Author's Note: Well this is it, the final chapter! I hope you all like this
fic and I would really appreciate loads of feedback cos this is my very
first story and I'm kind of nervous as to whether I should write more
stories or just give up now. Thanks for all the great reviews and I hope
the ending doesn't disappoint!
CHAPTER 19
Two days later, the gang were back in Roswell and sleeping off the last 5 weeks. Finally a meeting was held at Max and Liz's apartment to tie up all loose ends and say goodbye to the Klaus Valar.
As everyone seated themselves, a happy buzz filled the room. As usual, Max took centre stage and addressed the group. He couldn't stop smiling, and hadn't for 2 days.
"Thank you everybody for getting out of bed to come here. I know everybody is eager to get back to work and their 'normal life'" Max was met with a host of groans at the mention of going back to work.
Alex held up his glass of champagne. "God bless summer vacation! See Kyle, being a teacher does have its advantages!" Everyone laughed.
Mekhi stood, again looking sombre. "Max, there's still one more problem. Antar has no King. You must reclaim your throne."
"I've thought about that, Mekhi and that's why I've called you all here today. I'm not reclaiming the throne. From now on, I'm no longer King, and neither is Josh. I'm appointing a new King. I've discussed this with him and I think this will work. Mekhi, the new King of Antar is Rohan." Max smiled as everyone turned to look at Rohan, who was seated on one of the couches, Serena beside him holding his hand.
"Don't look so surprised! I'll be a good King!" Rohan exclaimed. Serena giggled beside him but went hysterical when Rohan began to tickle her.
Mekhi looked at Max and Tess. "Are you sure about this?"
Tess nodded. "Dad, Antar isn't our destiny. This is." Tess looked around her, at all the people who had become her life - her friends, her family. "This is our life now, our children are here. This is where we want to stay. I hope you can understand, Daddy." Tess looked into the eyes of the father she only met less than 2 months ago.
"Of course I understand, sweetheart." Mekhi smiled at his child fondly. He would go back to Antar and he would never see her again, but at least he knew that she was alive and happy. Tess embraced her father, fighting back the tears.
Mekhi pulled back, wiping away his own tears. "Well I think that's it then. Everything seems to be in order. Emuil, Etta and the others are preparing for our departure - the Granolith will be ready this afternoon."
Max offered his hand to the older man. "Thank you, Mekhi. Thank you for everything."
"You take care of my grandson, Max." Mekhi shook Max's hand and turned to Kyle. "And you take care of my girls, Kyle" Kyle nodded and also shook his hand.
Serena and Rohan stood and began to say goodbye to everyone. Serena turned to Michael and smiled at him. "Michael"
"Serena" Michael smiled back at the woman who made him realise how important Maria was to him.
"Thank you for everything, Michael. Thank you for helping me to put Rath behind me." Serena looked beyond Michael and smiled at Maria. "And thank you too, Maria."
Maria couldn't help but smile and push past Michael to hug her new friend.
"Oh Serena! I'm gonna miss you so much!"
The gang watched as Mekhi, Serena and Rohan left, each saddened by the thought that they would never see them again. Liz turned and smiled at her seven friends.
"Guys, I have something to tell you."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
7 MONTHS LATER
"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?" Max stood and tapped a fork against his crystal champagne glass. Everyone turned to look at the best man who was just a tiny bit tipsy.
"I'm not much of a talker, so I'll make this short and sweet. I'd like to propose a toast to the happy couple, Michael and Maria, whom I know will have many happy years together. And after 10 years together, it's about goddam time, Guerin."
"Hear, hear!" Amy Valenti clapped and looked smugly at her new son-in-law.
Max sat back down and put his arm around his now heavily pregnant wife.
"Max Evans, are you ever so slightly drunk?" Liz demanded, a mock-serious expression on her beautiful, glowing face.
Max smiled and hiccupped. He looked over at each of the familiar faces in the banquet room. Alex and Isabel were deep in conversation with Philip and Diane, Alex's arm rested across the back of Isabel's chair as Isabel stroked her tiny bump. She was only 4 months gone but she had already named their son, Paul Rohan Whitman.
Tess and Kyle were next to them, arguing over which tasted better, the soup or the cake. Tess seemed to be winning. Chloe and Christina were chasing Josh around the large room. Josh was happy that he was going to have another sister, but he kept pestering Tess and Kyle to have another baby because he wanted a brother.
Josh could feel his father's eyes on him and he turned around to smile and wave at him. Max waved back and winked at his son. Max turned to look at Michael and Maria who sat in the middle of the table. Michael sat back in his chair, his tie loose and his top buttons opened as he smiled while watching Maria have an animated conversation with her mother. Jim Valenti playfully bounced Ella on his knee as Chloe and Christina came running around him.
Michael turned his attention away from his new bride and found Max watching him. The two men smiled at each other as Michael rolled his eyes at Maria and Amy. Max raised his glass of champagne to Michael, who did the same, both men silently toasting to many happy, uneventful years together.
CHAPTER 19
Two days later, the gang were back in Roswell and sleeping off the last 5 weeks. Finally a meeting was held at Max and Liz's apartment to tie up all loose ends and say goodbye to the Klaus Valar.
As everyone seated themselves, a happy buzz filled the room. As usual, Max took centre stage and addressed the group. He couldn't stop smiling, and hadn't for 2 days.
"Thank you everybody for getting out of bed to come here. I know everybody is eager to get back to work and their 'normal life'" Max was met with a host of groans at the mention of going back to work.
Alex held up his glass of champagne. "God bless summer vacation! See Kyle, being a teacher does have its advantages!" Everyone laughed.
Mekhi stood, again looking sombre. "Max, there's still one more problem. Antar has no King. You must reclaim your throne."
"I've thought about that, Mekhi and that's why I've called you all here today. I'm not reclaiming the throne. From now on, I'm no longer King, and neither is Josh. I'm appointing a new King. I've discussed this with him and I think this will work. Mekhi, the new King of Antar is Rohan." Max smiled as everyone turned to look at Rohan, who was seated on one of the couches, Serena beside him holding his hand.
"Don't look so surprised! I'll be a good King!" Rohan exclaimed. Serena giggled beside him but went hysterical when Rohan began to tickle her.
Mekhi looked at Max and Tess. "Are you sure about this?"
Tess nodded. "Dad, Antar isn't our destiny. This is." Tess looked around her, at all the people who had become her life - her friends, her family. "This is our life now, our children are here. This is where we want to stay. I hope you can understand, Daddy." Tess looked into the eyes of the father she only met less than 2 months ago.
"Of course I understand, sweetheart." Mekhi smiled at his child fondly. He would go back to Antar and he would never see her again, but at least he knew that she was alive and happy. Tess embraced her father, fighting back the tears.
Mekhi pulled back, wiping away his own tears. "Well I think that's it then. Everything seems to be in order. Emuil, Etta and the others are preparing for our departure - the Granolith will be ready this afternoon."
Max offered his hand to the older man. "Thank you, Mekhi. Thank you for everything."
"You take care of my grandson, Max." Mekhi shook Max's hand and turned to Kyle. "And you take care of my girls, Kyle" Kyle nodded and also shook his hand.
Serena and Rohan stood and began to say goodbye to everyone. Serena turned to Michael and smiled at him. "Michael"
"Serena" Michael smiled back at the woman who made him realise how important Maria was to him.
"Thank you for everything, Michael. Thank you for helping me to put Rath behind me." Serena looked beyond Michael and smiled at Maria. "And thank you too, Maria."
Maria couldn't help but smile and push past Michael to hug her new friend.
"Oh Serena! I'm gonna miss you so much!"
The gang watched as Mekhi, Serena and Rohan left, each saddened by the thought that they would never see them again. Liz turned and smiled at her seven friends.
"Guys, I have something to tell you."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
7 MONTHS LATER
"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?" Max stood and tapped a fork against his crystal champagne glass. Everyone turned to look at the best man who was just a tiny bit tipsy.
"I'm not much of a talker, so I'll make this short and sweet. I'd like to propose a toast to the happy couple, Michael and Maria, whom I know will have many happy years together. And after 10 years together, it's about goddam time, Guerin."
"Hear, hear!" Amy Valenti clapped and looked smugly at her new son-in-law.
Max sat back down and put his arm around his now heavily pregnant wife.
"Max Evans, are you ever so slightly drunk?" Liz demanded, a mock-serious expression on her beautiful, glowing face.
Max smiled and hiccupped. He looked over at each of the familiar faces in the banquet room. Alex and Isabel were deep in conversation with Philip and Diane, Alex's arm rested across the back of Isabel's chair as Isabel stroked her tiny bump. She was only 4 months gone but she had already named their son, Paul Rohan Whitman.
Tess and Kyle were next to them, arguing over which tasted better, the soup or the cake. Tess seemed to be winning. Chloe and Christina were chasing Josh around the large room. Josh was happy that he was going to have another sister, but he kept pestering Tess and Kyle to have another baby because he wanted a brother.
Josh could feel his father's eyes on him and he turned around to smile and wave at him. Max waved back and winked at his son. Max turned to look at Michael and Maria who sat in the middle of the table. Michael sat back in his chair, his tie loose and his top buttons opened as he smiled while watching Maria have an animated conversation with her mother. Jim Valenti playfully bounced Ella on his knee as Chloe and Christina came running around him.
Michael turned his attention away from his new bride and found Max watching him. The two men smiled at each other as Michael rolled his eyes at Maria and Amy. Max raised his glass of champagne to Michael, who did the same, both men silently toasting to many happy, uneventful years together.
