Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.

Tomorrow's Yet to Come

Chapter Thirty-Six – Zan is the Man

Zan paced restlessly around the small room, waiting for the others to arrive. He still wasn't sure about his place in the group. They hadn't exactly welcomed him with open arms, but then, he hadn't given them much reason to do so. They were different, that's for sure. He couldn't believe letting all those humans in on their secret, but apparently, it worked out. One thing he knew for certain, that Isabel and Michael were nothing like Rath and Lonnie. Where Rath and Lonnie were evil, through and through, he could sense openness and a sense of honesty that he never felt from their New York counterparts. He wasn't crazy about that character that Ava hooked up with, but that may be because he didn't think anyone was good enough for his Ava.

Zan completed another circuit of the room as he thought about the relationship he shared with Ava. He didn't think he was jealous of Kyle. He an Ava had discovered a long time ago that they weren't meant to be together. Maybe what he felt was a kind of big brother thing. Except, that was Michael's role.

"Where do I fit in?" he asked the empty room. "What's my role within this group?"

"You fit in fine," said Michael, walking through the door. "Don't worry about it, Zan. You're what Liz calls an integral part of the group. Not that I have a clue what the hell she's talking about half the time, but if Liz says it, then it must be true."

"She is pretty cool, isn't she?" asked Zan. "Max did good, when he saved her."

"That's not how I saw it for a very long time," said Michael. "I did everything I could to stop him from saving her, and then, I did everything I possibly could to keep them apart. I was so evil to her, but did that stop Liz? No way. She just kept pushing her way into our lives, wanting to help us, and now, I can't imagine life without her or Maria, or even Alex and Kyle. We need them, and they need us, and now, we need you too. Max always says we're stronger together than we are apart, and he's right. And Zan, that includes you, too."

Zan looked at Michael in amazement. He didn't think he had ever heard Michael string so many words together at one time.

"Great, so Liz thinks I'm in, but what about the rest of you?" Zan asked, his heart in his throat.

"Hey, now that I know you're not trying to stalk us or kill us, or whatever, I'm cool," said Michael. "I know Max is a bit freaked, but only because of the whole looking in the mirror thing. I was the same when I saw Rath. Isabel's okay with you too, she says any guy that wears Armani like you do has to be okay."

"Antar's princess makes her decisions based upon the person's wardrobe?" Zan asked, trying to contain his laughter and failing.

"Yeah, don't ask, it works for her," said Michael. "Logic abounds in Isabel land. And as long as Isabel is cool with you, Alex is too, but don't piss of Isabel, because Alex will kill you without a second thought," continued Michael.

"He doesn't really seem like the type," answered Zan.

"Yeah, and that's why he's so dangerous," said Michael. "He got dragged kicking and screaming into the whole alien adventure we called our lives. Max and Liz got into a car accident, and they wanted to test Max's blood. Liz got Alex to give us a sample of his blood, but it caused some really hard feeling between them, because she wouldn't tell him why."

"And he did it anyhow?" Zan asked, amazed. The loyalty between these people amazed him at times.

"Yeah, but it was a long time before Liz finally told him what was going on, and even then, he didn't really believe her, but he believed that she believed, and that was good enough for him," Michael explained.

"Incredible," said Zan, shaking his head. "What about Valenti," he asked.

"Oh, Kyle hates you," said Michael. "But only because of Max."

"That makes all the sense in the world," said Zan.

"Sit down, will you," said Michael. "All that pacing is making me nervous. "Look, Kyle and Liz were dating when Liz got shot. Max saved Liz, they connected, and Kyle lost Liz to Max. He gets over it, falls in love with Ava, and you show up, a Max look alike with, and you already have a history with Ava. He's nervous."

"Yeah, but Ava's like my sister, man. Why doesn't he get that?" Zan asked.

"Look, on some level, he gets it. Don't worry; Kyle's got your back. If you're in trouble, he'll be the first one there to help you. He's cool, much as it pains me to say it."

"You don't like him?" Zan asked Michael, curiously.

"Not at first," admitted Michael. "I couldn't stand him. It's taken a while, but I know I can count on Kyle, and he knows he can count on me."

"Amazing," said Zan. "The whole freaking crew of you is amazing. You let humans in on your secret. You save them, turn them alien some how, and marry them. It's freaking bizarre."

"Yeah, we may be bizarre, but I didn't notice you just standing there and letting that Aberjani kill Max in the Granolith Chamber. You saved his ass down there, and from where I stand, it probably would have been easier on you all around if you had let him die," said Michael.

"Yeah, well, whatever," said Zan, clearly uncomfortable with Michael's revelation. "It's not important, but I do have something important I want to talk about. I think we need to have one of your never ending, mind numbing meetings."

"Yeah, what about?" said Michael, his interest piqued.

"I," began Zan, only to be interrupted by Isabel dancing through the door, laughing in delight.

"I did it, I did it, I did it," she sang. She stopped suddenly and looked around the room. "Oh, I thought I was alone," she said, her face flushing a becoming shade of red.

"Nice dance, Iz," said Michael. "I take it this means you were successful in your meeting?"

"Max told you?" she asked.

"Yeah, he told us," answered Zan, "And that's kind of what I want to talk to everyone about. But I really think we ought to wait until everybody is here. This may be kind of important."

"Well, Alex and Max will be down here in a little while, and I bet Maria and Liz and Kyle will too, on their never ending quest for food that tastes good," said Isabel. "So that means Ava will be with them. Voila, instant meeting!"

As if she summoned them, Max and Liz, along with all the others entered the small room, talking rapidly. Max sat in a chair, and pulled Liz onto his lap. Maria kissed Michael, quickly, and then joined Kyle over by the stash of food, rummaging around for something to eat. Alex ignored everybody, with the exception of Isabel. He walked over to where she stood, and took her in his arms and hugged her tightly.

"How'd it go?" he asked. "I was so worried about you all day."

"It went great," said Isabel, proudly. "I'm in. It couldn't have gone any better if I had planned it."

"That's what has me worried," said Zan, raising his voice to carry over the various conversations in the room. The room quieted almost instantly, and everyone stared at Zan, varying degrees of shock on their faces at the sound of his pronouncement.

"What's up?" Max asked. Liz slid off of his lap, and he stood up and crossed the room to stand next to Zan. "You think there's a problem?"

"Yeah, actually, I do. Ever since we've arrived her," said Zan. "Things have gone almost too well for us."

"Like what?" asked a now curious Maria.

"Well, we all got into our programs of study," said Zan. Then the four of us," he pointed at Michael, Max, Kyle and himself, "Got chosen to join the Aberjani training program, the group we're here to destroy. Liz was chosen to work on a special project for the Aberjani, and then Ava and Maria are assigned to work with Liz. Then we find out that Alex is going to be working on another aspect of Liz's Aberjani project, and now, Isabel is chosen to be a part of a diplomatic apprenticeship program in the palace. It's all too easy. I think we have to step back and take a look at the big picture. Someone is playing us, and we could all be in danger!"

Everyone began to speak at once, filling the room with a cacophony of sound. Suddenly, a piercing whistle silenced everybody. Ava jumped up on a table, and waited, to make sure that everyone was paying attention.

"Zan's got a point," she said. "Now, I'd like to think that we've achieved all these things on our own, because we are exceedingly smart, but I don't think so. I think we're being manipulated."

"Astute observations, my young friends," Che'koth said from the tunnel. "And not entirely incorrect."