Chapter 4.
"It can't be true......... it just can't."
Max found it hard to look Valenti in the eye.
"I'm so sorry. I was there, I witnessed it. Liz was there too, and Maria."
Valenti looked in her direction. She was talking to Isabelle and was obviously upset. Everyone had gathered in the Crashdown about 5 minutes earlier. They all had their bags packed and transport sorted out. Valenti began to realise that what Max had been saying for the last half an hour was true, his son was dead.
"I know it's difficult to understand, and you know that Kyle was very important to me, to all of us. But we need your help to leave Roswell. Our lives are in danger."
Valenti was looking intently at Max. He was deadly serious.
"All of you?"
"Yes."
Valenti looked around at the group again, Alex, Isabelle, Maria and Michael were in a corner whispering to each other and Liz was sitting behind the counter, staring at Max and Valenti, wishing everything would go back to the way it was.
"Sheriff?"
Valenti found it hard to believe that the kids in this room were the same ones he had seen earlier that evening. They had been so happy; his son had been among them.
"Sheriff?"
"Wha........Max, sorry,.....I"
"I know. I'm sorry, but we have to leave Roswell tonight. If we don't.......well, .........you'll not only have lost a son, but you'll lose a daughter."
Valenti looked again at Maria. Her face was in her hands and Alex's hand was on her shoulder. 'A daughter' he thought, 'I have to keep my daughter safe.'
"Don't worry Max, I'll take care of it."
Max handed him the letters, addressed to The Evans, The Whitmans, The Parkers and The (soon to be) Valentis.
Max stood up and so did the Sheriff. Seeing this, the others decided to gather their things.
As they were leaving, Valenti cleared his throat.
"Goodbye everyone, uhm, I know this is hard for you, to have to leave your homes, and your families, but I'm sure they'd want you safe," his voice quivered slightly, "I'm sure Kyle would have wanted the same. It's been a pleasure to know you, all of you. Oh and Michael" Michael looked up at him, "take care of my daughter."
Maria smiled at him, dropped her bag, and hugged him. He HAD been a father to her, and she loved him like one. She moved away and grabbed her bag.
"I will, sir."
The group made their way outside and put their things in their prospective cars. Valenti watched them from the doorway. They waved sadly as the cars drove off into the night and he clutched the letters tighter in his hands. He had not lost two children, but seven tonight, and that thought made him feel lonelier than he'd ever felt before. The shock of losing Kyle was beginning to wear off and the reality of what had happened to his beloved son was slowly sinking in. He slid to the ground and let the sobs overtake his body.
A/N: Another really, really ridiculously (i love Zoolander don't you?) short chapter. But there's not a whole lot you can say about the Sheriff.