As Sam lay down to try and sleep off a Saturday that she knew had just brought her life into full gear. She heard a small click on her window. Looking up she saw Liz smiling on her balcony. Confused Sam opened up the sliding door and in came Liz and Maria both looking worried. Liz sat down on Sam's bed while Maria paced the floor ready with questions. Sam looked up to Maria.
"Yeah?"
Maria took a deep breath and stopped short. She swung her long blond curls to one side. And looked directly at Sam.
"Liz told me on the way back to the Crashdown, that she didn't use anything yesterday."
Liz put her head down and Maria looked back to her. Sam took Liz's defense.
"Maria they were in the heat of passion I think we can let them off the hook ya know?"
Maria shook her head and looked back to Liz she then joined her on the bed and sat there next to Liz.
"Tell her Liz."
Liz looked up at Sam and she could see immediately what Liz was thinking. Sam closed her eyes and got a flash of a child. She tried to cut the flash but couldn't, a baby boy with black hair curly hair running to his mother and father. Max and Liz Sam shook the flash away and looked back to her friends.
"You saw it didn't you?"
Sam nodded and they all looked down. Maria put her arm around Liz's shoulders.
Liz sighed heavily.
"That's it, I'm going to be another statistic. A seventeen year old mother, goodbye Harvard."
Sam looked to Liz and something in her voice, it was as if her life was now really over. Sam shook her head.
"Well, no there's something I can do."
Liz and Maria both looked to Sam with hungry eyes hoping and praying for a answer.
"You remember my cat Scooters?"
Liz and Maria nodded.
"Yeah she had a kitten like every year."
Sam nodded to Liz.
"Well she was really supposed to have a litter of seven but I."
Liz tilted her head trying to comprehend what Sam was saying to her.
"You, can do that?"
Maria was now beyond confused.
"You can do what?"
Sam took a deep breath and began to explain.
"Well I've always been interested in how far my powers can go. At first I started with plants. I slowed down the germination process to a year in my Mother's spice garden. Then Scooter got pregnant with her litter."
Sam smiled at the memory of her Cat.
"Well you know my Parents would have freaked out with a litter of kittens and I wanted to keep one so I tried to use my power to slow down the forming of the embryo's in Scooter. I had to research of course the entire process of the pregnancy to know exactly how to slow it down."
Liz nodded and smiled to herself.
"But, where did you put the kittens?"
Sam laughed slightly and then got serious.
"I attached them to her heart out of the way really somewhere safe. Every year I returned one of the kittens to the womb and well you know how that went."
Maria nodded in understanding.
"But Liz isn't a cat, can this really work on humans?"
Sam straightened up and became hard as stone.
"Of course it will work, and then Liz, whenever you're ready you can have your child."
Liz nodded.
"Okay well let's do this now then."
Maria looked to Liz worried Liz tried to calm her with a smile.
Sam nodded to Maria and Liz laid down gently on Sam's bed as Sam began to use her powers to find the baby. Sam decided to explain what she was going to do to her friends.
"First I have to freeze the aging process, then detach him from Liz's womb and."
Maria looked down at Sam's glowing palms she watched with amazement as a small white glow appeared in Liz's abdomen.
Liz clenched her teeth.
"Sam are you sure this is the right thing?"
Sam looked to Liz and smiled.
"If the baby decides it wants to be born it will make it back to where it belongs."
Liz smiled slightly as the white light moved from Liz's abdomen to her heart under her sweater there was a glow. And Liz laughed and smiled brightly.
"It's so warm Sam, he's so warm."
Sam nodded and placed the small child where it would be safe by Liz's heart and then went to work back at her abdomen. In a few moments Sam was done and she helped Liz back to a sitting position. Liz's smile hadn't faded she was still clutching her heart. The warmth she now felt was the embodiment of love between her and Max.
Sam stood up slightly winded, Maria just looked to Liz and then back to Sam.
"I don't know how long that will last, he may return a year or a couple of months."
Liz nodded and then stood up she hugged Sam tightly.
"Thank you."
Sam smiled and hugged her cousin. When they pulled away Sam caught sight of the amber pendent around Liz's neck. Sam touched the leather cord and could feel the intense heat within the stone that it held.
"Liz, this stone is from Future Max right?"
Liz looked down to the necklace and nodded.
Sam nodded with her.
"I wouldn't let anyone especially Max touch this until you are ready."
Liz nodded trying to understand what Sam was saying.
"I mean, your powers have to be up to par, until then you and Max cannot share what this stone means to give him."
Maria stood up and was trying to figure these two girls out.
"What's with the stone anyways?"
Sam smiled gently at the stone and then to Maria.
"It contains all of Future Max's memories up until the last moment he disappeared. Everything, yes even you and him together Liz and once Max touches this they will become his. It's something Future Max must have seen, maybe his younger self-seeing you two together. Or maybe even something Max needs to learn about his future."
Liz nodded.
"I'll hide it when I get home."
Although Liz tried to hide her fatigue all the girls looked like they needed a good night's rest. Sam led them downstairs and out the front door this time. They said their goodbyes and until tomorrows. And then Sam was left alone in her living room thinking over everything that was going on. After a few moments Sam made her way finally for a good night's rest only to fall into on of her dreams of the past.
Macaria sat looking at her sister Anassa combing her hair and giggling at her own image in the mirror. There was a huge crowd forming in the formal dinning hall everyone was waiting for the bride to make her appearance. The ceremony had just finished, and Anassa looked wonderful while Zan looked as if he was in heaven. It was part of the bridal custom to return to her chambers after the wedding ceremony with her matron of honor and prepare them selves for the celebration. Everyone who was anyone in the entire solar system was here to see the two young lovers join union.
Anassa looked to her older sister with a huge grin on her face.
"Macaria is this possible, are we really here?"
Macaria nodded and smiled she shifter her crown on her head one that was becoming a burden through the night. She met Anassa by her balcony overlooking the large red lake that surrounded her room. Anassa sighed slightly with a huge smile upon her face.
"I could use a swim."
Macaria looked back to her sister, a fire something red-hot burst in her throat hard to push back.
"You won't will you?"
Anassa smiled devilishly at her sister.
"No of course not. Go ahead without me I need a few moments to prepare myself further."
Macaria nodded and left her sister's chambers. She was swollen with worry Macaria had to push away her fears but there was a vision that she couldn't quite see. Someone or something was stopping her powers this evening. Macaria joined the party there Zan was entertaining the guests, and catching glances at Macaria pleading for his bride to hurry with her preparations.
Time was going by slowly but fast enough to pass. Soon the guests were talking and Macaria couldn't fight her fear. She ran into her sisters chambers to find them empty. A scream was heard below the balcony as Macaria ran to the balcony she looked out to the water to see Anassa floating with her back towards her. Tons of servants were swimming after her trying to fetch her lifeless body out of the lake.
Macaria ran to the party and just looked at Zan the guests hadn't heard the screams but Zan knew in Macaria's eyes that he was needed. Rath caught their gaze and followed them as well down to the lake. There Zan saw Anassa being fished out and dragged to the shore. He ran ahead of the two and fought to hold Anassa close to him. He rocked his love back and forth and whispered in her ear. Then he put his healing hands over her body first working her lungs then trying for her heart.
He tried for what seemed like hours. Guests had begun to make their way down to the lake only to turn away with sobs. They began leaving the castle with dark looks about them. Finally Zan had to give up his powers waning Anassa had truly left them. Wise men who had married the two were now calming Zan. Her soul they said had left and passed on. There was nothing they could do for her now. Zan was exhausted and had a blank look in his eyes he wouldn't leave Anassa he picked up her frail body and we followed him as he brought her to her chambers tucked her in kissed her gently on the forehead. There he fell to his knees and wept. Everyone left the room except for Macaria. She had become close to Zan like brother and sister and Anassa meant just as much to her as she did to Zan.
The next few days without Anassa went by with dark words and hardening hearts. People looked to Macaria and whispered. She looked so much like her sister that Macaria feared people would hate her now for that. But they didn't they only looked on with sorrow. The alliances of the worlds were begging to weaken as well. If now was the best time to begin to wage war, Kivar had ceased the opportunity. Weeks now went by in the empty palace of Antar. The King was knocking on deaths door and urging his son, that at the brink of war a marriage is the best idea. Zan kept to himself in seclusion only talking to servants for his wants and stealing glances at Macaria. Now looking at her pained him, she was the shadow of Anassa. The closest thing living that could compare to his love.
The entire family sat at the dinner table, it was the first time they had all sat together. Vilandra looked to all the men, her Father's eyes were glazed at Macaria she knew had been hoping her brother would marry her now. Vilandra cleared her throat he Mother looked to her. If Vilandra was considered beautiful it was clear that her beauty was a reflection of her mother. For the two woman Mother and daughter could have been mistake for sisters. Now their eyes were scanning the table, Macaria's glances drifting from Rath to Zan. She was wondering if she should break the silence but Vilandra had done her bidding.
"Ava's coming out party is this weekend Father."
King Antar grunted, Macaria smiled at Vilandra.
"Yes, Ava will make a dutiful wife to some very lucky Prince or Duke."
The two smiled weakly in their own secret hoping that Zan would take notice. Zan was listening and decided to join the conversation.
"I'm already married."
Vilandra and Macaria looked from Zan to King Antar worried of what would erupt.
"You married for love son, now marry for you Kingdom."
Zan dropped his knife on his plate and left the table without a word. Macaria looked to the King smiled and excused herself.
"I'll get him your majesty."
Rath stood up to excuse her from the table met eyes with her and looked down instantly.
Macaria made her way to Zan's chambers the door was left slightly ajar. As Macaria opened the door Zan was staring out the window at the lake. The very same lake that took Anassa from him.
"Tell me again what did Anassa say to you last?"
Macaria stood closer to Zan.
"She joked about wanted to take a swim."
Zan nodded his head.
"She was so excited I think she wanted to do something wild."
Zan turned quickly and grabbed Macaria in his arms. He stood there staring at her face taking in her eyes.
"Are you punishing me?"
Macaria shook her head in confusion.
"You look just like her, how could I not have noticed how much you two resembled one another before?"
"I don't know Zan."
Zan smiled and closed his eyes he smelled Macaria's hair.
"You even smell just like her."
Macaria pushed herself away from Zan he had a far away look about him.
"Zan, what's gotten into you?"
Zan shook his head and calmed himself with a smile.
"My Father wants me to marry now for the good of our Kingdom."
Macaria nodded in understanding.
"But, I can't Macaria, I'm still in love with Anassa."
Zan paused, it made Macaria's heart flutter the thought process that was going through his head right now made her scared.
"If you would marry me, then we could be happy I could love you…"
Macaria shook her head and backed away from Zan.
"You don't need a sister to replace your love, I'd only be a pale substitute. You need to marry a woman who adores you. Even if it's not for love then for the good of your people."
Zan looked in Macaria's eyes his were filled with tears now. She was his last hope for happiness. He would have been able to fall in love with her he knew he could have some semblance of happiness. And now his heart would have to shut off and marry another. He shrank away from Macaria and looked back to the balcony.
"Tell my Father I will attend Ava's coming out party this weekend, to find a wife if not anything else."
Macaria smiled and stood up she had fallen to her knees when Zan left her side. Her heart was breaking for him. He was leaving his ideals for the good of his world and she knew that nothing would be the same or how it should have been with Anassa by his side. She was his balance, with her a golden age approached now with her death, darkness loomed in their future.
Macaria made her way to Zan and kissed his cheek, he stood frozen. His heart melted with the touch of her lips. He could feel Anassa's strength within her and smiled briefly until her warmth left him to tell his father of the good news.
Dear Journal, It's September 8th 2000,
And after a night full of crying in my sleep, and some discoveries I don't even want to rehash I headed to work, hoping for amnesia. I kept looking at everyone in the Crashdown wondering if they could remember a loved one dying or even dying themselves.
Sam had a full Sunday shift to deal with teenage boys and of course Michael Guerin asking odd questions when she went to pick up her orders. Liz had a renewed look on life and was bubbling with orders and smiling at all the boys who were in her section. As Sam approached Michael looking for her order of Saturn rings that was already getting her evil glances from a young couple in the corner booth. Liz was talking to some football players who went to East Roswell High.
Michael looked over to Liz and then back to Sam.
"She seems happy."
Sam smiled and looked to Liz who was laughing and taking orders.
"Well, my uncle makes us wear these short skirts we might as well get good tips."
Michael laughed but couldn't help looking down to the hem of Sam's skirt where it met her thighs and then slowly back up to Sam.
"Right, so, we're meeting at Tess's house after our shift she wants to talk to us about some of the things Naseado left."
Sam tilted her head to the side.
"We?"
Michael nodded as he put the flying space ships in Sam's Saturn Rings order.
"Yeah, I mean that is okay right?"
Sam shrugged.
"We have to be careful about being seen all together, we'll be late of course with an interesting arrival."
Michael handed Sam the order and Sam was off tending to her tables.
By the end of Sam's shift, The B team, was piled in a booth after being called to meet at the Crashdown.
After their shift was over Liz, Michael and Maria headed over to Tess's house to meet everyone. Sam told Liz to expect a call from her soon. Sam and the B team sat and waited for some time. Sam looked to Lucas and smiled.
"Well Lucas we'll need you to work your magic for us, no-one can see us okay?"
Lucas nodded and they were in John and Lucas' car in no time parking in Tess's driveway. Lucas' eyes were closed poised with concentrating his power to keep them invisible. Sam called Liz on her cell phone.
Sam told Liz to open the back door to Tess's house and leave the door wide open while she took a look out on the patio. As Liz did what she was told the B team snuck into Tess's house unseen by anyone until Liz walked back in the house and the blinds were closed.
Lucas released his mind-warp and in front of the whole gang the B team appeared.
Tess smiled at her brother she was glad he was there to help her through this she looked from Lucas to Kyle and then took a deep breath.
"Well you're all wondering why I asked you here."
Everyone nodded in unison.
Tess motioned for everyone to sit they followed her to the couches and she stayed standing.
"A few days ago I happened up this letter from Naseado."
Tess pulled out a letter and looked to Max and then to Liz nervously.
"Dear Tess, if you're reading this now then I must have left you. By now you know that I'm the only one you can trust. Everything that I've told you has been the truth, but now without me you have to carry on the plans that I made for your future."
Max shifted in his seat and looked directly from Liz to Sam. Sam was processing everything in her head predicting what the next phrase would reveal.
"I made a deal with Kivar fifty years ago for your safe return to Antar and to the throne with him. In exchange you will have to provide him with a true heir to the Antarian throne alone with the Royal four."
Tess's hand shook and she looked down to everyone tears began to weld up in her eyes. Kyle stood up to comfort her. Lucas stood by her as well.
"I'm so sorry you guys, I didn't know what it all meant."
Tess looked to Max and then to Liz, to finally meet her gaze with Sam.
"After yesterday things started to make more sense to me than anything in my entire life."
Sam nodded and stood Max followed Sam in standing.
"When you talking about the crash started by a traitor on the ship, I thought immediately to Naseado."
Max stepped closer to Tess.
"You should have told us about this when you first found it."
Sam looked to Max and then back to Tess.
"I wanted to but, I didn't understand it all until now."
Sam smiled comforting Tess.
"It's okay Tess, we had figured long ago that Naseado was the one we couldn't have been sure of course so we kept it quiet."
Michael stood up angry.
"What!?"
Sam spun around to Michael.
"We had our reservations about Naseado but."
Michael looked to Max they were now on the same level. Max spoke up.
"You had reason to believe that Naseado was a danger to us, to Tess all this time and no-one did anything to stop him."
John was the first to step up in Sam's defense.
"If Naseado was a threat to you he was best to be thwarted silently."
Tess looked up to everyone from her embrace with Kyle.
"What does it matter, he's dead now and we know what he wanted to do."
Liz nodded and Max caught her movement the two locked eyes together. Maria caught this and turned Liz toward her away from Max's glance.
Tess spoke up again she had two large files in her hands and she gave it to Max and then another to Sam.
"I made two identical files of everything that he left for me."
Sam nodded and smiled. Max nodded and looked to the file.
Sam looked to Liz and nodded calming her down slightly and then she met Tess's gaze.
"We should probably destroy all of this now."
Tess nodded and Sam followed her to the pile of Naseado's things. The two raised their hands and used their powers to turn all of his belongings into a pile of ash and then into nothing. The girls smiled with understanding and turned to the rest of the group.
"I guess that's all for now we are going to get out of here school's tomorrow and there's some homework that is still not done."
Everyone nodded The B team left under a cloak of Luca's mind-warp followed by Liz and Maria closely behind. Leaving The Pod squad Kyle and Alex alone stewing in Tess's living room.
Max was deep in thought he watched Liz leave closely and when she was out of sight he buried his head in the file Tess gave him.
It's not like everyday I look for adventures or intrigue. Actually they usually find their way to me. I'm like one of those horribly cliché action adventure television shows. Like, there's not one day the good guys can go on a resting vacation and not be terrorized by Doctor Doom. Then again I only like to write in my journal when interesting things happen. My Mother told me the other day when she found her old journal that when interesting things didn't happen she'd make them up. I decided that was too desperate instead if nothing good happens I'm not going to write about it. So if I skip some days I'm not going to torture myself over it but catch you up when the next invasion of the body snatchers or Doctor Doom's older half brother Doctor Demento comes. Either way don't hate me for skipping days.
