Title: Passage of Time
Author: Kelie
Rating: PG13/R (Violent scenes)
Summery: A device of great power tempts Michael and Max to play God with the lives of their loved ones.

---------------------------------------------------------------

A thunderous clap echoed through the air. The night's sky lit up with lighting. There was no rain. There was not even a cloud in the sky. Despite that, there was still a storm. As lightening bolts sparked, some kind of hole appeared. It was a rip in the fabric of time itself. Michael fell from the hole and landed on his stomach, naked. He got up groggily. Looking from side to side he realized quickly that he was in Roswell, the main road between the Crashdown Café and the UFO center where Max had worked once.

He staggered toward the café and banged on the door. After a moment, Liz came running down the stairs. To her horror she saw Michael, ragged, beaten looking with scars that looked old, but she didn't remember him having.

Michael watched as Liz came running down the stars and opened the door. It was funny to see her so young again. She was 16, maybe. He fell through the doorway as she opened it, and landed on the ground.

"Do you want me to call the cops? Are you ok?" She asked.

Michael glanced at her. "The cops? No, are you kidding?"

The girl seemed confused. Michael knelt on the ground as Liz slung a blanket over his naked body. She blushed upon seeing him like this and then turned the coffee pot on, to make him something warm to drink.

"Here you go." She handed him the mug, and sat down beside him as he drank from it.

"Can I have some tobasco sause?" He asked.

Liz scrunched her nose. "Um, if you want…" She handed him a bottle and sat back down.

Michael nodded. "Thanks a lot." He took a large swig.

"So what happened to you?" She asked.

Michael shivered a bit. "I can't talk about that right now. Where's Max?" He asked.

There was silence. Liz stared at him bewildered at his question. She shrugged sheepishly and Michael thought for a moment that she was hiding something.

"Max who? Max Evan?" She asked quietly, careful not to wake her parents.

Michael jumped out of his seat, clutching his blanket. "You… he… I mean you don't know him?"

"Only by reputation. He's quiet and doesn't like many people." Liz said.

Michael laughed. "That sounds like Max alright. Liz, thanks for your help tonight, but I'd appreciate it, if you didn't say anything to anyone about this, ok?" He stood up.

"Yea, sure." Liz nodded.

He wrapped himself tightly with the blanket. "You mind if I borrow this blanket for a bit?"

"No, go ahead." She stood up as well.

She led him to the door and locked it after he had left. He felt her eyes watching him the whole way, as he walked slowly down the street. He was grinning from ear to ear. This was amazing! He was in Roswell, before Liz gets shot, before everything happened! If he could stop Max from healing Liz, he could stop everyone's deaths… except Liz. Michael was convinced that she was meant to die, and that the havoc caused after her life was saved was a result of her destiny being tampered with.

Now he could fix it.

He sprinted toward the Evan's home, knowing full well that Isabel and Max would be asleep, but always willing to help him out. He would have to work quickly, until he knew exactly how much time he had before the shooting at the café would take place. He had to make sure that Max was not interested in Liz before then; otherwise he may heal her again.

Tap, tap… tap. Isabel sat up from her bed quietly and moved cautiously to the window. She slid it open to find Michael below her. At first she motioned him in; it wasn't until a moment later that she realized something seemed different about him. She went down the stairs to greet him, eyeing the knives in the kitchen. It was Michael, she was sure of it. He came in the doorway, shivering, cold and naked with only a blanket to cover him. She sat down with him, confused and untrusting.

"I swear, Isabel it's me." Michael insisted.

Isabel sighed, standing up she backed away a bit. "You're older, scruffier. I don't know…" She hesitated.

"I'm from the future. Years from now. Please, you have to listen to me; everyone's lives depend on it." He begged her.

She sat back down, her hands shaking. "How do I know you're telling me the truth?" She asked.

"Fair enough. What's the date?" He asked casually.

After a moment of thought, she answered. "September 25th."

"Ok…" Michael closed his eyes, remembering. "Oh God…" His eyes shot open, fear struck his face.

Isabel stiffened. "What is it?"

"A week, a week is all we have, before…" He paused. "Isabel, Isabel listen to me. When she gets shot, you can't let her live. Understand? When she's dying, and Max goes to save her, you must let her die. No matter the cost. Do you understand?"

She shook her head. "No, no, stop. Slow down. Who gets shot, where?"

Mr. and Mrs. Evans were coming down the stairs, it was morning and they were getting ready for work. Michael jumped from his seat and sped toward the door. Isabel followed him, nipping at his heels.

"Stop, wait. Who gets shot, where?" Isabel pleaded.

Michael turned for a second. "The Crashdown café, afternoon shift, one week." In a panic, he threw the door open and ran into the dark or early morn.

"Who are you talking to down here?" Mrs. Evans asked sleepily.

Isabel closed her eyes a moment, with her back turned to them. She hated lying to them. "No one, I was just talking to myself." She sighed.

Later in school.

"So, what you're saying is that there is another one of me running around?" Michael ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't like this, Maxwell."

Max nodded. "Me either. Maybe it was just a dream?" He wondered.

Isabel gave them both a scorned glance. "It was no dream, it was real. He said he have one week before… before someone gets shot at the Crashdown."

Nodding again, Max closed his locker and moved down the school's hall with his sister and best friend. "I suggest we act like nothing is wrong, otherwise we might draw attention to ourselves."

The other two nodded in a agreement, and they went their separate ways to class.

Meanwhile, Future Michael was dressed now, cleaned up and on the internet at a coffee shop. He was filing through reference numbers for the cases in which people were killed with nothing more then a hand print. He was looking for Nasado and Tess. He hoped that if he could find them, get the granolith together then maybe they would have a chance at beating Kivar and freeing his people – something they were never able to accomplish in his time.

In school, Max shifted uncomfortable in his seat. All the alien-related talk had made him nervous, which in turn caused him to drink more water, which had now caused a really full bladder. He squirmed a moment longer before giving up and raising his hand.

"Yes Mr. Evans?" The teacher asked.

Max cleared his throat. "May I go to the restroom?" He asked.

"Take the pass. You have five minutes before the test." She reminded.

He nodded his thanks and grabbed the pass. He rushed to the bathroom. After relieving himself, he moved to the sink. When he looked up into the mirror, he saw a girl! It was that girl, Maria. She always hung around that girl Liz, he thought. He sort of had a crush on Liz, although he'd never so much as talked to her. Startled by her presence, he gasped aloud.

"Am I… did I go in the wrong bathroom?" Max suddenly felt very lost.

Maria laughed. "No, the girl was filled up. I really had to go, and no one was in here." She smiled, washing her hands.

Max grinned, watching her wash her hands. He blushed a little, the attention of a girl was uncommon for him.

"So, you like my friend, Liz – don't you?" She was blunt.

Max squirmed again, but this time it wasn't cause he had to pee. "Uh, I… um, I don't…" He stammered.

"Its ok, she thinks you cute." Maria grinned.

Max nodded with a cute little smile. "I think you're cute too." His eyes widened. "I mean, I think she's cute, too." He began to curse himself under his breath.

Maria was taken back. "You like me?"

He backed away, frightened. "No, I… I have to go." He ran from the bathroom and went back to class.

In the middle of a biker bar, Future Michael burst through the doors. He walked directly to the bar, picked up a guys bottle, and quickly slammed it over his head. People screamed, and a few tried to fight him. He easily got away, but not before grabbing the man's keys to his motorcycle.

He hoped on the bike, running his hand over the license plate, and speeding off into the desert. He pulled a paper out of his pocket; it was directions to a place in New Mexico, the last known Address of Ed Harding, the alias Michael knew Nasado by.