Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. The characters all belong to their respective studios and creators. I am just borrowing them for my story.

Author's Note: This story is set after the end of season 2 of Roswell (after Tess has already left) and in the beginning of season 6 of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer- after Buffy and Spike have gotten together, but before Willow was addicted to magic and before Willow and Tara broke up. Also, Giles hasn't left yet. Sorry for the confusing time lines, but this worked best for my story.

A/N 2: It's kind of a short new part, but I wanted to get something up. Thanks to everybody who's read and reviewed. The reviews just make my day!

Chapter 19 - An Unexpected Visitor

Max was still holding Liz's hand when the door to the magic shop opened again and in walked a very familiar young woman.

There were exclamations from many people around the room, of surprise and anger. "TESS?"

The three Podsters walked forward menacingly, while the girl merely stood in the doorway.

"Wait, stop!" Liz exclaimed and rushed forward, to place herself between the purple haired girl and the other three. "It's not Tess!"

Max, trusting Liz, stopped and Michael and Isabel stopped as well. "How do you know?"

"I don't know. I just do. It's not Tess." Liz looked back at her. "Hey, Ava."

"Hey Liz," Ava said in her New York accent. "Hey guys."

The rest of the group was still cautious after their recent betrayal by Tess and answered her noncommitally. She looked slightly hurt at that. "I know you must not be real happy to see me, but I just felt I had to be here."

"Woah, back up a second," Buffy said with a confused look on her face. "There are two sets of you guys, right? Is she the Ava from the other set, or what?"

Isabel answered her. "Yes, there are two sets of us. This is the Ava from the other set, the one who didn't betray us, but..."

"But you're not sure if you can trust me, I got it," Ava finished for her. "After all, my dupe totally sold you out."

"Yeah, and how do you know about that," Kyle asked her. He wasn't sure how he should react to her. He had trusted, and in a way, loved Tess and she had forced him to carry Alex's body after she had murdered him. Not to mention messing with his head with her mindwarps. Now her dupe, who had the same exact power, just happens to show up in an alien 'situation' and she knew exactly what had happened to them? To him, it was really fishy and he knew that she could be a spy. He would just have to watch her carefully, is all, and not let her try any of her funny stuff.

"Let's just say that I was Nicholas' 'guest' for a while and he always liked to gloat. When I managed to get away, I knew I had to find you."

Michael looked at her askance. "Why? What do you want?"

"Nicholas bragged about Kivar's little scheme with the Hellmouth and from what he said, I pieced together that only a complete set would be able to defeat them, so I came here."

Liz, who was still kind of traumatized about Tess, nonetheless saw how much the girl needed a friend and remembered just how she had helped when she was in Roswell. Even though a part of Liz was still unsure about her, the greater part recognized how much they did need her. She knew for a certainty, from that little visit from Future Max, that Ava was right about them needing a complete set. She realized that she would probably have to tell Max, if only so he knew just how much they did need Ava- they would have to talk later. Right now, she had to make sure that Ava felt welcome so she wouldn't leave. She moved forward and pulled the girl into the shop, closing the door behind her. Then she surprised everyone by giving her a hug. "It's good to see you, Ava."

Ava hugged her back, with something akin to relief- at least someone believed her. She had been worried that with everything Tess had put them through, they wouldn't accept her help. The stupid bitch- she was just as bad as Lonnie and Rath. "It's good to see you too, Liz."

Maria moved forward as well and offered her a small smile. Ava smiled back, finally letting herself believe that maybe it would be okay.

A sudden thought occured to Liz. She could also probably talk to Ava about what was going on with her. After all, Ava had been the one who knew that Liz would be changed, thanks to Max's healing of her; she just might know what was going on with her now. Liz released her and as she did and before she had a chance to voice her question, Ava pitched forward unsteadily. Liz and Maria caught her and then led her over to a chair to sit down. "What did he do to you," Liz asked.

"He did whatever he could to get any information I had about you. I didn't give him anything though- I swear," Ava said anxiously. "I'll be alright though. I'm just a little bruised and tired from running is all."

Sheriff Valenti moved over to her. Upon seeing her walk in the door, his emotions had gone haywire. On the one hand, he knew that she was not the girl who had betrayed them. On the other, she looked exactly like the girl he had opened his heart and his home to, and who had repaid him by murdering one of their own. For the moment, he decided, he would just have to remember that Ava was NOT Tess, and take it from there. "The important thing is that you're okay. Max," he called, looking back at the young king, "why don't you come over here and make sure?"

Max, who's emotions had also been in turmoil, recognized that until it was proven otherwise, Ava was their ally and they probably did need her help in beating Kivar. They would just have to watch her, is all. "Sure, Sheriff." He moved over to her and knelt down in front of her, connecting with her and making sure that she was really okay.

While he was doing that, Giles spoke up. The Scoobies had been quiet up to that point, letting the Roswellians handle it, but he felt it was necessary to know what they were dealing with. "So she is an ally then?"

Michael, while still paranoid, could recognize the benefits of having Ava on their side. "Yes, she's an ally. She's helped us out before. But there are two others out there- Lonnie and Rath- who are definitely enemies and should be avoided at all costs."

Just then, Max gasped and began to look strained through the connection. Liz was next to him in an instant. "Max, what's wrong?"

"There's something... can't quite... need more power," he breathed out. Isabel moved to his other side and placed her hand on his shoulder. With the increased energy, the strain on Max eased and he was able to complete his work.

Ava was looking at him warily and he could detect a fear in her eyes. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing anymore," Max answered her. He realized that he needed to be truthful with her and that she needed to know the extent of the damage. "It's just your internal organs were a mess. It looks like Nicholas," and he gripped her hand while talking to her, "messed with your internal functions, either in his quest to get information from you, or on the off chance that you would escape. If you hadn't come here, where I could fix you, I don't know how long..." and he trailed off, unable to say the rest, at the look in her eyes.

Ava was horrified, but more importantly, she was pissed. "That little bastard!"

Liz had noticed Max gripping Ava's hand and felt pain at the image. It brought back so many bad memories of Tess, but then Liz realized she needed to put her emotions aside and be there for her friend. She was horrified at what Nicholas had done as well. "Don't worry, Ava, we're going to get him." After all, he had been a part of what Tess had done to the group and to Alex. The two girls shared a grim smile, which soon included all of the Roswellians, even the Sheriff, as they were all looking for a little payback and for the threat hanging over them to be gone once and for all.

"Oh yeah," Isabel chimed in, "It's time that little shit was a pile of skin flakes." At that, the Scoobies just shared a look and Spike happily thought that their new associates seemed to be rather bloodthirsty.