Chapter Fifteen

Thaman stood inside the now completely destroyed Pod Chamber. He sighed as he looked from corner to corner. He put his hand out and moved it to his right, moving the big boulder out of his way. He looked through the hole he had just made. He stood up, feeling another presence, Isabel.

" Why did I know you were here? " she said looking around the Pod Chamber confused.

" Your highness " he said looking at her. " Was there something you needed? "

" I wanted to ask you " she said hesitantly.

" Yes? "

" Was I really such a shallow person? I saved Laurie from the crystals. I helped Liz save Max from Lonnie and Rath. I… "

" I know you did Princess " said Thaman giving her a confused look. He didn't know where she was going with this.

" So even if I did save my brother in the other life, was I really so shallow? Was I of any use? Cause I'm really not very helpful now "

" Your highness " said Thaman interrupting her. His tone was calming. " You were a good person. You just did not know your priorities until it was too late. But you gave your life for a good cause "

Isabel felt comforted by that. She tried to cling to that but she was still mad at herself. All those times they tried to be normal and she put up this façade. She had to be so high and mighty. It was true, she mostly did use her powers to groom herself and walked into people's dreams for her sheer amusement. She looked up at Thaman with sad eyes.

Thaman stepped back a little, surprised at the look she gave him. She shouldn't look at him like that. He didn't want to read into her eyes and see pity. So he turned to look just beyond her. " Princess " he started to say.

" I wish you would stop calling me that " she said, her tone annoyed.

" Then what shall I call you? " he asked amused.

" By my name, Isabel "

" I cannot do that " he said turning around to look at the remains again. He almost seemed uninterested in the conversation.

" Why not? " she said standing in front of him. " We're not on our planet anymore "

" It does not matter what planet we are on. You will always be what you are and you are Princess Vilandra of Antar "

She sighed loudly. This frustrating feeling seemed so familiar. Suddenly a question nagged at her.

" I never knew how you felt about me did I " she said

" How did I feel about you? " he asked with no feeling in his tone.

She looked at the floor. " You loved me " she almost whispered it.

" There is no use in talking about this " he said focusing again on the Pods.

" Thaman? " she said grabbing his arm.

It took all of his will power to stop the connection that almost formed when she touched him. He stopped but didn't look at her.

" I loved you too " she said

Thaman snapped his head up and looked at her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" So you must be new to Roswell " said Kyle. He was sitting next to the girl at the counter chairs of the Crashdown.

" That obvious huh? Yeah but I'm just passing through "

" Where you headed? "

" Oh I have to visit someone " she said nervously. " But I've stopped in Roswell for a couple days. "

" Any way you'd consider staying longer? " asked Kyle hopefully.

She smiled at him slyly. " I'm sure most of the girls fall for that, but not me buddy. I can't stay here longer than that. I'm just here because I got tired of driving " she was now finished eating. She smiled as she whacked Kyle on the back. " That was a good try there " she grabbed her purse and check and made her way to the register.

Kyle clumsily got up to follow her.

" Can I see you again? " Not only was she hot, she had something about her. Something that was pulling him towards her.

She gave him a slight grin. " We'll see " she said opening the door to leave.

" I didn't get your name " he said

She only smiled at him again and then walked out the Crashdown, leaving Kyle standing there gaping at her again.

" What a woman " he said

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valenti marveled at the way the world seemed so different to him. Ever since he started this "Expose Max Evans " thing he didn't stop and look around at the world around him. Considering all the things that have happened and all the things that could and would happen, he looked at his surroundings and saw something else. Nothing could be normal. He could never go back to his simple, or somewhat simple, life of being the Town Sheriff in a cozy office and lock up bad guys. Now he had to save his planet from the aliens that threatened these kids. He was a simple man, getting older in his years even though he didn't really feel it, he was smart, and he was a good person. He would protect these kids as best he could, but would he survive? He had to think about Kyle and if anything ever happened to him, he had to make sure that Kyle was ok. He was sitting in the Park after just seeing how Amy was doing. He watched as the kids in the playground ran around the swings fighting for who could ride first. He watched the kids' playful faces as they slid down the slide and ran excitedly up to slide down again. How long would they be like that? Could his life be that peaceful? If he had to do over again would he have stopped himself from finding out more about Max? He wouldn't do any of that over again. He made the decision to be a part of this. He owed it to Max to be on his side to the end. He would rather be on the side that stood for good rather than just watch and be useless. He sighed aloud as he continued to watch the kids.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" I notice you didn't even get her digits " said Maria laughing at Kyle's lovesick expression.

" Smooth " said Michael biting into his burger, his Tabasco sauce was already half empty.

" She doesn't live around here "

" That's no excuse, you like her don't you? " asked Maria hitting him on the shoulder. " She should have given you something "

Kyle shrugged sighing. " She wouldn't give it to me "

" Not quite the ladies man you thought you were " said Michael

" Shut up Michael " said Kyle looking down at him. " You're not one yourself "

" So anyway " said Maria annoyed that these guys always had nothing better to do than to be at each other's throats. " What's her name? "

" She didn't give me her name "

" Did you bother to ask? "

" Of course I asked her, she just smiled and left " said Kyle. He flopped down on the booth across from Michael.

" She looked cute " said Maria

" She was all right " said Michael without looking up.

" She was more than that " said Kyle. He stared out the door in the direction that she had walked away. " I just hope she isn't a freak like you " he said to Michael.

" Who you calling a freak? " said Michael

" You. Ever since I got into this freak show everything is just upside down. What if she's like, you know an alien? "

" She could be " said Michael rolling his eyes. " Hopefully she'll use her Martian death rays on you and help you become a grasshopper sooner "

" I resent that you... "

" Ok stop it " said Maria " You guys are just being paranoid. Of course we all have to be careful so Kyle, don't rush into anything "

Kyle and Michael just glared at each other from across the table.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

" You'll always be mine Liz " said Max looking at her as they both lay on her bed. He was stroking her arm softly. " I know that "

" He was just like you Max. Everything about his personality reminded me of you. Yeah he was way different in appearance but it was you " she was laying next to him with her face facing him.

" We were the same person Liz " he said understanding.

" I know Max. It's just weird, there were two of you out there in the world " she said and then she added shyly. " And the two of you "

" Loved you " he finished

She nodded looking down and playing with her sheets.

" Liz, I've told you countless times before that we were meant to be " he said, he put his hand under her cheek. " Fate brought us together "

" I didn't think it was like that " said Liz, looking back up at him. " How could that be? "

" Cause it's you Liz " he said smiling. " I'll always love you, no matter what "

" But no matter what I'm yours Max. Not Zan's or whoever else may be like you. Just yours " she said and then she laid on her back and exposed her stomach. She pointed to the spot where he had left his handprint. " You've branded me for life " she laughed at this. She some how felt like a cow when she said that.

" But you're my cow " said Max laughing.

She looked at him surprised. She didn't say that out loud, about the cow thing. He gave her a grin.

" Damn this connection thing. I can't hide anything from you " she said throwing her hands up and laughing.

Max bent down and kissed the part of her stomach that he had healed.

" Aah! Don't do that " shrieked Liz as she squealed with laughter. She quickly covered her stomach again with her shirt and covered her stomach with her arms.

Max looked at her laughing. He squinted his eyes at her and gave her a diabolical grin.

" No Max " she said pleading as she was laughing. " Please! " but it was too late he was already on top of her, tickling her ribs. She couldn't breath she was laughing so hard. She tried in vain to cover herself. He seemed to know exactly where she was most ticklish. In a panic to try and free herself from his grip she grabbed her pillow and hit him in the back of the head with it. As he tried to grab the pillow from her she pushed him off and tried to run across the room. He jumped off her bed and caught her just as she was about to open the door. He grabbed her around her waist and lifted her up. They were both laughing so hard they didn't notice the knock on the door.

" What is going on here? " asked Maria as she, Michael and Kyle rushed into her room. The three of them saw Max swinging Liz around, her feet flying in the air. They both wore a smile that the three of them hadn't seen on their faces before.

" I told you it ... " started Michael, all lecture ready but he stopped when he felt a pillow hit his face. He turned around and both Max and Liz stood there biting their lips shut, keeping them from laughing. Michael rolled his eyes. " I'm not going to stoop so low as to... " another pillow flew at his face. " All right that's it " he said picking up a pillow from Liz's bed and running towards Max and Liz. They both scramble together and jumped on Liz's bed.

" Michael " said Maria in her lecture voice. But just then Michael hit her with a pillow by accident.

" Uh Oh... " he said as he watched her grab a pillow that lay on the floor and ran over to hit him. The four of them were running around the room throwing pillows at each other. Maria was seriously decking Michael in the head while Liz helped her. Then Max came up from behind and started tickling Liz.

" Max! " she shrieked again as she struggled to free herself from his tight grip.

" You guys are just so pathetic " said Kyle crossing his arms. " So out of character " He tried to duck as several pillows flew in his direction. " Hey now, Buddha says "

" Shut up! " they all yelled as they ran over to him lifting him up and throwing him on Liz's bed. The bed cracked from Kyle's weight and he fell through the bed frame.

Michael raised his eyebrow up at Kyle. " A little heavy there Kyle? " he said. They all busted out laughing. Maria was grabbing her stomach and bending over as Liz laughed into Max's chest holding her face.

" Yeah yeah its all funny cause Kyle broke the bed " he said. He couldn't get up because the bed cracked just where his butt had landed. They all laughed again. " Some help here " he said putting out his arm. Max walked over and lifted him up. Kyle looked down at Liz's broken bed and shook his head.

Max brushed Liz's hair with his fingers as he kissed her on the forehead. Maria looked at Michael and he put his arm around her. Kyle rolled his eyes. " Oh Kyle that was so fun let's go make out now " he said to himself in a girlie voice. " You guys are pathetic " he said walking towards the door.

" Hey what about my bed Kyle? " said Liz calling after him.

He turned around and looked at her. " Tell Maxy to fix it for you ". They all giggled to themselves as they watched him walk towards the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

" What did you say your Highness? " asked Thaman, his face a cross between disbelief and confusion.

" I, I loved you too " she said looking at the floor. Why had she just blurted out something like that?

Thaman sighed as his face softened. " Your highness, I think you may have gotten your feelings confused when you had that flash "

" No " she said shaking her head. " It's not because of the flash "

He looked at her as if asking her to explain, but he didn't ask out loud.

" I remembered it " she said. She blinked her eyes as if she were in a daze. She looked up at him but her eyes were distant. She was flying through her own memories. She was back on Antar with the purple sky and two moons. The stars shining brightly over head. She saw images of people. She saw Zan. She saw Rath. She saw Ava. She saw her mother and other people she couldn't put a name to. She saw Thaman and the images stopped. Thaman she said in her vision.

Thaman looked into her eyes but she wasn't on Earth anymore. She had connected to her alien life.

Isabel was lost in her world. She looked around her not knowing how she had gotten here. She saw how beautiful her home planet had been before the war had broken out. How peaceful things had been. She saw what they called water on their planet. It was blue and little thicker. She saw the things swimming in the pond inside the palace. They looked... alien. She felt a breeze and the coolness sent a chill up her spine. She saw herself, she saw Vilandra in the garden where she stood. She was standing up gazing at the sky and crying. Why was she crying? Isabel walked over to her and looked at her. She did look different in the other life. But she knew this was her. She was crying. Why? She could feel her sadness and her fear.

" Why are you crying your Highness? " said a mysterious voice. Isabel turned around. She gasped as she realized who it was, Khivar.

She saw herself wipe her eyes quickly and look at him slightly. " Nothing " she said.

" You shouldn't cry you know. You're more beautiful when you're laughing and happy "

" I'm not crying because I am sad " she said defensively.

" Really? " said Khivar walking towards her. " What would make this lovely creature feel so? " his voice was gentle and inviting.

" None of your business " she said turning away.

" I know what it is " said Khivar getting every closer. " Someone has broken your heart "

Her eyes grew wide and helpless.

" I would never do that to you " he said kissing her lightly on the lips. " You have so much in you. You have to be with someone else who would appreciate you "

" I bought this? " asked Isabel disgusted with herself. " I actually fell for that pathetic line? What was I thinking? "

The scene changed without warning. It was the moment before Rath was killed. She watched as Nicholas shot out his hand and Rath jumped back. When he landed beside her, his head was covered in blood, a large gash in his head. She looked up, not wanting to see. Nicholas ran down the corridor shouting something. She saw Zan across the way and ran towards him. Zan was fighting with someone she didn't know. From behind a soldier was holding his hand out towards him. Isabel watched as she looked at Thaman who was busy with someone else. " Oh Thaman this is my fault " she heard her whisper. " Why couldn't I just tell you I love you? " she said and ran towards her brother, getting in the way of the shot. She felt the pain of the energy run through her body. Just as her mind blacked out she saw Thaman run towards her. She saw the last thing that ran through her mind before the blackness took over her. " Finally, I'll sleep in your arms " she thought as she felt herself slipping away from her body and nothing.

Isabel gasped as if she had stopped breathing. She blinked her eyes and remembered where she really was. She looked at Thaman with tears in her eyes.

" What did you see? " he asked.