. Everyone, except their parents, was wearing Antarian ceremonial clothing, including their robes. Michael and Tess joined the Honor Guard and created an opening in the circle through which Max and Liz entered, hand in hand, while Isabel, Alex, Maria and Kyle joined the circle to stand by their parents. Michael and Tess both held the Royal Circlets on their opened palms.

Back at the outcropping, Mason and Cheryl scrambled across the stone, while the crew below filmed them. If they had been up at the very top of the outcropping, and had looked east, they would have been able to see the entire ceremony, which was to begin, but they only worked halfway up and never looked east.

Max and Liz stood inside the circle, but only just. They were unsure of what to do. All of a sudden, Wellmax and Belisa appeared before them, in the middle of the circle. Everyone, including Max and Liz bowed low.

"Rise, all of you." Wellmax said. "None of you remembers the ceremony of kings?" When everyone shook their heads, he continued. "But you have brought orbs. Use them to create a connection between all of you. Max and Liz; come to the center of the circle and continue holding each other's hands, with your orb between you." Wellmax instructed.

"Access your orbs for the Oath of Royalty and Community." Belisa instructed and everyone concentrated until it was found. Their connection would give the words to everyone in the circle, when the time was right.

"Max and Liz, begin the oath." Wellmax said.

"I, Zan, son of Wellmax and Belisa, last king and queen of Antar, now named Maxwell Phillip Evans, hereby state that I wish to be made the new king of the Antarian people, wherever they live and to make our new capital in the town, Airatan, New Mexico, in the United States of America, on the planet Earth." A discussion had been held about what to call their new community and it was decided to name it after the capital city on Antar.

He looked to Liz and nodded, smiling.

"I Elizabeth Claudia Evans, daughter of Jeffery and Nancy Parker, hereby state that I wish to be made the new queen of the Antarian people, wherever they live and to make our new capital in the town, Airatan, New Mexico, in the United States of America, on the planet Earth." Then everyone, except their parents, said.

"We, the Antarian people, wherever we live, hereby state that we wish to make Maxwell Phillip Evans and Elizabeth Claudia Evans our new king and queen and to make our new capital in the town, Airatan, New Mexico, in the United States of America, on the planet Earth."

The circlets in Tess and Michael's hands floated up into the air, but stopped halfway between Tess and Michael and Max and Liz. Max and Liz said together.

"We hereby vow to guide our people by the Antarian Ways of Living: Honor, Justice, Love and Kindness." The people answered.

"We hereby vow to heed your guidance so as to follow the Antarian Ways of Living: Honor, Justice, Love and Kindness."

The circlets moved until they hovered over the heads of Max and Liz. Then Max and Liz continued.

"We vow to be your link to the past, to the future and to each other."

"We vow to link through you to the past, to the future and to each other." The people said and with that final vow, the circlets settled gently onto Max and Liz's heads. But something else happened. Something none of them remembered or anticipated. A total and permanent link was created between each and every Antarian, there on Earth and out in space. A sigh of joy and remembrance went through the entire group.

"This is how it used to be for us." Max explained to Liz. "We lived and worked together as one unit, connected together through the link. But not in any sort of 'Big brother is watching over you' way. As you should be able to sense, we all have total privacy in our thoughts, but we can share them and our energies, as well, through a range of frequencies. Personal, husband and wife, parent-child, family, parts of the community, up to a frequency which links the entire community.

"It is through this last and strongest frequency that our technologies are powered, used and shared. We will no longer have to hold an orb to communicate with our friends out in the Alliance. The orb will only have to be in stand-by mode somewhere and the link will provide the energy needed.

"We can tap the connection for extra power to create art, to cook, to heal what we cannot all by ourselves. We can sense our environment and out to the galaxy around us if enough of us concentrate together!" Max finished his explanation, excitedly.

"And you never have to feel alone, be alone, unless you want to." Liz said, wonderingly.

"That's right." Max said, before he kissed her.

'You are my love, my life, my wife and my queen!' Max exclaimed, sub-vocally.

'And you also are my love, my life, my husband and my king, finally!' Liz replied back.

"Children. Max, Liz?" Max and Liz came out of their kiss when they heard Belisa calling them.

"Mother?" Max asked. Both Belisa and Wellmax smiled down at them.

"You have fixed what once was broken, gathered together those who have been separated, created what once was destroyed." They said together to Max and Liz as well as everyone in the circle as they indicated the connection, which they could almost see flowing from one person to another. Even the six parents were a part of the connection, temporarily while their hands were held by the Antarians around them.

"But now it is time for us to go. Our purpose here has been completed."

"But you said that you would always be with us." Isabel cried.

"We will my daughter, always; in your memories, in your genes, in the examples of our actions, which we leave behind and in our spirits. But this physical appearance of the two of us is draining the last of our energy resources on this plane of existence. We are no longer a part of this connection of yours, but another one calls to us and so we must go." They motioned Isabel, Alex, Michael, Maria, Tess and Kyle to come join them. As they did, Setta and Leachim appeared as well and all four adults lifted their arms over their children in blessing.

"Grow strong and wise. Find love and peace of mind and know that we will always love you." They said and then disappeared.

"Max!" Isabel cried but then she felt the compassion, love and support of every Antarian around her and her tears dried up, as did those of everyone else.

Tage, Eric, Notanoj, Nasus, Diane, Phillip, Nancy, Jeff, John and Judy walked out to the young people. Diane walked up to Max and hugged him.

"My son, the king!" She grinned as she brushed some of his bangs away from where they had flopped over the front of his circlet.

"I'm so proud of you, Max!" Phillip said as he hugged his son as well.

The other four parents converged on their kids and a general hug-fest ensued. Nancy was admiring the look of her daughter with a circlet around her head, when she noticed that the design on the crown had changed.

"Max, Liz, did you notice that the designs on your circlets have changed?" Nancy asked and everyone moved in for a closer look. "We were told that the symbols represented each province over which Wellmax and Belisa ruled, on Antar. Now those symbols are gone." Everyone was looking at the new designs, but no one knew what they meant, until Nohtanoj got a closer look at one symbol in particular.

"I'm almost certain that this symbol represents our former home solar system. What do you think Nasus? See, there is our sun and the seven planets, which orbit around it. Retipuj is the third planet and has two moons, it's depicted there." Notanoj pointed out as he motioned to some other Antarians who used to live in other solar systems, within the Alliance.

They came up and took a look at the designs on Max and Liz's circlets. They all agreed that all of their solar systems were represented on them, including Earth.

"I guess these are all of the worlds, on which your people live, Max, Liz." Tage told them.

"Oh my gosh!" Liz exclaimed as both she and Max thought about how many worlds their people lived on. They were in awe of the size of their "kingdom" and the responsibility it represented. But mostly they were happy to be finally married and have so many of their friends, family and community around them.

The ring of Antarians broke around them a little, as many of them set out to find friends within the crowd. They had their king and queen again. They were a united community again. Everything was wonderful!

Part 39 The Surprise.

The entire Antarian community celebrated out in the desert and out in space as well, linked together as one people.

"Everyone, I hate to interrupt your celebrations, but the four of us would really like to head out for our honeymoons now." Max announced across the community link. Everyone stopped to listen. "Isabel, Alex, Liz and I would like to thank you all very much for being here, for coming to our wedding and this ceremony and making this entire day so very special for all of us! This has been incredible; so much more than we could have ever imagined." Max finished and the entire community on Earth and out in space, cheered for the newlyweds, for their new king and queen and for their new connection, as an extended Antarian family.

Michael and Maria guided their friends towards their two cars and all eight of them got in. Their luggage had already been loaded into the trunks. They drove to the small Roswell airport, where a friend of Kyle and Tess', who owned a small plane, was waiting to fly them all up to Airatan. Max and Liz thought they were being flown into Albuquerque, where they would spend their honeymoon 'holed up' in the Olivetti's house, but their six friends, their families and their entire community had other plans for them.

Once up in the air, questions started flying, sub-vocally.

'Okay, why did only Tess and Michael see their parents at their wedding, and they weren't even sure about what they saw, but all of us saw Isabel and Max's parents, two times?' Alex asked.

'Tess and I discussed what we saw with Tage at the time.' Michael explained. 'He reminded us of what our parents had told us during the message we saw out in the pod chamber. "Our essences will travel the solar winds until they reach you. We will be with you always." Although we weren't expecting to see them and were very startled to see them, once we talked to Tage about it, we accepted that we actually had seen them and remembered the whole thing, including their blessing.'

'Why didn't you tell us about it? Why did you go to Tage instead?' Isabel asked.

'We went to Tage, because of us all, he is the oldest, was the oldest when we left Antar so many years ago. We figured he'd be the most likely one to have answers and he did.' Tess said. 'We didn't tell you because we were afraid of raising false hopes. We discussed it with Tage and with all that has been happening lately, including our plans for your coronation, we became fairly certain that your parents would appear. Our parents appeared to us only using our family's frequency, but we wanted everyone to see, so we made the arrangements and then told you.'

'Why did your parents only appear to the two of you?' Liz asked. 'It was evident that Wellmax and Belisa were prepared and expecting to speak to everyone.'

'Wellmax and Belisa are the late king and queen of Antar. Setta and Leachim were mostly just our parents. Their positions were nowhere near as public as Wellmax and Belisa's were. Because they were Not king and queen they also didn't have the power or energies that Max and Isabel's parents had access to.' Michael said. Everyone nodded, understanding.

'Why didn't any of us remember the Connection?' Tess asked. 'We all talked about living as a community. How Max and Liz would be our links to the past and future, but none of us ever remembered the Connection.'

'Well, it's been almost 60 years since any of us were on Antar. 60 years since our parents were killed, our planet destroyed, the connection broken. Plus I think that it was so second-nature to us that we didn't even think about it.' Max suggested.

'Leaving Antar, our families and trying to survive on other planets was so stressful for us that we didn't even realize that part of our grief was for the loss of the connection, as well as for our planet and loved ones.' Isabel added.

"I'm starting my decent, folks. Better buckle up." Bob, their pilot called back. "Kyle, you want to come up here and show me where I'm going to land?"

"Sure." Kyle said, as he walked up to the cockpit.

"What?" Max exclaimed, as he looked out the window for the first time and realized that they weren't flying over Albuquerque, but over National Forrest.

"We have a little surprise for you and Liz!" Tess said, as everyone grinned. "We're landing in the valley, where the two of you are staying on your honeymoon."

"No arguments." Maria was still grinning, excitedly. "Everything has been arranged for your comfort and satisfaction."

"But we are supposed to be house-sitting and taking care of Cocoa. Mom and Dad and then the neighbors on the other side of the Olivetti's have been taking care of her this last week, but we have to take over again this week." Max said.

"That has all been arranged." Isabel smiled. "The two of you were going to just 'hole up' in their house. Not go anywhere, so what we have planned for you will work out perfectly. Alex and I, on the other hand, want to be able to get out. Go to the theater, museums. So we are staying at the Olivetti's. We met Cocoa and made friends with her during these last two weeks we have been up here, so she will allow us to take your places in her home. Everything will be fine, Max, Liz!"

"You guys are incredible. You arranged all of this without our knowing! What else do you have planned?" Liz asked.

"You'll have to wait and see." Maria said, as the small plane touched down.

Bob and Kyle came back into the cabin and opened the hatch. Everyone exited the plane. They had landed on a stretch of the valley road, which had enough land on each side, was straight and long enough for a small plane to land on, or take off from. Two SUVs had been parked nearby.

"Okay, Bob, we'll be back in a few minutes for the luggage." Kyle told his friend.

"Thank you so much for flying us up here." Max and Liz shook Bob's hand.

"Don't mention it. Congratulations." Bob grinned at them.

"Okay, you two, we're going to blindfold you now, until we arrive at your destination." Isabel said, as she and Alex tied two, soft scarves over their eyes. (Max and Liz had removed their circlets and put them safely into Michael's backpack, before they left the desert.) They were guided over to one of the vehicles and helped in. They sat in the back seat and immediately reached for each other's hands.

"We'll be there in just a few minutes." Michael said, as he started up the engine and the two cars took off down the road. They came to a stop a few minutes later and Max and Liz were helped out of the car. They walked a few yards and then stopped.

"Okay. This is the perfect place to show you..." Their blindfolds were removed. "...Your new home!" Isabel exclaimed, as they all grinned at their two stunned friends.

They were all standing just inside a natural forest clearing. At the center of the clearing was a nice-sized, newly built house, made of brown brick and smooth, white concrete. By all of the curves, domes, peaks and valleys, Max and Liz could tell that this was one of Olaus' marvelous creations.

The house had been built on land situated at the bottom of the V, on the outside rim of the valley. From where they stood, uphill from the house, they could look across the clearing to the other side, where the trees grew more thinly and the underbrush had been cleared away. Through the trees, they could see all the way up both converging valleys. Max and Liz would be able to see the entire community from there!

"Oh my goodness! Oh my gosh!" Liz exclaimed, beaming up at Max and then at everyone else. "This is so beautiful! Did all of you build this for us? How? When?"

"Yes everyone and I do mean everyone, had a hand in building this." Michael said. "We built it during the week, while you two were at work in Albuquerque and hid it on the weekends, while you were here. We got the materials to build it from the valley and your parents bought the appliances and furniture inside. And of course this land is a part of the allotment, which you two bought."

"Oh man!" Max exclaimed. "This is fantastic! Thank you, everyone." He and Liz sent their gratitude out over the connection.

Back in the desert, outside of Roswell, the Antarian community and the six parents, who had been waiting the 30 minutes of flight-time, to see their reaction to their surprise, cheered and clapped their hands as they felt Max and Liz's amazement and joy at their new home.

The group walked towards the house. A wing of the house flowed out on each side of the central, glassed-in entranceway. Their roofs flowed as fluidly as did their walls. The front door, through which they entered, with Max carrying Liz over the threshold and kissing her deeply, had the Antarian Royal Crest depicted in stained-glass.

"As honored as we are to be king and queen, I hope you haven't put that crest everywhere in the house." Max said.

"No, that's the only place. We want people to know whose house this is." Michael said.

"Actually, we kept the personalization and decorations to a minimum." Isabel said. "We only tried to use your color scheme in your personal living spaces so that they might be comfortable for you right away. Of course, you can change anything we've already done and we left the rest of the house blank so you can decorate and furnish it any way you wish."

"This is where us guys go back to the plane and get your luggage. The ladies will take you through the house." Kyle said, as he, Michael and Alex left.

From the glassed-in entranceway they walked through an archway into a large, empty room. It was all in white, but the surfaces were soft with curves and arches in the ceiling and windows, which looked out over the clearing at the front of the house. There was a southwestern-type fireplace built out into the room from one corner. Like the room it was in, it had rounded surfaces and gentle curves.

"These are your more formal, public rooms. This would be your living room and this would be your dining room." Isabel said as they moved into the room next door, which seemed to flow out of the room they were just in. It too was a blank slate, with a matching fireplace in a corner, backing up to the one in the living room. The arched windows in here looked out over the right-hand valley.

From the dining room they walked into a small room, which had connecting doors with another small room and the long, slim library.

"That second small room can also be entered from the living room and has a door into the library as well. They are meant to be staff offices." Tess said. "The library is meant to be an office for both of you, as well as just a cozy place to read."

The long, slim room had floor-to-ceiling shelves on the inside walls and shelves up to four feet on the outside walls, with large windows above them. There was a set of beautifully carved, wooden, folding doors in the middle of the room. They would allow Max and Liz to split the room into their own private offices, if necessary. The doors and shelves were made of natural cherry and the rest of the room was a soft white.

"Now let's go see your cozier living-spaces." Maria said. They passed back through the dining room and a butler's pantry, into the family room, kitchen wing.

"The kitchen looks into the family room, which has views down both valleys or you can open these doors above these back counters and look through the entryway, out to the clearing in front of the house." Maria demonstrated.

These combined rooms had a warmer, cozier look to them. They had brown-brick walls, golden-brown ceramic tiles on the floor, natural cherry kitchen cupboards and table and earth-toned rugs under the table, by the sink and stove and in front of the small sofa, which was the only piece of furniture in the family room. There was another southwestern-style fireplace built out from one corner. The twelve-foot, white plaster ceiling curved down to the arched windows and eight-foot high brick walls.

"Through here is the bedroom wing." Maria said. They walked through a wide hallway, which housed the laundry facilities on one side and a linen/storage cupboard on the other.

"You have four bedrooms and two baths, including your master bedroom and bath." Tess said.

"We figure this way, we, or your parents, would have a place to stay when we come to visit!" Maria put in.

They glanced into the three, nice-sized bedrooms and one bath. Once again, everything was a blank slate. That was not the case with the master bedroom, however.

"Oh my gosh!" Liz exclaimed when she walked into their room.

"It's the way I changed Tess' apartment for when we...at Thanksgiving." Max looked around the spacious-but-not-huge room, in awe. "But different."

The walls were made of pink sandstone and the floor of a dusky-pink ceramic tile. Soft, white rugs lay on each side of the bed, in front of the small loveseat and in front of the fireplace. The twelve-foot, domed, white-plaster ceiling came down to the arched windows and eight-foot high stone walls. White lace curtains hung by the windows and from the canopy of the mahogany, four-poster-bed. Wall-sconces, with candles in them, were attached to the stone walls all around the room.

"Here is something you need to know about." Tess, who had been carefully carrying Michael's backpack, said, as she walked over to the wall, to the right of the fireplace. "Wave your hand here." She told Max, indicating a piece of sandstone at his shoulder height. Max waved his hand and a V-crest lit up. "Place your hand on the crest." Tess instructed and Max did so. A small silk-lined drawer, which had been hidden behind the stone, slid out.

"Nohtanoj helped us set up this little bit of Antarian technology. It's for your circlet." Tess told Max, holding out the backpack to him. "Liz, you wave your hand here." Tess said, indicating a spot at Liz's shoulder-height, after Max had taken his circlet out of the nap-sack. "Nohtanoj set these drawers up to respond only to your DNA. That way your drawer will respond to you, Liz even if you aren't Antarian."

"Wow that was thoughtful." Liz said, as she waived her hand over the spot Tess had indicated, then placed her hand on the crest and put her circlet into the drawer, which slid out, for safe keeping.

"The door on the left of the fireplace leads to your large closet and the door to the right of the fireplace, leads to your master bath." Maria told them. "Have you noticed the sky-light right above your bed?"

"Oh my!" Liz exclaimed.

"We can see the left valley and the sunset out our windows from our bed...should we ever, uh, be taking a nap at that time of the day." Max grinned, suggestively at Liz.

"And see the stars from there as well." Liz grinned back at him.

"Maybe it's time for us to leave you two alone." Maria said as they began to back out of the room. Max managed to break his gaze away from Liz for a minute.

"As much as I want to be alone with Liz, there are two things I've been wondering about, ever since you first showed us this house." Max said.

"What are they, Max?" Tess asked.

"How did you know exactly what the two of us wanted in our house? I mean, this place is so close to what Liz and I have always said our dream-home would be like." Max said.

"Yeah, the more you showed us of this house, the more I recognized it as my dream-home. The layout, the colors..." Liz said, smiling.

"Liz, as girls we had many discussions about what we wanted our lives to be like when we grew up." Tess said.

"What car we'd drive, what colleges we'd attend, what our husbands would be like and what our dream-homes would be like." Maria finished.

"We took that list, which you last updated when you fifteen years old and added it to what the two of you both said, when you showed Alex and I the designs and drawings, which Olaus sent you, of the houses he planned to build. Plus, we've both seen the colors you decorated your loft with...and voila!" Isabel gestured to the house around them.

"This is so fantastic guys!" Liz exclaimed, as Max grinned with his arm around her.

"The other thing I've been wondering about, been worried about..." Max said..."is, I mean this house is truly exceptional and we love it and we are so grateful for all of your work, but you do understand that it will be at least three years until we can live in it, move out here to Airatan, don't you?" Max asked.

"Of course, Max." Isabel told him. "But you two are the center of our community, especially now. We all wanted yours to be the first home built here. We wanted a special place for you to call your own, whenever you can come out to visit. And I think we have some budding airplane pilots working towards their pilot's licenses and more to come when the next ship arrives. The community will probably be able to afford to buy a small plane, so you, we, will have an inexpensive or free way of traveling out here in the near future!"

"Ahhh." Max and Liz smiled, nodding their understanding of the motivations behind this house being built for them.

"But now I think that we really must go. The guys have finished bringing in your luggage and Bob is waiting to fly us to Albuquerque. We stocked the kitchen and the rest of the house with all you should need. If there is anything we missed, give us a call and we'll get it for you." Maria said.

"You even have a small, portable CD player set up in the closet, with speakers in the bedroom." Michael told Max. "I put all the CD's, which you had chosen and placed in the Olivetti's CD player, into this one. The rest of your discs are in your carrying case, by the player."

"Thanks, Michael." Max said.

"Thank you all so much for everything." Liz said, as they all hugged each other, before everyone left the house and Max and Liz were left alone.

Part 40 The Wedding Night!

Once Max and Liz were left alone:

"Why don't we look around the house a bit more and then we can figure out what we want to do next." Max suggested.

"Well, I know what I want to do next and so do you, but I agree that we need to spend a few minutes in the world of reality before we dive head first into our own fantasy world for the next few days." Liz said.

They walked to the other end of the house, to the library and worked their way back. They took the time to take in more of the houses' details. They saw several other skylights throughout the house and they looked in all of the cupboards, closets and bathrooms. In fact, they ended up in their master bath, where they discovered a deep tub, just right for two. Someone had placed candles all around the room and there was one, last skylight, right above the tub. They walked out into their bedroom and sat down on the loveseat, across the room from the fireplace.

"Liz I..."

"Max I..." They both said at the same time. "You go first, Max." Liz invited.

"Liz, I'm a little worried about tonight. I love you so much, but these last six weeks of being 'without you' has been so hard. There have been so many moments when I thought that I would loose control and just 'jump you'. And now that we are finally alone, I can feel my control about to snap."

"I've noticed your grinding teeth, clenched jaw and the way your hands open and close into fists." Liz said. "I love you too, Max so much and believe me, I'm at the end of my rope too."

"But I don't want to just tear your clothes off and throw you on our bed and ravage you...this time." Max said, as he saw a gleam in Liz's eye.

"You're right; we should save that for another time." Liz agreed. "I don't want six weeks of waiting to be over in five sweaty minutes, no matter how incredible those five minutes would be. I want our first time together after so long to last...but if I touch you..."

"If I touch you, I'm afraid I'll explode." Max finished for her."

"I've been thinking about how our first time as husband and wife would be for sometime." Liz said and Max nodded. "Let me ask you something, Max."

"What's that?"

"What turns you on about me, making love to me?" She blushed. "There's a reason for my asking this."

"Everything, Liz." Max said, instantly.

"Me too, Max, in general. But what specific thing about our lovemaking really sets you off?" Max thought for a moment.

"I think it's seeing myself touch your body and seeing how you, your body responds to my touch. Your eyes get darker; your skin becomes flushed... Why, what specific thing about our lovemaking really sets you off, Liz? Max asked.

"I think it's how you feel when I touch you. I love to run my hands over your body. I love touching my body to yours, feeling your heat..."

"And so, what do these answers tell you about what the two of us should do right now?" Max asked.

"What would you think about being blindfolded, Max? So you could only touch me, taste me and smell me. Would that slow you down a little? Would that allow you to rediscover me?"

"Oh, I see where you're going with this. Yes, I think that would work...if all the other stimuli doesn't overwhelm me, instead." Max grinned. "And what do you plan to do, to slow yourself down?" He inquired.

"I think it would be best, when it's my turn and I think we'd have to take turns...rediscovering each other, if I lay at least a foot away from you and allowed myself to touch you with only one hand or two fingertips or something like that."

"Sounds like a plan. Do I get to try and undress you, blindfolded?"

"That sounds...interesting." Liz agreed. "My dress has a zipper, but I may need help unbuttoning your shirt if I have to do it one-handed."

"Well, give it a try first." Max said grinning. "So where's my blindfold?"

"Oh, I left the scarves they blindfolded us with, out in the foyer. Stay right there and I'll be right back." Liz said as she left the room.

While Max and Liz were being given the tour of their new home, Max could sense, through their connection, that they were both thinking the same thing...'blank slate'.

When they had thought that they would be spending their honeymoon at the Olivetti house, they had accepted the nicely decorated guestroom as the best arrangement that they could make, given their financial status and how hard they were working at their summer jobs and out in the valley.

But seeing their new home, so much of it undecorated, started to give them both ideas. When they saw their master bedroom for the first time, Max sensed Liz settled back into her acceptance mode. Their friends had decorated the room especially, to remind them of the first time they had made love, Liz reminded herself and accepted the arrangements made for her. But, both she and Max kept thinking 'we have a blank slate here. We can have anything we want for our wedding night.'

Both Max and Liz would remember their first lovemaking as one of the most special times in their lives. But they wanted their wedding night to be just as special, if not more so, not a repetition of that night. Deep down in their hearts they both wanted something different for their master bedroom and Max sensed that Liz wanted the same thing that he did.

So, as soon as Liz left the room to go and get his blindfold, Max was ready; their' joint idea, clearly in his mind. He swept his hand over the room and the walls and floor turned into white marble, with some sparkling-clear crystal, caught here and there within the stone. Instead of the brass wall sconces, holding candles, attached to the walls around the room, marble candle sconces, extruded themselves out of the walls. There were so many more sconces than before, that Max used the candles from the bathroom to fill the extra spaces.

The soft, white rugs stayed where they were, but now two of them lay on either side of a bed without a headboard, pillars, or canopy. There was only a white quilt hung on the wall above the bed. It's quilted, puffiness, showing up against the smooth, white marble.

Their symbol was appliquéd in the middle of the quilt. A gold heart nestled within a larger, brown heart, with the symbol for infinity, in silver, in front of both. Max lit the dozens of white candles around the room and the fire in the fireplace, with a snap of his fingers and sat back down on the love-seat, just as Liz came back into the room. The crystals in the marble sparkled with the light from the candles and the fireplace, like tiny, little stars, on the walls, ceiling and floor. And soft, romantic music could be heard wafting its way through the air.

"Here it is, Max." Liz said, showing him his scarf, as she came through the bedroom door, to stop dead in her tracks and let her mouth hang open in shock.

"Ohh, Max, this is so beautiful." Tears of joy pooled in her eyes. "This was exactly what I wanted deep in my heart! You sensed what I wanted through our connection and wanted the same thing?" Max smiled, sweetly at her. Liz ran into his arms and kissed him deeply.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She said before tying the scarf over his eyes. "You can't see, can you?"

"Nope. It's going to be fun 'seeing' you with my hands." Max chuckled. "Do I get to go first?" He asked, hopefully.

"Uh, sure." Liz said. "I think that I have more items of clothing to remove, anyway!" She teased.

The young lovers took turns rediscovering each other, giving and receiving pleasure as their passion for each other built up to an almost unbearable level, but finally, neither of them could hold back any longer and they both shot off the peak and out into space. It took them several orbits around the moon before they lost enough energy and were able to drift back down to Earth.

"Are we alive?" Liz asked, trying to look around the room through eyes, which would not quite focus yet.

"I...think so." Max answered, uncertainly as he at last pushed his blindfold up and off of his head.

"How can I feel so energized and yet so boneless at the same time?" Liz asked.

"I don't know. This is the first time I've felt quite this way myself." Max admitted.

"Let's just enjoy it." Liz said before she fell asleep where she was.

"Mmmm." Max said agreeably, before he too fell asleep.

Max and Liz woke up late the next morning after a night of lovemaking.

"Was that your stomach rumbling or a train streaming by our bedroom window?" Liz asked.

"I think it was my stomach." The sound came again.

"I think it's both of our stomachs. Maybe we should get up and find something to eat." Liz suggested as their stomachs sounded again, even more loudly.

"Okay." Max agreed and they helped each other into a sitting position. "Would you like to take a nice hot bath while I fix breakfast?" He asked.

"Ohh that sounds fabulous, but I'd rather eat breakfast with you and then we can take a bath together, afterwards." Liz said.

"That sounds good. We have a plan then." Max agreed as they both got up out of bed and found their robes in the closet.

They moved out into their kitchen and found all the ingredients, including strawberries and whipped cream, for Belgium Waffles.

"Rats we didn't think to make the batter yesterday so that it could rise overnight." Liz said, disappointed. "Also, we don't have our waffle-iron."

"Actually we don't need a waffle-iron, Liz and I can make the batter rise in a matter of minutes." Max told her.

"Really? Oh Max that would be great. I had such a craving for...Belgium Waffles!" Liz smiled at him happily before she tiptoed up to kiss him thank you. But the kiss went beyond that, as they clung to each other, Liz's arms around his neck and Max's arms around her slim, little waist.

"Mmm where were we?" Max asked.

"About to make waffles? Maybe; I'm not really sure." Liz answered.

"Yeah, yeah, that must be what we were doing. All the ingredients are out here on the counter." Max said; trying to remember back beyond the incredible kiss they had just shared.

They got to work, mixing the batter and cutting the strawberries. Max used his powers to make the batter rise, before he poured some of it onto each of their plates. He took the first plate into his hands and concentrated on it until a hot, crisp waffle appeared.

"There you go, Liz. Will you try a bite and tell me if it turned out alright?" Liz smiled her answer and cut into the waffle with her fork. Her smile grew as she chewed.

"This is wonderful, Max. I almost hate to put the whipped cream and strawberries on it...but I will!" She laughed happily as she spooned the cream and fruit onto her waffle.

"Why don't you take your breakfast over by the fire?" Max asked as the wood in the fireplace sparked to life. "I'll be there as soon as I 'cook' my waffle."

"Liz smiled as she took her plate and the bowel of uncut strawberries over to the fireplace and sat down on the soft, Navaho rug. Max finished cooking his waffle, dribbled some Tabasco over it, then the cream and strawberries, before he picked up his plate and the bowel of whipped cream and walked over to join his lovely wife on the rug.

They lay out on their sides, facing each other. As soon as Max made himself comfortable on the rug, Liz switched their plates around so that his was in front of her and vice-versa. At Max's questioning expression, Liz smiled at him, cut a piece of his waffle and fed it to him. Max smiled back at her as he chewed and cut a piece of her waffle and fed it to her.

They finished off their waffles, feeding each other while looking deeply into each other's beloved faces. When they had finished, Liz put their plates out of the way and moved over closer to Max. She pushed on his upper shoulder until he was lying on his back and she was laying half on top of him.

Liz reached out, picked out a strawberry from the bowel, dipped it into the whipped cream and fed it to Max. Before his tongue could lick off a bit of cream from his upper lip, Liz moved in to clean it up for him with her lips and tongue.

"Mmm, my turn." Max said as he dipped a strawberry into the cream and fed it to Liz.

He too cleaned up the extra cream on the side of her mouth with his own soft lips. He tasted her own sweet flavor, as well as the fruit and cream, as his kiss went deeper. His arms came up around her and pulled her fully onto his big, strong, reawakening body, their kisses becoming more urgent as they slipped from eating breakfast into post-breakfast lovemaking.

This was an activity started on their first 'morning after', which they did not mind repeating and had...many times.

Max and Liz did not spend as much time 'holed up' in their new home as they thought they would, that week. Although they did spend quite a bit of it, 'acquainting themselves' with each and every...room in the house...at all times of the day and night...they did venture outside, as well and not just to 'acquaint themselves' with the woods around their house. They took long walks together, often coming upon a crew of home-builders or a group working on some other project around the valley.

Houses were going up quickly now, with so many hands to help and the Connection to allow the professionals to give instruction and oversee the work on several different homes at once. They had to be careful that they didn't work so fast that they attracted the attention of the building inspectors though, who had to come out to Airatan at least once a week if not more often.

Max and Liz often lent a hand, enjoying the comradery and friendship of all of these good people, their people. In a few days they would both be back at their summer jobs in Albuquerque, only able to come out on the weekends, so they enjoyed the time working with them now. In September they would not even be able to help out on the weekends because they would be back in Cambridge, studying for their college courses, thousands of miles away.

TBC