Sacrifice
A Sequel to Quietly into the Night
Conventional Couples
Rating: PG-13

Chapter Twenty-Four

Earth – Roswell, New Mexico

Michael was in trouble, Maria was certain of it. She couldn't explain how she knew it, but she was positive. She made her plans carefully, and when the time was right, she set them into motion. In her closet was the Antarian dress she had been wearing the day they fled Antar and came back to Earth. She grabbed it and stuffed it into the backpack she used to carry when she and Michael were on the run. She took Beth for a long walk in her carriage everyday, and once the house was out of site, she jogged to the gym. She left Beth in the gym daycare for an hour every afternoon while she worked out with a personal trainer. One day, on her way home from the gym, she stopped at a small drugstore located next to the CrashDown and bought a box of midnight black hair dye. She had everything ready she decided. If they weren't back within the next two days, she was prepared to set her plans in motion.

Antar – Capitol City

Saranara awoke from a deep sleep and raised herself up on one elbow and looked across the crowded room. Her saw her father laying on a pallet in front of the door. In a corner, the Queen had pushed two of the cots together to make a bed large enough for her and her children to sleep. She smiled to see that even in slumber, her arms remained around her children, holding them tightly against her body. Her gaze came to rest on Kyle and the Princess. They were lying together on a pallet on the floor, Kyle's arms wrapped around Isabelle as if he was going to protect her, even in sleep. Oh, how she loved him. He was so strong, and so sure of himself, and he made such an effort to fit into her world and now she was going to lose him.

Isabelle stirred, and Kyle's arms instinctively tightened around her. She lay in his arms quietly, waiting for him to fall into a deeper sleep. While she waited, her eyes glanced around the room, and she saw Saranara, sitting part way up, looking across the room at Kyle. The love in her eyes was so strong; Isabelle could see it from where she lay. Carefully, she eased out from Kyle's grasp and walked across the room to Saranara's bed.
"Hi," she whispered. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a building fell on me," said the Antarian girl. The two women shared a smile and Saranara moved so that Isabelle could sit on the edge of the bed.
"How is young Lexie?" she asked. "Was she very frightened during your journey?"
"She was amazing," Isabelle answered. "Both of those kids are great, but that's not what I want to talk about."
"Of course Your Highness, how rude of me to presume," began Saranara.
"Will you stop with the highness stuff," said Isabelle. "I wanted to talk to you about Kyle."
"Oh, well of course, I can see how happy he was to be reunited with you after all these years," said Saranara.
"Well yeah, of course he was," said Isabelle. "He's practically the best friend I've ever had in my entire life, but that's not what I want to talk about either. I wanted to know if you realize just how incredibly lucky you are to be loved as much as you are by someone as wonderful as Kyle?"
"Oh no, he doesn't love my, he belongs with you!"
"Oh puhleeze," said Isabelle in a dramatic voice. "Kyle Valenti and I together – as in soul-mates. I so think not!"
"What?" said Saranara puzzled by all the Earth expressions.
"What I'm saying is you're right, I love Kyle, just like you love that stubborn egotistical jackass you call a brother".
Saranara snorted with laughter at the description of her brother but Isabelle didn't notice. "There isn't anything romantic between us. There may have been some feelings between us at one point, but we were both pretty quick to realize that we were better as best friends."

Saranara looked at Isabelle, her expression one of pure happiness.
"I do have to tell you one thing though," said Isabelle. Saranara looked at her and waited.
"If you ever hurt him in any way, shape or form, you are going to have to answer to me!" she said with a smile as she reached out and took the other girl's hand in hers. "I don't need to tell you how very special he is."
"No," said Saranara. "I learned that for myself soon after I first met him."
The two women sat and talked for a while, until Saranara drifted back into the sleep her healing body needed. Isabelle stretched out on the floor next to Kyle and was just starting to doze off herself when she heard the sound of voices echoing in one of the tunnels off of the small room they were in. She shook Kyle awake, and motioned for him to remain quiet. She quickly moved over to where Liz was sleeping and woke her up as well. Kyle moved across the room and woke Naloch. He then crept across the room to where Saranara was sleeping. Waking her he told her in whispered tones what they had heard and sent her over to watch the children.
"If anything happens, grab them and get out of here," he said.
"No, I want to stay and fight with you," she whispered back.
"I can't let you get hurt again. Promise me, you'll take Lexie and Kam and run," he said urgently.
I-fine," she said giving in to his request. "Be safe Kyle."

Liz pressed quick kisses on the heads of her sleeping children and fell into step behind Naloch. Kyle pushed past her and stood next to Naloch. He looked back to make sure they were ready and the four headed down the passageway where Isabelle first heard the voices. They walked for several hundred feet before the passageway opened up. As they walked, Liz became aware of Kyle's voice echoing inside her head.
Don't do anything until we are certain of who it is, he said. Naloch's band of rebels use these passageways all the time.
Both Liz and Isabelle nodded to show that they understood even though it was so dark, Kyle couldn't see them.

They stopped just short of a room similar to the one they were camping in. Coming from the other direction, they could hear footsteps echoing in the passage. A dim light filled the room, and Liz could see the outline of three men. Without a moment's hesitation, she pushed past Naloch and Kyle and ran across the small room and threw herself at one of the silhouettes. "Max, Max. Oh God Max, is it really you?" she cried.
Max didn't have any time to react when he saw the small dark shadow fly across the room. He didn't even have time to throw up a defensive energy shield when the small body threw itself at him.

"Liz? Michael, it's Liz!" he shouted holding his wife tightly. "We found them!"
A bright light filled the room as Jereon adjusted the lamp he had been carrying. The light showed Kyle, Isabelle and Michael move in as one to encircle Max and Liz and hug them both. Liz lifted her head from Max's chest enough to see Michael standing behind her husband. Releasing her hold on Max, she held her arms open to Michael and he pulled her into his grasp.
"Hey, it's the Crystal Ball," was all he said.
"Michael, I am so sorry," said Liz. "Sorry I made you keep such a secret from Max, and sorry you had to leave Maria and your new baby to come back here. Will you ever forgive me?"
"What's to forgive, we did what we had to do," he said simply.

Jereon crossed the room to stand beside his father. "It's really you this time?" he asked.
"Yes my Son, it is."
"And the Princess and young Lexie, they are safe?"
"We have them and they are quite safe."
"I failed Father. I left them in the tunnel. My job was to protect them, and I failed. I thought it was you, I thought they'd be safe," Jereon said in an anguished voice.
"Jereon, you couldn't have known," said Naloch. "Hiding them in the tunnel was the best course of action."
"He's right you know," said Isabelle walking over to the two men. "You had no idea that the man in the tunnel wasn't your father, and you had to hide us somewhere."
"You are most kind in your forgiving nature Princess."
"Will you forget the princess stuff," demanded Isabelle irritably. "I keep telling you I'm nobody's princess.
"Nevertheless, I am saddened that I failed in my duty to protect you," said Jereon.
"Protect me?" said Isabelle. "I don't need any man to protect me. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself!"

Naloch looked on in shocked amazement as his son sparred verbally with the beautiful Princess, while across the room, Kyle, Michael Max and Liz all watched with knowing smiles on their faces. Isabelle turned on one heel and began to stalk back down the passageway. Jereon glared and took off after her, muttering something about foolish women. Kyle, Naloch and Michael followed them, leaving Max and Liz alone in the small room.
"Max, I," began Liz.
"Don't," said Max. "Not here, not now. I know what you did and why Liz. We'll talk about it another time. "I'm just so glad to have you back." He pulled her to him and the two kissed passionately. "God Liz, I missed you so much. It was so hard for me. Everyone kept saying you were dead, but I wouldn't believe it. I knew you were alive."
"I had to do it Max, I had to save Lexie and protect Kam."
"I know Liz, I know. He's a great little boy, and his name suits him perfectly."
"You don't mind? I know we had agreed to call him Alex if we had a boy."
"Liz, I couldn't think of a more perfect name for him. Is Lexie alright?"
"Oh Max, she's beautiful, and so wonderful. You have done a wonderful job with her!" said Liz. "Come on, they're down here. Let's go be a family!"