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

Chapter Twenty-Six

Antar – Capitol City

Kyle stepped out of Tragenta's dwelling and surveyed the street. Eddies of smoke still swirled up from the rubble where Naloch's shop used to be. He looked down the street and saw a squadron of guardsmen walking towards Naloch's shop. He stepped out into the street, his gaze still on the guardsmen, watching their approach. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of light. He quickly turned towards Naloch's shop where he saw a petite woman with short black hair emerge from the debris. She was wearing typical Antarian clothing, but was carrying a backpack.
"Oh shit!" he said under his breath as he ran across the street. The woman hastily stuffed something in the backpack and slung it over her shoulder and began to make her way carefully down the wreckage.

The guardsmen began running towards the shop. Kyle grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her down of the wreckage.
"Of all the stupid stunts!" he yelled. "What the hell do you think you were doing? You just brought every guardsmen in a ten mile radius on our tails." He gave her arm another tug and the two began to run, dodging crowds of people with every step.
"I couldn't just sit there," began the woman, gasping for breath.
"Save it," said Kyle curtly. He checked behind them to make sure they were unobserved and then ducked down a small side street. Pushing open a door, he pulled the woman inside and dragged her down a set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, he shoved her into a small empty room.
"Oh, this is great," said the woman. "We're going to be real safe here."
Kyle ignored her, and pushed a panel on the wall, and a door swung open to reveal a tunnel. Kyle unceremoniously shoved the woman into the tunnel and jumped in behind her as the door swung shut. Above them, they could here the stomping of boots on the floor.
"Come on," he said. "They followed us. We have to keep going." He took the woman's hand and they began to run through the dark and twisting tunnel. After running for what seemed like an eternity, he stopped and turned towards the woman.

"What the hell were you thinking about Maria?" he yelled. "Or did you even think at all?" Even as he yelled at the woman standing in front of him, he was enveloping her in his strong embrace.
"God, it's so good to see you Maria. God, Michael's going to kill you," he said, hugging her again.
"Is he ok?" she asked anxiously
"He's fine, or he was fine. He's going to blow a gasket when he sees you."
"Kyle, what's been happening? I thought the orbs were supposed to bring me to Naloch's shop, and instead, I ended up in some garbage dump. Come to think of it, what were you doing in a garbage dump?"
"They did bring you to Naloch's shop, or what's left of it," he said. "There was a bomb, it leveled the shop, and it almost killed everyone inside."
"Oh no," said Maria, her hand pressed against her mouth. "Tell me everything."

Kyle gave Maria a brief overview of everything that had happened. When he was done, she hugged him again.
"But they're all safe?" she asked.
"Yeah, for the most part." "How's my dad doing? He must be a basket case right now."
"Didn't' Max and Michael tell you?" asked Maria.
"Tell me what?" said Kyle in a voice filled with panic.
"Well, your dad – Kyle, he remarried," she said, her voice rushed.
"He what!" roared Kyle. "What the hell? The last I knew he was dating your mom. Did they break up?"
"I'm trying to tell you Kyle, do you want to shut up and listen now?" Maria said pleasantly. "He married a really great lady, and their very happy together. Oh yeah, and you have a stepsister now. She's really beautiful Kyle. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful woman before. Oh and you have a new niece," said Maria preparing to drop her little bombshell. "Her name is Elizabeth Isabelle Guerin, and she's probably the most beautiful baby in our world and this world."

Kyle took a second to process what Maria had said and he began to laugh uproariously. "You jerk," he said swatting her shoulder lightly. "You really had me going for a second there. Seriously though. He's ok isn't he? Any problems with his powers or anything?"
"No, he seems to have them under control. And when I said he was really happy, I was telling the truth. They are so in love, it's almost disgusting. He keeps her grounded, and she helps him to lighten up."
"What did they say when you told them you were leaving?"
Maria flushed and looked at the ground like a guilty schoolgirl. "I didn't exactly tell them," she admitted.
"What! You just left without saying anything?"
"Jesus Valenti, do you think I'm that stupid? They were staying at my house to help with the baby. The night I left, I put a note in Beth's crib and stuck the baby monitor in their room. Leaving my baby was the hardest thing I ever did, but my baby deserves to have her family around her. All of her family!"

Earth – Roswell, New Mexico

"Jim," Amy muttered as she rolled over in bed. "The baby's crying." She settled back down into the pillow and began to doze back of. Suddenly she sat up. "The baby? Where's Maria?" She looked around and saw the baby monitor sitting on the dresser. "Jim, wake up. Something's not right. Maria left the baby monitor in here," she said as she got out of the bed and pulled on her robe. Jim sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed his face.
"She probably went out for a jog. She's been doing that a lot lately," he mumbled through his hands. He got up and followed Amy down the hall to Maria's room.
"You're looking mighty fine there Mrs. Valenti," he said as he walked behind her. Amy shot him a saucy glance over her shoulder and knocked softly on Maria's door. There was no answer except for the cries of the baby. Amy pushed open the door and saw that Maria's bed had not been slept in. She stepped over to the cradle and lifted the infant out and began to rock her gently.

"Amy, you dropped something," said Jim as he bent down to pick up the item. "It's a letter, with your name on it. Why don't you give me the little moppet and I'll change her while you read it."
"N-no Jim," said Amy. "I can't. Read it please," she said as she placed a diaper on the bed and began to change the baby.

Dear Mom and Jim, (read Jim)

I hate to do this to you, but I need you to watch Beth for me. I didn't want to leave her, but it wasn't safe to bring her with me. Michael needs me – I can feel it. I have to go to him. I have to do my part to help bring the others home.
We learned a long time ago that we are stronger as a group, but we're not a group if I'm here and they are up there. Take care of my baby, and let her know that her Mommy and Daddy and Aunts and Uncles will all be home soon to spoil her rotten. I love you both very much. Mom, I know I don't say it often enough, but you are the best! And Jim, you've always been there for all of us, but I really like knowing that you are there for me as a Dad. Take care of my baby.

Love

Maria

Jim's voice broke as he finished the letter and Amy sat on the bed cuddling Beth and wiping tears from her eyes.
"What are we going to do?" asked Amy.
"We're going to do what we do best, love this little girl to the best of our abilities, and cover for our kids. Seems to me, we just sent Michael and Maria on a vacation to visit Liz at that university back east. And Max and Lexie went along as well."
"We'd better call Jeff and Nancy and Philip and Diane and let them know," said Amy with a sniff.

Antar – Capitol City

Kyle and Maria made their way through the tunnels back towards the warehouse where the others were hiding. As they walked, Kyle peppered Maria with questions about life back home.
"So, what? Max and Michael didn't talk to you at all when they got here?" asked Maria.
"Well, mostly we've been busy, trying to rescue everybody," said Kyle.
"Yeah, that's true," conceded Maria. "Ok. Yes Buffy died again, but Willow brought her back the next season. Actually, it was kind of a dark season; you're lucky you missed it. All except the musical that is."
"Musical? There was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical?"
"Don't worry," answered Maria. "I taped it. Are we almost there?"
"It's not much longer. So what's with the new look? I know you were always into changing your style, but this is drastic, even for you."
"Well, I didn't want to show up here looking like myself, and since I lack your ability to presto chango myself, I figured this was the best I could do. Not that it worked, you spotted me right away."
"Maria, you are one of my closest friends, of course I recognized you, but I doubt Kivar or any of his people would have. You did good Maria."
"Thanks Kyle. Michaels going to hate it, I just know it," she said.

Kyle stopped and looked at Maria. "Michael is going to love it because it's you," he said. "After he gets done killing you anyhow." As he spoke, he passed his hands over Maria's hair restoring it to the long blond hair she had sported when they first came to Antar.
"Thanks Kyle," Maria said putting her hand up to her hair.
"Hey, it's the least I could do for my new sister. Now, shut up and wait here," he said. Maria fumed at being told to wait, but did as she was asked while Kyle walked ahead. He quickly returned and motioned for Maria to join him. They walked around a corner and entered a small room. Maria stopped dead and stared.
"Michael," she whispered. "Michael!" She ran across the room and jumped into the arms of her husband and kissed him.