Dear Journal,

I guess the best things in life are the little surprises that seem to pop out at you little by little each day. Today for Liz I happened to be that surprise. So as soon as we entered Roswell New Mexico in a rental van with 10 seats and full with our luggage we found ourselves parked in the front of the Crashdown.

"Whoa Mom does Uncle Jeff really own this place?"

"Yes Miles come on now leave that toy in the car ok, your Uncle's expecting us."

As we walked into the Crashdown Alex was sitting at the counter on a stool hunched over some random comic sipping an orange soda while Maria was leaning over the counter getting an order from, yeah you guessed it Michael. I averted eyes with him and looked straight for my Uncle or at least to get someone's attention. The first sound heard was a squeal from Maria as all eyes averted to us.

"Oh my God you guys made it, YAY!"

Maria hugged me tight and jumped up and down a little as Uncle Jeff came out from the back with a towel slung over his shoulder. There was a procession of hugging, after we all had made our rounds Aunt Nancy came out from the back and two seconds later so did Liz. There was a pause as she looked from Miles to my Mom to Dan and then she found what she was looking for, me. Her long strides toward me became a run and a huge smile spread across her face, we hugged and laughed at one another Maria joined in, as well as Alex. All of us all found our respectable booths and began talking as the other waitresses took over the place. Michael gave puzzled glances over our way, as Maria would take a table or two.

"So Liz I've noticed no more antenna's or green sheik apron what gives?"

"Well if you must know I'm applying for this position it was a real shot in the dark but I think I have a chance it's for our representative here, Congress Woman Whittaker. But more importantly, what's all this?"

Sam smiled Liz was still trying to get everything in order.

"Well I'm officially a member of the Class of 2001 for West Roswell High."

Liz gave a shocked expression. "Are you kidding me?"

Sam shook her head.

"No not at all, my parents well most of the senior staff at their company is moving out here they're to overlook the rehabilitation process of this laboratory so they bought it up and we're relocating here."

"Uh we?"

Sam nodded and swallowed her sprite.

"Yeah well John, Sandie and Lucas, it's basically the best thing that's ever happened to me I get my long distance and home friends all in one place."

Liz and Maria looked at each other and bustled.

"So how is it with you and John lately anyway?"

Sam shrugged at Maria's question and smiled at Alex who seemed interested in the answer.

"You know how it is, but I dun know seeing this manly man in front of me, I think John may be single soon."

Alex turned the shade of light pink and laughed, the two always flirted with one another.

"Yeah I mean we just arrived in Roswell and the plan was to meet here so we haven't even been to our house yet but I guess John and all them are already there, they had an earlier flight since we had some last minute stuff to prepare."

They just nodded and smiled Sam titled her head slightly.

"So are we going to start off the year with one of Sammie's huge slumber parties? Ya know just us four if ya'll want."

Alex was nodding his head and so were Maria and Liz.

"No wait I can't tonight." All the girls looked at him puzzled, they replied in unison. "Why not?" They looked at each other and then back to Alex.

"Come on guys, you'll beg me to bring my guitar and I'll end up playing crazy ballads for you. Then you'll you lock me out of the room to talk about boys while I kick Mile's butt in some random Playstation game."

"Hey I'm getting good at playing Alex!"

Alex heard Miles' retort and just nodded and smiled mockingly back at Miles.

"I'll need a job Uncle Jeff now that you're MVP has hung up her apron is there a spot on team UFO for me?"

Uncle Jeff perked up with the mention of his name and looked around there was only one new waitress on the floor today and she wasn't doing that bad. She would disappear for long bathroom breaks but non-the less she wasn't awful.

"Of course we have shifts open Sam, we'll have you working in no time."

Sam smiled.

"How about tomorrow then bright and early to learn from a pro."

She winked at Maria who stood tall and acted out her waitressing skills, then slumped back into her seat.

"Great, although the always friendly Michael Guerin is working the grill tomorrow morning."

"So" Sam shrugged.

"So, he's going to be awful, and me training you that's going to go over well with his attitude."

"Maria I've helped you all out before it's just minut things I'll pick up fast no worries, besides who else is going to aide you in your quips with the cook over there?"

Maria smiled and nodded menacingly. Dan and Sam's Mom stood up while Miles wiggled in his seat it was obvious that they were ready to head to the new house and leaving the warm and buzzing Crashdown.

"So we'll bring dinner at 8 ok?" Uncle Jeff was shaking Dan's hand and waving his sister goodbye, Sam looked to Liz and Maria then to Alex.

"You guys are coming as well then right? Liz and Maria both nodded with excitement while Alex looked around like he didn't hear her.

"Hey Whitman, Whitman!!!"

Alex tried to hold back a smile while ignoring Sam. She got down right in front of his face and smiled very seductively.

"You are joining us for dinner right and bringing extra clothes and of course your guitar, it's about time I belted out some tunes with my girls over here."

Alex gave in with a laugh.

"I just can't resist that charm of yours."

"I know" Sam started kissing her Uncle and Aunt goodbye and hugging Maria and Liz.

"See ya'll at 8 then, lata!"

They all left to get into their van. Liz turned to her family and shrugged laughed to herself.

"Did that just happen? How did you keep that from me guys!?"

They all smiled and shrugged. "It wasn't easy." Nancy replied.

"Yeah it was basically don't tell Liz sort of mentality."

"So you all knew about this?"

They all nodded and began going about their usual business. Maria walked over to the grill as Jeff gave her an order for tonight's dinner to give to Michael before he closed the grill early.

"So what was that all about?"

Maria smiled at Michael's concern. "That Michael was Liz's cousin Sam her family just moved here from Florida."

Michael peered over where Sam was once sitting.

"You don't think it's strange that they're here all of a sudden."

Maria bent over the counter and whispered.

"Are you accusing my oldest friend and Liz's own cousin of being like Czechoslovakian relation?"

Michael winced at Maria's words. "What?, I was just asking."

"No Michael you weren't this is human stuff okay, say it with me H, U, M, A,"

"Here Maria" Michael stuffed a plate at her

"You're back to work so cover the table Courtney took over for you. You know I was just saying that we can't be too trusting of new people coming to Roswell especially after what happened this summer."

Maria began to lift the plate and then handed the order for the large dinner to Michael.

"Liz's Mom and Sam's Mom were pregnant at the same time, there's nothing remotely involving the POD squad here at all ok?"

Michael looked at the piece of paper. "What's this?"

Maria smiled "well before we can close the grill you need to fill this order for take out, there's going to be a dinner party over at Sam's place."

Michael shrugged and rolled his eyes as he attached the slip to a clip above his head.

"At least we get off early tonight."

Maria walked away from the counter "Whatever Space boy."

As we arrived at our new house it wasn't hard to miss that we really were living on the same street as Alex. When I told Lucas that we should all live on his street I would have never thought that he could pull it off. But low and behold there were three new developed houses that needed to be sold and we were the lucky buyers.

We ended up with a house directly across from Lucas and Sandie. While John was three doors over on the left and Alex's house was three doors over on the right. It was just perfect we all climbed out of the van grabbed as many bags and suitcases as we could and plowed into the house. We all gasped the house was all unpacked except for some personal belongings that were marked special everything was ready to be lived in. Miles and I looked at each other and than began a race all around the house, the carpet was fresh and the furniture smelled so new. We were stopped by our parents and then turned to the stairs that were adjacent to the front door. The stairway split in two and Miles and I took to the left of the stairway. Mile's room was all the way down the hall and the bathroom was to the right. I looked at another door, which had to be my room as I opened it a long stairwell with light pink walls loomed into a well-lit room. I ran up the stairs to find my room was the length of the entire house, which was great. I had a desk with my Mac on it, a huge Queen sized bed and a love seat, it was basically an apartment and I was in heaven. I ran back downstairs into Mile's room, which was a rich royal blue with stars all over the ceiling. We saw our bathroom and then ran to our parents' room. Which was really huge with it's own bathroom as well. We all descended the stairs and my parents looked to their watches, grabbing their suitcases they looked to us with huge grins on their faces.

"Company is going to be here at 8pm sharp, that means we have about an hour to fix our rooms into living quarters." Dan smiled as we giggled.

Both my parents walked ahead of us upstairs as Miles and I followed.

"My room is huge Miles!"

"I know mine too this is great."

They parted as Sam went up her own set of stairs and threw her luggage on the bare bed. She walked strait to her computer and woke up the screensaver, connected to aim and saw everyone was on. Immediately she imed Lucas. "You are the best," she typed feverishly.

"I know" he replied, "need any help?" Sam looked around the room there was boxes that needed to be emptied and she always welcomed her friends' help.

"Absolutely" she typed back.

"Cool we'll be over in a sec"

Sam nodded and put an away message up. Turning around She looked at all the boxes the one-labeled desk stuff got thrown into the desk, and posters were hung neatly on the walls. She opened another box-marked linens and made her bed perfect while throwing three boxes full of stuffed animals on top. Just then a knock was heard at the door.

"Yeah"

Lucas, Sandie and John walked in with huge grins on their faces.

"Wow" they all gasped.

"I know" Sam replied just as she finished with the last tack in her ColdPlay Yellow poster.

Sandie and Lucas took a seat on her bed while John walked over and gave her a huge and kiss.

"So when did you guys get in?"

"Last night well early this morning really." Sandie looked bored of the discussion already.

"Well what do you guys think?"

They all shrugged as John sat down at the desk.

Sandie was the first to get up and sit on the floor in front of a box and began to unload its contents into my drawers. "So when are we going to see the Granolith?"

Everyone looked to Sam as they always did with these questions.

"Well they haven't found it yet."

John cleared his throat attention went to him for a sec and he just scratched his head.

"Sorry, I was just thinking we can go find it I mean we have the map."

Sam nodded and went to her journal the smooth paper with the map that had their old language on it was a map of important places here in Roswell of where her father had hid most of the things here, including the Granolith and Pod chamber.

"We can go when they will least expect it, it would be in our best interest for them to find it first though."

They all nodded silently and Lucas got up to grab another box marked posters and things. He began unpacking and tacking things to the wall.

"So, we stopped at the Crashdown today." They all looked at Sam waiting.

"It was to surprise Liz, I saw Michael." John looked down to Lucas who was kneeling in front of the box. "I don't think he sensed anything." Sandie nodded.

"Yeah well we can't take any chances, we have to play up our human side."

"Sandie, we were born from human mothers we've had blood tests the flu, measles, chicken pox. Admit it compared to them we're human there's nothing that they can prove other than a sense here and there."

"And our powers." Sandie chimed in.

"Right so we're in the clear, our mission here is to live as normal teens and make sure they don't get themselves killed."

They all nodded in agreement. John got up and started on another box Sam joined him while Sandie finished off the clothes. She laid down on the floor humming a tune to herself. Suddenly Sam's radio turned on and tuned itself to a pop station, music filled the room, and the four teens laughed.

"Nice" Sam commented

"I know" Sandie replied smiling.

With everyone's help they were done in a half hour leaving them time to just stare at the ceiling listening to the radio play softly.

"So my parents are having this dinner thing tonight, Liz and Maria and Alex are invited along with Uncle Jeff and Aunt Nancy."

Sandie sighed and grabbed Sam's teddy bear from the bed with her powers.

"My Mom's already got a Turkey in the oven since we woke up this morning," John laughed.

"And we're invited."

Sam laughed with them. "I'm having a sleep over tonight too Liz, Maria and Alex."

"Cool" Lucas replied.

"I figured I could pick their brains see what's going on with the royals."

"Right so what about desert?" I looked over at John.

"What do you mean?"

"We'll supply the tarts or something come over and crash for an hour it'll be fun. Meanwhile maybe Lucas can find something out subconsciously ya know."

Sam shrugged to John's idea.

"If you guys want to I think it'll be fun, although don't go too crazy right Lucas I mean the only one who'll know something is Maria so just be gentle I think it's too early in the game and nothing seems to have gone wrong so far."

They all stayed in silence for a while longer letting the radio change stations every so often. Soon they heard Sam's Mother call to Miles to get her so that was their cue to get up and go downstairs. After Sam saw them off she went into the kitchen to help her Mother put some extras that were left in boxes away. Most of the house was already done there was one kitchen box left.

"Great movers huh Mom"

Her Mom smiled, "we didn't even get charged extra."

When they were done Sam got herself a huge glass of grape cool-aid and some hot sauce. The two both sat down drinking and listening to Dan and Miles in the Garage breaking down boxes.

Meanwhile over at Michael's apartment…

"It was just weird Maxwell I mean did Liz ever tell you about her cousin?"

Max was still trying to think about Liz, Maria hadn't told him she was here already and he had asked her to tell him when she got back.

"Yeah Michael she was here for Liz's Grandmother's funeral last year I saw her."

"And you don't think that it's at all strange that they happen to be moving here to Roswell mere months after the signal went out?"

Max shrugged Michael was always looking for something to argue or rage about.

Max caught on. "They?"

Michael smiled at Max's interest. "Yeah I heard Mr. Parker talking about it to his wife after work, there's three new families that moved into Roswell this year. All working for this company, Metachem."

"Metachem?"

"I know I've never heard of it either but they're buying that old factory by where we buried Pierce."

Max flinched a little he had been in therapy all summer and trying to get over everything that happened this summer his parents had made him and Isabel go after they had caught them not sleeping at night and sneaking out.

"Anyways Liz's cousin Sam's starting work tomorrow morning and I'm gonna find out a little about her."

Max perked up. "She's waitressing?"

"Yeah Maxwell, I guess Liz is taking another job."

Max was deep in thought over Liz already Michael just shook his head. "Well they're going to this dinner party thing at Sam's house and I'm gonna see what's up Maria said something about them all living on Alex's street so it shouldn't be that hard to find the house."

Max was still thinking and staring into space. "You coming Max? Liz will be there."

He broke out of the thought by the mention of Liz's name. "What you mean like crash?"

Michael shook his head, "no I mean we can get Isabel and do the whole welcome to Roswell sunshine committee thing."

Max shook his head and then nodded. "We can go and see what's up but we're not crashing the dinner Michael and it's just you and me."

Michael jumped up and padded Max on the back, "that's the spirit Maxamillion."

Max looked at Michael sideways it had been almost a year since he stopped calling him that. It felt good to be called that again like old times.

Everyone had arrived early for dinner the four of us ran up to my room after they got the grand tour, Miles tagged around with us wrestling with Alex then after he failed to pursued him to a challenge of video game one on one he departed solo before dinner to get in a few rounds.

Maria sprawled out on my bed was playing with one of my bunnies I got for Easter. Alex was going through cord progressions on his guitar as Liz was reading my posters of poetry from along the years.

Suddenly Alex began to strum his guitar and one of our favorite songs too.

Maria was the first to sing.

"Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away." Alex stopped playing and looked to me and Liz then he continued the next verse.


"Now it looks as though they're here to stay"

I chimed in with the next line


"Oh, I believe in yesterday."

Liz took the next line,

"Suddenly, I'm not half to man I used to be,"

We held back a laugh and joined in together to sing the rest


"There's a shadow hanging over me."


"Oh, yesterday came suddenly."

"Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say."


"I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday. "

"Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play."


"Now I need a place to hide away."


"Oh, I believe in yesterday."

"Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say."


"I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday."

"Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play."


"Now I need a place to hide away."


"Oh, I believe in yesterday."

"Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm."

We all broke out laughing and hugging Alex, it had been almost two years since we got to sing together. Especially a Beatles tune. My Mom could be heard downstairs calling us to dinner we all raced down the stairs to the dinning room.

Outside was another story…

"So they look normal Michael."

Michael was watching Sam closely.

 "Why aren't they touching the squash that was a masterpiece!"?

Max just shook his head and continued to stare at Liz watching her eat like she was the most interesting creature on Earth. They had put their forks down and begun telling stories and laughing it looked like a good time.

"Well hello there!"

Max and Michael turned around to see a huge group of people smiling as they approached them the two stood and looked innocent as possible.

"Hey" Max said, "I'm a friends of Liz and Maria were just here to welcome Sam to the neighborhood."

Michael nodded as Sandie, John and Lucas stifled a laugh and nodded.

"Well Dad they should join us in the invasion with these tarts and cakes for desert."

John's Dad nodded and Max and Michael joined them unwillingly as they approached the front door.

"So there she was up on that stage and I swear my baby never looked so happy singing for all those people."

"Mom" Maria smiled at me it was embarrassing since my Mom loved to talk about my music.

There was a knock at the door my Mom looked surprised and excited, I had mentioned that we might have company for desert she knew what I meant and had taken out extra plates. We all stood from the table and went into the living room to see who was at the door. I was happy to see John and Lucas and Sandie but even more surprised to see Max and Michael behind them.

"Max!" Liz half shouted, ""Michael?" Maria was just as surprised as Liz.

Although she had spent most of the summer trying to get a hold of Michael while Liz spent that time getting away from Max.

Michael and Max half waved. All eyes were on Alex Maria and Liz for introductions.

"Oh" Maria stammered, "This is Max, and Michael, there's our friends from school.

The two waved again to everyone.

"And this is my cousin Sam, and her boyfriend John, and Sandie and Lucas." There were strange nods and waves from all.

"Okay then it's good we have so much to eat let's get those cakes and tarts to the kitchen for some chilling while I get the table cleared off."

I looked to my Mom she was so great with company always loved it.

"I'll help Mom." All the women jumped to help "No you girls go into the den and keep your brother occupied we'll call you when desert is ready."

Liz, Maria and I sighed as we followed the boys into the den. There was an awkward silence as Miles let Alex in on his fighting game. Michael caught a glance at Sam and then an evil look from Maria telling him to back off. She already knew he was suspicious and she didn't like it. Michael quickly looked away.

"Hey I play winner." Alex and Miles nodded.

 Miles paused the game and jumped to the drawer to get two more controllers.

"We can play four players!"

"Awesome" Max and Michael both replied as they were hooked in and deep into four-player battle.

The girls looked to one another and shrugged then let out a laugh. They moved over to the plush couches on the opposite side of the video game area.

"So Sandie what gives?"

Liz and Maria were interested too. Sandie Shrugged

"They were outside how should I know."

Lucas and John were busy helping Miles and Alex with the controls to beat Max and Michael. The male bonding was starting to overload the room. Just as my Mom's call broke the group up again.

Us girls rushed to the dinning room where there was coffee and hot tea waiting with tons of deserts.

"I was hoping for more time to settle in before dealing with Max." I agreed with Liz. "I know I'm sorry."

Liz smiled at me. "It's not you're fault ya know how boys are."

As we ate and the night wound down it was obvious with Max trying to talk to Liz that there was more than welcoming me to the neighborhood that drove Max and Michael to my house tonight. John, Sandie, Lucas and I got into a corner and realized it must be Michael who's sensing something's up but to our advantage Max is preoccupied with Liz to notice. It seemed tonight would set the tone for the next week or so.