Rob grasped his flashlight as they entered the house. It was early morning, but the bomb had blown out all the lights in the house, and the kitchen only had one window- which showed a lovely view of a bush. It was a dark room, something that both Rob and Jim had wanted to change, but never got around to. Rob was busy at work, ever dedicated to his job, and Jim was too busy playing golf.

Besides, the flashlight made him feel safe.

Everything was changing, everything was spinning so fast. One day, he was just a sheriff, doing his part to hold up the law. And now…he was an alien, the heir to an alien throne at that, and feeling very unsure.

Jill reached for Rob's hand, and he was glad for the reassurance that she gave with the simple movement.

He wasn't alone.

He had Jill, who was now actually his cousin, not his niece, and he had Casey. Casey. Definitely the best part of this whole deal. She was amazing. He never wanted to let her go…he wanted to hold her hand every day, kiss her lips every night, and wake up beside her each morning. He wanted to marry her…

The thought of marriage hit him like a ton of bricks. He hadn't dated much, well not at all besides the few dates Amy tried setting up for him that didn't work out. And it wasn't like he was young and inexperienced- he was 25 and he had a well paying job…but he never expected to fall so hard and so fast. To be thinking of marrying Casey when only knowing her for such a short time was absurd…but it was Casey…and then it wasn't so absurd after all.

His Dad's voice caught his ears. "Jim's voice" he muttered under his breath as he moved closer to the former Sheriff to understand what he was saying.

"Look at this…these fragments…I've never seen anything like it before."

Rob reached down, somehow hypnotized by the metallic red pieces of metal. They were sharp on his fingers, almost so sharp as to draw blood.

"It's alien." He said, dropping it like a hot potato. "This bomb wasn't about Anna, or about anything else. This bomb was meant for me. Someone is out to kill me."

He looked up at Jim. Jim was straining to keep his face as calm as could be. After these many years, this whole alien thing was picking up steam again. And once again, his loved ones were at risk.

***

"I thought this might happen." Tess said, running her fingers around the rim of her coffee cup. "They've stepped up the procedures…"

"You knew about this? How many other wonderful secrets did you have to keep from us?" Liz snapped, slamming her cup down on the table so hard that it shattered.

"I didn't know what was going to happen for certain. Time is a funny thing. Not everything that people say will happen is true. Did you know that Alex was going to die when you helped out the other Max? I don't know everything, Liz. My life would have been a lot better if I did."

Jim stepped in the middle of the two women, taking a towel and cleaning up the remains of Liz's cup. "We are all on the same side here. There's not time for fighting."

Liz and Tess looked at each other warily. After a few seconds, they both agreed, exchanging a silent nod.

"I think that we should accelerate the mission. Speed up the timetable on which we were going to send Jill and company to the past. We can get the granolith converted within two days, and it will take another day to warm it up."

Jill looked at the trio of older adults. "So we have 72 hours to say goodbye."

Alex reached around and hugged her, adding his strength to her own.

"I got you the plane tickets. Four tickets to Orlando, Florida." Amy said, peeking her head into her son's temporary bedroom at Jill's house.

"You didn't have to do that, Mom." Rob said, catching the Koosh Ball that fell down from the ceiling.

"It's a gift. Learn to accept one." Amy sat down on the bed and ruffled his hair.

"You've raised me. Isn't that a good enough gift?"

"Oh no, you were a gift to me." Amy said, gathering him into a hug. "No matter what anybody says, Mr. King of the Universe, you are my little boy. And I love you very much. I'd give you whatever I could."

Rob blushed. "Mommm…."

"Give an old lady some credit here, ok? You're going off to save the world, and this is the last time I have to be with you."

"Not really. I'm going out with Chad and Anna. To say goodbye. As soon as Casey gets done doing her hair."

"Ahh, thus the moping." She replied with a laugh.

"ROB! The movie shows in twenty minutes! We gotta move!" Anna called from the front hallway. And I'm driving."

Rob rolled his eyes. "Wish me luck."

Amy chuckled. "I wish my car insurance premiums luck."

***

"So Chinese food is supposed to be romantic?" Jill laughed.

"This is Roswell. This is as fancy as it gets."

"What about the Troubadour?"

"The what?"

"The fanciest place in town."

Alex winced. "When I was alive, this was the fanciest place in town."

"No wonder everybody jet setted out of here right after graduation."
"Do you want to go someplace else?"

Jill laughed. "Nope, I've got you, and this is our first date date. This is fine."

***
"It figures." Casey said, staring at the television. "Even when I have a boyfriend, I have no social life."

She picked up the remote control. Tess and Liz were busy at work on the granalith, and Jim and Amy were on a run to the food store. Jill and Alex went out on a date, and Rob was out with his siblings, trying to say goodbye.

"Nope, definetly not the documentary on the mating style of locusts."

Click

"Or the infomercial on spatulas.."

Click

"You can't go, Tracy. I need you. Does the past few months mean nothing to you?"

"Nick, I have to go. You have Ashlyn now!"

"She's not you!"

Casey smiled. At least Sydney was on.