To Change

By Latina Rebel 720 of the xsorbit4 rebelfic board.

Disclaimer: I take no credit in this story it was created by Latina Rebel 720, who does not own Roswell.

Roswell, New Mexico
2001
Pod Chamber

"Are you sure about this?" Tess Harding asked, "I mean, do you even know what you're doing?"

"I'm positive. And we have to do this." Liz Parker told her

"But, maybe there's another way."

"What other way is there?" she demanded, "Alex died, Max is on the verge on dying…Isabel and Michael ran off somewhere, Maria…Maria doesn't know what the hell to do anymore. We have to do this."

It was true; everything was such a mess. Alex Whitman had died, people thought it was suicide. Max Evans, he had gotten terribly sick. The cause was unknown. Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin ran away, no one knew why though. And Maria DeLuca was in bad shape because Michael left her. The only ones that were okay were Liz and Tess, and Jim Valenti and his son Kyle were all right too. But they were terrible debt.

Tess held her stomach, "I-I Guess. But,"

"We can discuss this later, okay, but we have to go now." Liz looked at the Granolith; "you have to stay strong,

Tess. I know, lately that you have been a little softer; but you need to pull it together."

"Let's go now." Tess laid her hand on the Granolith's blue shield and Liz did the same. It sucked them in; it vibrated and blasted off

Roswell, New Mexico
1999
Back of the Crashdown

Tess and Liz appeared. They opened their eyes and looked around

"It worked." Tess whispered

"I had my doubts, but it worked out great." Liz said, "Let's walk around to the front."

They walk to the front of the Crashdown

"So, how does this work?" Tess asked

"We can't see out past selves. No talking to them or any contact. If we do, both past and future cease to exist. So, basically, I have to stay outta sight. You can go around wherever because you didn't arrive yet."

"So, am I supposed to do this all by myself?"

"No, not really, I'll be giving you some instructions and you will be doing it…I'll be around to help you."

"Should I go in now?"

"Uhm, yeah, here's what you say, you have to tell her that-"

"I think I know what has to be done."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll meet you at the UFO Center later."

"No, I'll be waiting out here for you."

"Whatever. But, I still don't know about this. I mean, don't you want yourself to experience Max?"

"Of course I do, but I can't."

"How do you have the strength for that? I mean, don't you want to experience your love with Max? I sure as hell would want that."

"You will."

"But you won't."

"Is that your concern?"

"No, well, yeah, but what I don't understand is: how come it doesn't bother you?"

"Just go inside and make sure I don't get shot. Either that, or you save me and mindwarp me so I don't remember."

She then took a deep breath and walked into the Crashdown, head held high. She passed a past Max, Isabel and Michael and resisted the urge to smile at the alien youth. She had one purpose and she was not going to be distracted by them. She quickly walked to the counter and sat down. She was listening to a bit of past Liz and past Maria's conversation

"Oh, and Max Evans is staring at you again." Maria had told Liz

Tess had to block the rest of that out…she so did not wanna hear that. Liz and Maria walked behind the counter and saw Tess.

"Hey," they both said

"Hi." Tess said

"Are you new here?" Maria asked

"Uhm, yeah, yeah, new gurl in town."

"I'm Maria DeLuca."

"I'm Liz Parker."

"Tess Harding."

The two shook hands with Tess, I wish this was how it would have been, she thought, I guess now it can be.

"Maria, that table over there, is waving their menus around like a surrender flag. I think they need to order now." Liz told Maria

"Ugh," Maria then rushed over to the people leaving Liz and Tess alone

"Can I get you anything?" Liz asked

"I need to tell you something really important." Tess said

"Okay, uhm, shoot."

Tess took a deep breath, "What I'm about to tell you will sound very crazy. But it's all true. You can't tell anyone what I tell you. Okay?"

"Kay."

"Okay, uhm aliens right, aliens are on earth. There's more than four…but I only know of four at the moment. I'm from the future and I need your help. My past self, or your time…ugh, well me at your time will be arriving at the end of the year, anyways, me, Max Evans, Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin are aliens."

"Woah, like from-"

"Antar. They don't know who they are but they know that they are aliens. They don't know why they're here and why, but they know that they are aliens. Uhm, when I come, I show them everything and things go into place."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I'm getting to that. No, uhm, here's the thing, Max Evans can heal. And you get shot and he heals you and you Maria, Alex Whitman find out. Kyle Valenti and Jim Valenti soon after. The problem is: we have to prevent that."

"So, I have to die?"

"No, no, no, I won't let you die. I can heal too. I'll fix everything, but he can't save you. I will and after that I'll make sure you don't remember it. You and Maria and Alex and Kyle and Jim can't know about us. Your lives would be in complete danger."

"So, you don't have to heal me, why don't you make sure I don't get shot instead?"

"I was thinking about that, but I'm not – I just don't know."

"When do I get shot? What happens?"

"Well, you see those two big chunky guys?" Tess jerked her head to the two truckers

"Yeah."

"Okay, they break out into a fight about money or something and one pulls out a gun and you get caught in the cross fire."

"Oh my god,"

"I give a couple seconds. Now, I want you to walk over to Max's table and make sure that they have everything they need. I want you to stall. And by you staying by him and Isabel and Michael, you'll be safe. Go. Now."

Liz nodded and walked to Max and started talking

Tess stood and walked out of the Crashdown and met up with Liz

"Done." She said

"Did the gun go off?" Liz asked

"Uh-uh. Not yet; but you're safe. I made you do talk to Max and Isabel and Michael."

Liz's attention seemed to fly away, "Oh my god!"

"What?" Tess started to turn around

"No! Don't turn!" Liz grabbed Tess' arm, "I think you just showed up."

"What! NO! I show at the end of the year!"

"Doesn't look like it. That was definitely you I saw go in the Crashdown."

"In the Crashdown! Liz! We gotta get her – me outta there! You'll think it's still me and-and! Liz!"

"Relax! WE have to stay calm!"

"This is bad! And neither of us can go in there to get them both out!"

"There has to be something we can do."

"That's it! Yes! I just got an idea! Come on!" Tess grabbed Liz's arm and dragged her to the back of the Crashdown

"What are you gunna do?"

"Use my powers to make sure that the bullet goes into the wall instead of you."

"Excellent idea!"

Tess poked her head in the door and watched her past self sit at the counter, "shit." She barked

"What?"

"I sat at the counter."

"Uh-oh. What are you gunna do?"

"I don't know. Max won't know me enough to heal me. He would for you but not a stranger. He wouldn't know me."

"Get inside Max's head and show him who you are. If you get shot, it'd be better than I would cuz then I wouldn't find out. But since you're already an alien, it wouldn't matter."

"True. Let's see what I could do."

Tess concentrated on Max

She was in his head in one try
She sent him images and emotions of him and her
She made him see and feel their love she made him see the Pod Chamber
The prom
Their child
Their laughs and smiles
Destiny…

She let herself slip out of his mind, "Okay," she whispered, "I did what I could."

"Now mindwarp me into forgetting you."

Tess nodded and concentrated on Liz's past self and deleted her memory of their encounter, "okay with that too."

"Great. Now all we can do is watch."