***

"This is just great!" Casey huffed. "He's not supposed to be here. What if past Alex sees now Alex and they both go poof, or something? It'll cause some sort of like big time hole, and we'll all be doomed."

"I don't understand. Tess set the granolith for three people." Rob said, scratching his head.

Jill sighed, and put her arms around Alex's neck. "I don't what he's doing here, but we have to deal with what we have. He's here now, and he's going to help us. If we're careful and just go to the Valenti's house, then we'll save Tess and be poofed out of this dimension before we know it. We're wasting valuable time wigging out."

"She's right." Rob said, squeezing Casey's hand. "If life hands you peppers, you should make Tabasco sauce."

"I have a bad feeling about this." Casey muttered as they trekked towards Roswell.

***

"It looks a lot better now." Rob said. "I still find it hard to believe that my family lived here."

"They did." Jill said. "And Tess said that her bedroom was around the side. We should try to crawl in through the window."

The four scrambled inside the window, Rob squeezing through first and pulling everyone else up.

"What now?" Casey asked when she heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps.

"Hide." Alex squeaked and jumped in the closet. Rob followed him, while Casey hid behind a recliner in the corner. Jill squiggled down underneath the bed.

"Rob, I want you to know that this whole closet thing is most definitely Non-Vermont." Alex whispered.

"Agreed." Rob nodded. "I'm a married man." He said, feeling the cool gold ring on his finger.

The door opened, and slammed.

"Tess, you better stay in here. Dad will calm down, eventually."

Jill peered out and looked at the speaker. It was her Dad- a young version- even younger than Tara. She wanted to run out and hug him, to feel his warm arms reassuring her, just as he'd always done. But this Kyle wasn't a father- this Kyle wasn't even remotely close to Isabel.

"Are you sure?"

"I've faced his wrath for seventeen years. I'll go take the brunt of it, and have him come back to see you, ok?"

Kyle left the room, and Tess plopped down on the bed.

"Owww." Jill muttered.

Tess jumped, scared by the noise. Cautiously and carefully she picked up the corner of the bedspread. She saw Jill and screamed.

Rob shot out of the closet, and sent a bolt of power in Tess' direction. She screamed.

Casey popped up. "Rob, you could tell her what we're doing. You're scaring the crap out of her!"

Just then, a series of knocks took place on the window pane.

Tess moved cautiously and calmly towards the window. She opened it up.

"Tess?" The 2001 version of Alex stood waiting outside the window. "I brought over the translations…"

"Shhh…" Tess said and pulled him inside. "I need your help."

A shadow of fear passed over Jill's face. "Alex, whatever you do, don't look and don't come out of the closet."

2001 Alex was puzzled. "Who are you, how do you know my name? And I'm not even in the closet, literally or sexually."

"We're here to help you." Rob growled. "You just don't know it yet." He sent another beam of power at Tess.

"Hey! What the…" Alex cried as Tess landed on her bed. "What is this?"

Jill shot a beam of power at Tess, and her body began to change. Her face molded to that of a much older man. The face of the older man pulled away, one body emerging from Tess' body. Tess fell back onto the bed, as the older man stood up.

"Nasedo." Jill said, venom dripping from her voice.

"And who are you? You can't defeat me, you…you…hybrid."

"I'm proud to be who I am. ½ alien, ½ human, and 100% ready to kick your ass."

The battle was fast and furious, one on one between Jill and Nasedo. Nasedo used his powers to morph and change direction, while Jill used all the skills that she had been given.

It was at a stalemate when Nasedo grabbed the 2001 Alex. "If I can't have Tess, I can adapt this body to meet my needs. He's already started evolving." He growled.

Rob lunged and grabbed both Jill and Casey's hand. He channeled the power, the natural born power that flowed through their veins. A bright bolt of energy shot out of the trio.

They had fulfilled their destiny.

Nasedo was dead.

Rob ran over towards the 2001 Alex, lying in a puddle of goo that had been Nasedo. He checked for a pulse, but none was to be found. "NO!" He yelled, and ripped open Alex's shirt. He closed his eyes and tried to make the connection…but there was nothing there to connect with.

Alex was dead.

Rob knelt beside Alex, tears flowing down his face. "I couldn't do it…" he muttered. "I couldn't do it."

Casey walked over to her husband, rubbing his head, trying to soothe him.

"Make him disappear." Jill said in a low voice.

"What?" Casey said, her voice full of disbelief. "We can't do that.."

"Yes, we can. Make him disappear."

Casey reached out and turned Alex's corpse to a pile of dust. Jill created a windstorm and blew the dust out of the window.

"What was that for?" Rob muttered. "You've lost it."

"No. I haven't." Jill said, her voice full of determination. "Alex, you can come out now."

Alex stepped out of the closet, slowly. "What, what happened."

"We defeated Nasedo."

A smile grew over his face. "That's great."

"There was a causality."

"Tess?"

Jill shook her head. "You. The 2001 Alex doesn't exist anymore."

"I…I don't understand."

Jill ran her hand over Alex, taking away his redheaded disguise. "It's time for you to face your Destiny, Alex."

"What?"

"This…this dimension needs you. Your presence will make a great difference…even save the universe. We know what will happen if you're dead Alex, and that just doesn't work. You have to go."

"I don't remember how to be a teenager."

"You'll remember. Everyone always wants a second childhood…"

"I don't want to leave you." He said, his voice growing raggedy. "I love you, Jill. I love you."

"I love you too. But you have to be brave. Wherever you are, you'll be Alex. Your heart is your heart, and your soul is your soul. I know it's scary to go back into this universe, but you'll be brave."

Alex grabbed Jill and kissed her, a last kiss- their last kiss.

Tess opened her eyes. "Who…who are you?" She cried, to the specters of Jill, Casey, and Rob. Their bodies were becoming transparent, and they faded away.

Jim and Kyle came running in the door. "What is it? I heard you screaming!"

"I'm fine. Alex just dropped off…off my keys…and he scared me. I hit my head, but I'm all right."

"Really?" A look of skepticism passed over Jim's face.

"Really." Alex said finding his voice. It felt weird to see the Sheriff looking so young.

"Alex, you better hurry home before I call your parents. You're in enough trouble for the Vegas escapade."

"Yes sir!" Alex said, running for the door.

He was going home.

***

His mother was cooking meatloaf, her signature dish. He could smell it down the street.

His father was reading the newspaper, his traditional afternoon activity.

Alex raced into the house at break neck speed.

He hugged his father, something he rarely did. Then he ran to his mother and embraced her too.

"Son?" his dad said, looking up from the paper.

"Are you crying?" Mrs. Whitman said with a hint of concern in her voice. "Honey, are you ok?"

Alex shook his head. "I'm fine. I've just never been so happy to see you."