Fulfilling Destiny
Summary: Tess did not kill Alex and both he and Courtney are still alive. Tess and Max are not together, and she is not pregnant. The Pod Squad, plus Liz, Maria, Kyle, Alex, Courtney, Sean, Ava and Brody go to Antar on the Granolith. This takes place as if departure took place after their senior year.
Pairings: M/L, M/M, A/I, K/T, A/S, C/OC
Chapter 1: Saying Goodbyes
Alex Whitman and Maria Deluca were seated at a table outside the Crashdown, drinking some sodas and talking.
"So there hasn't been any new alien activity as of late, I take it?" Alex asked, having been on vacation in California for the last couple of weeks.
"Not really. It's been unusually quiet." Maria answered. "But it feels like something big is about to happen. It's like… I don't know."
"The calm before the storm?" Alex supplied
"Yeah."
"Well you can see if you can get any information out of Michael about this ominous feeling of yours." Alex told her. "Cause he's coming over."
Maria turned around and watched as Michael made his way over to where they were sitting.
"Hey, what's up?" Maria greeted.
"Max wanted me to tell you that we're going to have a final meeting this afternoon at the UFO center. Attendance is mandatory."
"Yeah, we'll be there. Wait a minute, what do you mean 'final meeting'?" Maria suddenly demanded.
"we will explain everything at the meeting later." Michael told her, looking elsewhere. "I trust you'll pass the message on to Liz, Kyle and Valenti, oh and Courtney too if she shows up."
"Sounds serious, what's the deal?" Maria pressed.
"Max wants to wait until everyone is together before we tell you what's going on."
Michael looked at the pair for a moment, not saying another word, and then quickly walked to his motorcycle and sped away. Maria and Alex watched him go with strange expressions on their faces.
Valenti's Household
Tess had just put the cordless back on the charger when Jim and Kyle walked into the living room.
"Hey Tess, who was that?" Jim asked as he entered.
"Max, he wants us to meet him and the others at the UFO center at four for a meeting." Tess answered, not revealing the need for the meeting.
"Okay, we can do that." Jim concurred, "Did he say why?"
Tess hesitated for a moment before replying. "No, he didn't say." She lied smoothly.
"Well, its two-fifty. Lets go get something at the Crashdown before we go to the meeting." Kyle suggested.
"Yeah, hey you guys go ahead, I'll catch up." Tess told them.
"Alright, see you at the center then." the former sheriff said and then he and Kyle left.,
Tess took a long, thoughtful glance around the room, knowing full well that it would be the last time she would ever set foot in the house, as she was leaving with Max, Michael, Isabel and Courtney in just a few hours for Antar, their home world. She took a deep sigh, remembering her first day as a guest in the Valenti's house, and realized that that had been almost two years ago. It seemed like just yesterday that she and Max had found a shedded skin on a fence outside the house she had shared with Nasedo, which led to Tess coming to live with Jim and Kyle. Snapping out of her reverie, she went into her room and began to pack some clothes and a few personal items in a small duffel bag. When she was finished, she left the house, got into her oldsmobile and drove to the crashdown.
UFO Center- 4:00 p.m.
Just as Max had instructed, the gang was all present in the center at the time he had given. He, Tess, Isabel, Michael, Courtney, Maria, Liz, Alex, Kyle and Valenti were all standing around in various spots, waiting to hear the big news that Max hed called them all there to give them.
"What did you mean when you said that this was going to be a 'final' meeting?" Maria demanded. "You make it sound as if you're leaving or something."
"We are leaving." Max admitted and Maria, Alex, and Liz's jaws dropped, Kyle looked at him in shock and Valenti's eyes widened in surprise. "We, Michael, Tess, Isabel, Courtney and I, will be leaving at nine tomorrow morning. I called this meeting to say that anyone else who wants to come is welcome to join us, I guess."
After a few moments of silence, Maria spoke out, "I'm not just going to let you fly off to god knows where without me, I'm coming whether you want me to or not spaceboy."
The room grew silent again for a few moments.
"Yeah, I'm coming too." Liz announced. "I don't think I could live with myself if I let you guys go fight this Kivar guy alone, and not ever knowing what had happened to you."
Alex and Kyle quickly mirrored her sentiments and said that they would be coming as well. Valenti volunteered to tell the parents after they had all left.
"So the nine of us are going to Antar." Courtney noted, counting heads. "What a party.'
Evan's residence- Max's bedroom
Max and Isabel sat on Max's bed, a video camera recording them as they speak.
"Mom, Dad, somewhere down deep inside you, you have always known that we were different from everybody else. When you found us twelve years ago, you had believed that we had been abandoned. That wasn't the truth." Max said into the camera, then looked at Isabel.
"the truth is, Max and I aren't from around here, and by the time you get this tape, we will be on our way home. Please don't hate us for this mom and dad, the two of you have been wonderful parents and we love you more than you could ever know, but we have to leave. Michael, Tess, and Courtney are like us and they will be coming as well as Liz, Maria, Alex and Kyle. Just remember that wherever we end up, know that we love and are thinking about you. Goodbye." Isabel said as she broke into tears.
As Isabel finished, Max looked at her and told her it was time. He stopped the recording and ejected the tape, putting it in his pocket. Then he and Isabel grabbed their bags and left the room.
Old Highway
4:30 AM
Valenti, Kyle and Tess drove up to the agreed upon spot by the highway that led to Albuquerque. As they pulled to a stop they spotted Courtney, Michael and Maria already waiting for them so that they could leave. A couple minutes later Max's jeeppulled up wit Isabel, Alex, Liz and Max in it. The four f them got out and walked over to where the rest were waiting.
"Are we all ready to go?" Max asked and everyone nodded slowly. "Okay, Michael could you give me some help with the jeep?"
Michael nodded and raised his hand towards the jeep. Slowly, the vehicle began to roll forward towards the edge of the cliff, picking up speed as it went. After a few seconds, the jeep flew over the face of the cliff and exploded on the rocks two hundred feet below. The process was repeated with Courtney's SUV. When both cars were lying in a flaming heap at the bottom, Max turned to Valenti and gave him the tape.
"Give this to our parents once you know that we have left." Max instructed and Jim gave him a nod.
"I just want you all to know that it has been an honor and a privilege to have known all of you." Valenti told them. Kyle and Tess gave him a hug. Max, Michael and alex shook his hand, and then Maria, Liz and Isabel gave him a quick hug as well. Courtney gave him a small wave, as she had never been too close to him.
"You all take care of yourselves and good luck." Valenti told them, then watched passively as the group of nine began walking out into the desert in the direction of the pod chamber. Sighing heavily, he got into his car and drove back towards town, readying himself for the storm of explanations he would be giving in a few short hours to the Evans, Whitmans, Parkers, and Amy DeLuca.
Outside Pod Chamber
8:45 AM
The sun was beginning to rise just as the group reached the rock outcropping that housed the pod chamber and the granolith. Max, followed closely by Tess and the others, made his way up the side of the rock to where the entrance was. They were just about to enter the chamber when a black car appeared in the distance, speeding towards them. Max quickly waved his hand over the rock and a silvery handprint appeared on the side of it. Max, Michael, and Courtney quickly herd Maria, Liz, Alex, Kyle, Tess, and Isabel into the chamber just as two people jump out of the car and race up the side of the rock outcrop. As one, Max, Michael and Courtney raise their hands defensively, but lower them as soon as they see the faces of the two pursuers.
"Ava…Sean….What are you doing here?" Max demanded.
"Catching a ride home, if that's not a problem?" Ava quipped and Max nodded, turning to Sean.
"Amy wants to know where Maria is, I went to the Crashdown to see if she was there or if Liz knew where she was, and then I find out that Liz is missing as well. Then I ran into Tess, uh I mean Ava, and she told me that you guys were leaving Earth and then had me drive her here." Sean explained. "Where are you going."
Max thought for a moment before replying, "Home."
"Max!" Tess's shrill cry sounded from inside the chamber. "We have to go now!"
"Sean, I don't know what to tell you but we really don't have time to discuss this right now." Michael announced
"Is Maria in there?" Sean demanded
"Yes, she is." Michael answered, then turned to Ava and Courtney, "Go inside" He instructed the pair, who quickly complied.
"Bring her out here right now!" Sean shouted. "Amy will have my head on a platter if Maria isn't with me when I go back"
"Max! Michael! We have exactly one minute left! Get in here now!" Tess and Isabel bellowed.
"You're not leaving." Sean said, pulling out a knife. Before Sean could react, Michael raised his hand and blasted the knife away, and Max threw him into the chamber. Then both he and Michael followed, the entrance sealing behind them, but not before another figure dove through the opening. Max recognized him immediately.
"Brody!" Max exclaimed
"Larek, actually. You all need to get into the Granolith chamber now!" He yelled
"Ten seconds!" Tess screamed. Max, Michael, Sean and Brody all rushed to the inner chamber of the Granolith just as the doors slid shut, sealing them in.
"Time's up." Liz noted, looking at the countdown timer.
"Alright, everyone of Antarian blood, grab hold of a human!" Tess yelled and took Kyle's hand. Max grabbed Liz, Michael took Maria's, Isabel grasped Alex's, Ava held on to Sean, and Courtney grabbed Brody's. Green tendril coils shot out from inside the Granolith, snaring the aliens, their luggage and the person they were holding on to. Within a matter of milliseconds, all twelve of them were inside the Granolith, looking out. Then the Granolith blasted off into the sky.
TBC…..