Another Disclaimer: Still of the Night is written by David Coverdale & John Sykes.

Part 34

Hours had gone by but Alden, Serena and Jim still sat waiting in the granolith chamber.

"How long are we gonna wait here?" Alden asked as he took a swig of his beer.

Serena looked across the granolith chamber at Jim's pain stricken face. "He lost his son. What do you want me to do? Tell him to go to bed and all will seem better in the morning."

Alden shrugged. "Sounds like a good idea to me. Some of us don't have forever to sit around and wait."

"And what the hell do you have to do that is so damn important?" Serena asked accusingly.

"What? I'm just saying we did what we set out to do here. Your insane alien friends are all on their planet or wherever."

She knew Alden was just bored and tired of sitting on the hard floor, staring at the space where the granolith had once been, but she was still annoyed. "Sometimes you are so damn insensitive."

"I know." Alden admitted as he lifted his beer once more, and looked over at Jim. "I'm just ready to go home…"

"Well no one is stopping you." Serena said cutting him off.

Alden rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"Fuck you."

"You too." Alden said smiling. "You want a beer?"

Serena shook her head while noticing Jim getting up from his place on the floor. He walked over to where they sat and looked down with bloodshot eyes. "Look, I'm going to go find a place to sleep." He looked over at where the granolith had been once more. "I suppose if they come back soon they will know where to find us."

Serena nodded her head in agreement as Alden pushed himself up.

"Do you really think they're alright?" Jim asked again as he had over and over during the past few hours.

"I really do." Serena answered looking Jim in the eyes. "Go, get some sleep. If they come back you will know."

Jim forced a smile and nodded then walked from the room.

Alden reached down to pull Serena off the floor. "They are fine. Max, Michael and Ava will take care of them."

"I know they will." Serena sighed. "As long as they all ended up in the same place and time."

"Ser . . . you worry too much." Alden tried to reassure her. "I'm sure they did."

"I hope so." She said as she stared at the granolith's empty space once again before turning towards Alden. "Want to go for a drive?"

"What?" Alden asked surprised.

Serena shrugged. "There's 2000 pounds of American muscle outside and I want to drive it. Plus, I need to get the rest of the money. No need to keep any extra people around."

"What the hell does the money matter? They can talk all they want. If some government goons come snooping they will just think this is just another crazy cult's compound or something."

Serena put her hands on her hips. "I promised."

Rolling his eyes, Alden reached for the few beers that were left. "Whatever, but I'm not driving."

Laughing, Serena agreed. "That was never in question."

An hour later they were speeding down the dark and deserted road to Roswell in Max's Chevelle listening to music.

In the Still of the Night
I hear the wolf howl, honey
Sniffing around your door
In the Still of the Night
I feel my heart beating heavy
Telling me I gotta have more


In the shadow of night
I see the full moon rise
Telling me what¹s in store
My heart start aching
My body start a shaking
An¹ I can¹t take no more

Now I just wanna get close to you
An¹ taste your love so sweet
An¹ I just wanna make love to you
Feel your body heat

In the Still of the Night
In the Still of the Night

In the heat of the day
I hang my head down low
An¹ hide my face from the sun
Thru the light of the day
Until the evening time
I¹m waiting for the night to come

In the Still of the Night
In the cool moonlight
I feel heart is aching
In the Still of the Night

In the Still of the Night
I hear the wolf howl, honey
Sniffing around your door
In the Still of the Night
I feel my heart beating heavy
Telling me I gotta have more

Now I just wanna get close to you
An¹ taste your love so sweet
An¹ I just wanna make love to you
Feel your body heat

In the Still of the Night

As the music stopped Alden looked over at the speedometer and raised an eyebrow.

"What!" Serena asked pretending to be annoyed.

"146? Kind of fast, don't you think?"

"Screw you!"

Alden laughed as he reached into a sack to grab another beer. "We have a few hours until daylight and we can't do anything until then so let's stop and look at the stars."

Serena looked over at his beer supply. "You only have one beer left."

"I will try to survive." He said, winking at her. "Can't get any 'til the stores open anyway."

Nodding, Serena pulled the car over into the desert.

Alden made a big production of jumping out of the car and kissing the sand at his feet, only to get some in his mouth.

Serena laughed as he spit and sputtered, trying to wash it out with another swig of his beer. "Serves your ass right." She said, getting out of the car.

Alden tried to pretend a stern look but instead smiled. It had been a while since he had seen Serena really laugh and a little taste of sand was a small price to pay to see her eyes smile again. Maybe because her smile was so infectious, maybe because the tension had been so unbearable these last few months, or maybe because he had always loved her, he was suddenly struck with a desire to kiss her.

Almost as quickly as it appeared the smile disappeared and Serena made her way around the back of the car and jumped up on the trunk.

Silently, Alden walked back over to the car and sat down next to her trying to quell the feelings that were intensifying in him.

They sat in silence for a while until finally Serena looked over at Alden. "I don't know how much longer I can stay."

Understanding, Alden nodded his head. Serena was never one to stay in one place for very long. Sure, she had always had the house in New Orleans . . . he winced thinking that now the one stable thing in her life was gone . . . but even if that was her home she would still go through restless periods where she had to just disappear, go somewhere new. That was something that Max hadn't understood when he had taken her. Because it was that time for her, he had actually done her a favor. And now, even with her concern for her new friends, that desire was beginning to return.

Saddened at the realization, Alden looked over at her. He hated to think that she would disappear from his life once again and who knew when she would return. He watched as she looked wide eyed at the stars, knowing that she wished she were with her new friends, galaxies away from here on a new adventure.

That awareness did nothing to help his situation. As he turned towards her just in time to see her wet her lips, he wanted to be with her that much more. Convinced that he needed to get his desires under control, Alden jumped off the car and took a few steps away from her, praying that would help.

Oblivious, Serena asked, "What's wrong?"

Alden didn't turn to look at her right away. Instead he shook his hair out of his face and looked up once again at the stars. "I wonder if we can see their planet from here."

Serena knew his musing was just a tactic to avoid her question but she was never one to get distracted. "Alden," she said forcefully, "what's the matter?"

Taking another swig of his beer, he turned to look at her. That was when time stopped as he studied her in the moonlight. Did she know how beautiful she was? He doubted it. God, he had to stop thinking this way.

Interrupting his thoughts, Serena asked again, "What?"

Overcome by an urgency he knew was wrong, Alden threw his beer down and quickly closed the distance between them. Grabbing her by the nape of her neck, he pulled her roughly to him and engulfed her mouth with his.

Feeling his desire, she fell quickly into the kiss, letting her tongue reach his. Caught up in the passion, she wrapped her arms around his waist and her legs around his thighs pulling him greedily towards her.

Wanting to savor this moment, Alden forced himself to slow down. The kiss becoming less intense and more sensual, Alden reached up and began to unbutton her blouse. That was when Serena's senses began to return and she pulled her body, ever so slightly, away from his. As he continued to unbutton her blouse, she looked thoughtfully into his eyes and brushed a tendril of hair from his face.

He smiled down at her, but when she didn't respond in kind the smiled disappeared and he asked, "What?"

Serena wanted this and she knew he did too, but a nagging fear caused her to stop. She didn't want him to deal with the guilt once it was over. "This could get complicated."

"So?" Alden challenged.

Looking at the ground though the space that was now between them she mumbled, "You hate complicated."

Alden smiled as moved his mouth to her ear and whispered, "You Sera, are the only person in the world that I would knowingly complicate my life for." He kissed her softly behind her ear and then pulled away to look into her eyes. He saw in them the allure of complete surrender. Only love would have given him more joy.

Just before Jesse heard the high pitched screech Alex yelled, "HIDE!"

Jesse followed Rand into some bushes. They stunk but at least they didn't have sharp leaves. He looked over at Rand who placed his hand on Jesse while motioning him to be as still and quiet as possible. A small shock went through Jesse's body making him fight to stay silent but he did. A few moments Jesse looked up to see a small silver disk shaped craft zoom overhead. He looked over at Rand, questioning with his eyes.

Alex shook his head, waiting. But Jesse didn't know what he was waiting for – the craft and the noise had both disappeared. After a few tense minutes, Alex stood cautiously and looked around while Jesse stayed in his hiding place. Finally Alex reached down to Jesse to help him up, then explained. "They are," he paused for a moment, trying to find the right translation, "kind of like manned satellites. Although they are more advanced then the satellites on earth, they combine thermal and magnetic resonance imaging to scan for threats. They also have an advanced Electro encephalogram on board that can detect brain waves and patterns."

Nodding, Jesse looked down at Rand's hand still resting on him.

Letting go Alex explained the action. "I was attempting to lower your visibility."

"What if they found us?" Jesse questioned, knowing he probably didn't want to know the answer.

Alex answered nonchalantly. "They would kill us."

"Oh."

Looking over at a very pale Jesse, Alex wondered if Isabel's husband could handle what might lie ahead. "Are you alright?"

Jesse nodded and Alex pointed towards a wall a few hundred feet in front of them. "That is the wall to the royal city. We will have to stop here and wait until nightfall to execute our plan."

From her window, Isabel looked towards the wall of the city feeling a desire to be beyond it, feeling that there, love waited. She lifted her hand to her now swollen face and dreamed of childhood fairytales of a knight coming to her rescue but then she remembered her latest encounter with Khivar.

He had opened the door to her room and closed the distance between them in an instant. The menacing look in his eyes should have told her to be afraid but up until that moment he had only been the most gracious of captors. She hadn't even cowered when he lifted his hand to strike.

With the force of the blow, she had fallen to the floor where she stayed as he told her of his plans.

"You are no longer my Vilandra." He had said. "You have let your human side prevail. A sin the Antarian Empire cannot condone. You will be tried and when you are found guilty you will be put to death."

He then walked away, leaving her to dream of being saved by a valiant prince on a white steed. Dreams which seemed to fade with each passing moment as she wondered if any knight or prince could prevail against her ruthless captor. She stopped her childish fantasies and looked around the room, searching for ideas. If a hero was not coming then she must find a way to escape on her own.

"How about Fredrick?" Michael asked.

Maria's head snapped up to look into Michael's eyes. "You want me to call my son Fred?"

"It was the name of the guy who eventually found me when I was a kid. He was nice."

"Ok fine. We will call him Michael Fredrick then."

It was Michael's turn to disagree. "How many times to I have to say it? We are not naming him after me!"

Still in the room, cleaning up, Sebona smiled at the couple's bickering. Realizing that parents were the same on any planet filled her with hope. Maybe Earthlings really weren't all that different from Antarians. And maybe King Zan, even if he was part human could bring her planet back from the destruction that Khivar had caused. She finally spoke up. "Rath's father's name was Gloclath.

In unison the couple answered. "Um – no."

Sebona shrugged as Michael and Maria giggled at each other.

Finally Maria rolled her eyes. This had been going on for way too long. "Let's not name him after anyone."

"Fine with me. He deserves his own name."

That was something they both could agree on — their baby being unique.

"How about Adam?" Maria asked.

"Adam." Michael repeated thoughtfully. He was the first child born between the two races, it kind of made sense, and besides there weren't any nicknames for it. "I can live with Adam. Any ideas for a middle name?"

Maria let out a frustrated sigh. "Here we go again."

Liz lifted her hands to his arms and tried to pull them down away from her face but Max would not give in. Instead his eyes focused on her as she twisted her head avoiding his gaze. "I said LOOK at me!"

She stopped and focused on his chest. This is what she wanted. Why was she fighting him? She took a deep breath, bracing herself for the worst then turned her eyes and glared at him defiantly.

As he looked into her eyes a wave of guilt passed over him almost causing him to tear himself away. But he didn't – and as he focused the connection came instantly. No darkness to pass though, no walls to break down, only her, only the connection that he had thought he would do without for the rest of his life.

But the connection didn't begin as it had in the past. He felt no love, no understanding – just anger - her anger – greedily invading his mind. He relived the past few minutes through her eyes. He saw himself as she saw him, as the monster he had always known he had become. Knowing that everything he was about to show her would serve to reinforce this belief that she had, he tried to break the connection.

As he tried to pull away, Liz felt the fear that Max now experienced. Fear that she no longer loved him and therefore would never be able to accept what he had done. Instinctively she showed him the way to the love the anger only hid. Once again, through his eyes, she experienced the day he healed her. The paralyzing fear that came over him when he realized she had been shot; how reason had left him and all he could think about was saving her life. She felt his heart race as he tried to heal her; as he begged a god he did not believe existed to bring her back. She let the flash play out knowing that he was reliving that day through her eyes.

That was when the true connection began. Max felt himself fall into the awaiting love as the memory of the day their souls had first met played out. He knew, no matter how hard he tried, he would not be able to stop. It was like a drug pulling an addict from his sobriety. His mind — her mind — neither was sure which was guiding them toward their past. Small misunderstandings were sorted out causing only the best of times to swirl together into a glorious reliving of the love they had shared.

Until, like a silent intruder, the pain subtly swirled within the mix. The love was being chipped away just like it had years before when it had first happened. Liz finally felt his horror at seeing her in bed with Kyle. He'd had such great expectations for them, his dreams all wrapped up in that night only to be crushed by the scene. Tears blurred her vision as she watched him wander aimlessly around the town, finally happening on a bench in the park where he collapsed. She felt his despair as he wondered how he could go on without her. Wanting it to stop, she closed her eyes but the connection was now too strong. When she opened them once again, she looked into his now pain ridden gaze. She finally understood how Tess had wormed her way into his life. She had been the only one to listen, the only one to pretend to care. Tess had been a life raft for him, the only saving grace in a sea of desolation.

Max saw the scene differently. Watching himself make his case to her, he understood why she had done what he had asked. He could not see himself and the man he saw speaking to her as the same person, but he knew she had. What she had done, she did for him, for the friends they shared, and for both of their worlds. Even though he knew it couldn't happen, he hoped the scene would play out differently. That she would come to him and tell him the truth, that they would find another way without the pain. It was then that he realized that no matter how painful the truth would be, he could not stop. He would not do the same to her by keeping her in the dark. He would let her see it all, giving her the knowledge to make her own destiny.

They were both shocked when the scene changed. Alex died and the worst of times began. Once again he was consumed with her pain and anger. Even though these emotions were from years before, because of her loss of memory, they were still fresh in her mind. Despair consumed her as she remembered her best friend dying.

Max's pain was so different. Liz mentally entered the coroner's van with Max, obsessed with his need to save Alex. Not for himself but for Isabel and . . . for Liz. Guilt ridden, he already believed he had failed her, since he had, even for the briefest moment, given in to Tess. And now as he placed his hand on Alex's mangled body she could feel his intent not to fail her again. Liz watched as he desperately searched for a connection, searched for a way in and when it didn't come he tried, over and over again, by the sheer force of only his will, to save Alex anyway. His sorrow flowed through her as he came out of the van and walked to his awaiting friends. His horror at his worthless hand covered with Alex's blood. He had looked to her, wanting to comfort her, begging her to forgive him but neither happened.

He had known then that it was unreasonable to expect anything more from her, but now, immersed in her emotions, he saw with clarity her pain and the numbness that had followed as she tried to escape it. He understood why she had been so driven during the following weeks to find Alex's killer. She had wanted answers — answers that would take the blame she assigned to herself, and even to him, away. Knowing he had just reinforced her belief, he cringed as he remembered telling her that it was her fault that Alex had died.

Now was not the time to berate himself. He took control and led her into his world. A world without her.